Week four of the UFL kicked off on Friday night, with the Michigan Panthers hosting the Memphis Showboats. It was a rematch of UFL week one, when Michigan took Memphis down 26-12.
Heading into this affair, the Panthers were 2-1, fresh off a last second win at Ford Field over the San Antonio Brahmas. They’re rolling with Bryce Perkins as QB1, as Danny Etling went down with a concussion on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Showboats have had a brutal start to the year. They’ve seen Ken Whisenhunt step down not once, but twice – and this time it’s for good. Jim Turner will take over as HC for the rest of the year, looking to right the ship as the Showboats are 0-3.
It was a homecoming for Showboats QB E.J. Perry – who spent some time with the Michigan Panthers as their starter in ‘23 and ‘24. Knowing the history there, it made for what was an intriguing storyline heading into this affair.
Let’s take a look at what all went down at Ford Field this Friday night.
First Quarter
New Head Coach Jim Turner has made it clear: he’s playing both quarterbacks. While E.J. Perry was originally slated to start, Troy Williams was put out on the field first. Memphis didn’t get much going, though, and the Panthers took over quickly following a Walter Palmore sack.
Michigan’s offense wouldn’t see too much success to start. They went three and out – and then a botched snap on the punt resulted in the Showboats having outstanding field position. Michigan was trying to run a fake punt, but LS Jordan Ober didn’t exactly get the memo.
After getting bailed out by a DPI penalty from D.J. Miller Jr., Memphis capitalized. Deneric Prince ran it in from a few yards out, and the Showboats took a 6-0 lead.
Both teams would then go on to trade punts. Michigan’s LB Javin White made an outstanding TFL on Jacob Kibodi, which resulted in the Showboats having to send it away once again.
This time, Michigan was set up with great field position, and took advantage. Bryce Perkins picked away at Memphis’ defense, and then Toa Taua broke off with an impressive 15 yard touchdown scamper, and the Panthers took a 7-6 lead off of Toa’s PAT attempt.
Second Quarter
Memphis rolled with E.J. Perry through most of the first half, despite Troy starting on the first drive. However, they weren’t able to get much going with him through the air, having to punt it away again. Whether E.J. or Troy were in at quarterback – nothing was working for this Showboats offense.
After both teams had a couple of possessions that ate up a bunch of clock, with little to show for it, Michigan put it together. They started at their own 11 yard line, but found a way to consistently pick up chunk yardage, largely due to the play of Bryce Perkins. Toa Taua continued to find holes in Memphis’ defense – which eventually led to a 19 yard score from Nate McCrary, who also made an impact on the ground in this one.
E.J. Perry and the Showboats managed to see some positive plays with a bit of time left in the half, which led to a 52 yard field goal from Matt Coghlin. Heading into halftime, the Michigan Panthers held a 14-9 advantage.
Third Quarter
As the second half got underway, the Panthers weren’t exactly in control. Michigan had to punt it away to kick off the third quarter, and Isiah Hennie had an outstanding return to put the Showboats in scoring position.
Unfortunately for Memphis, that would be one of the final positive plays we’d see from them all day. Perry threw a slant to Eli Stove, but the ball somehow bounced around and managed to fall into Arnold Tarpley’s lap, and the Panthers took over.
Michigan surprisingly had to punt, giving Memphis another chance to take the lead, or at least get closer. Troy Williams wasn’t having much success though, being brought down on 3rd down by Frank Ginda and Ron Stone Jr.
Heading into the fourth quarter, neither team could find much of an offensive rhythm. It was a messy third period, with mistakes on both sides starting to pile up.
Fourth Quarter
After Michigan forced another punt, they finally turned up the heat offensively. Bryce Perkins unleashed a deep ball to Siaosi Mariner, who made an unbelievable catch down the sidelines.
Just one play later, the Panthers would find paydirt. Perkins slung it to Jaylon Moore, who made Keaton Ellis look silly as he danced his way into the endzone for six.
Memphis appeared to have a bit of life, down 21-9, as E.J. Perry found Kwamie Lassiter for a 19 yard gain. However, Michigan’s defense would hold strong once again, stuffing the Showboats on 4th and 1, turning the ball over on downs.
Bryce Perkins and this Panthers offense did not relent. McCrary and Taua were a duo that Memphis could not stop on the ground, finding gashes throughout the Showboats defense week in and week out. Then, Perkins found Jalen Wydermyer for another touchdown, and the Panthers took a 27-9 lead.
That would essentially seal the deal, with just a few minutes left. Memphis’ final drive came up short, with Mike Nolan using his super challenge to overturn what would have been a Showboats first down.
Michigan’s dominant second half led to a 27-9 victory at home, as the team improved to 3-1.
Standout Playmakers
QB Bryce Perkins: Perkins had his best performance of the year, having been the starter the entire game. He completed 15 of 22 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 45 yards as well. He looked fluid and confident, and will hopefully build upon today’s performance moving forward.
RB’s Toa Taua & Nate McCrary: How about those running backs? Jordan Pavlisin had this unit in motion today. The two combined for 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns, taking turns breaking down a battered Showboats defense. Even without Matt Colburn, this group has been tremendous.
LB Frank Ginda: Ginda is a tackling machine, and continues to prove why he’s deserving of an NFL opportunity. Frank totaled 13 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a TFL in tonight’s game, flying around the field throughout the affair. His seven solo tackles led the Panthers defensively.
S Arnold Tarpley III: Tarpley has been excellent at safety for Michigan’s defense, and he stuffed the stat sheet today with three tackles, a TFL, an interception, and a PBU. Coach Nolan spoke on Tarpley’s impact post-game, saying that his interception was the game-changing moment that swung momentum in Michigan’s direction.
LB Steele Chambers: For the Showboats, Chambers was effective today, with 11 tackles leading the team. He had to step up as Zeke Vandenburgh went down with injury, and did not return. Chambers, similar to Ginda, is the type of linebacker who will rack up plenty of tackles week in and week out.
S Eli Walker: Walker was another player who had a solid day, with nine tackles. The former Maulers standout has been a key piece for Jarren Horton and his defense this season.
Coaches Post-Game Comments
Memphis Showboats HC Jim Turner commented on the team’s performance following the loss, highlighting the flaws both offensively and defensively:
“Obviously, a tough loss for our football team. A lot happens in a season, and a lot has happened in this season, and no time will I give our team an out. We’re supposed to win football games, and that’s what I’m here to help do. Our offense has to play better, period. I know our defense struggled tonight, but our offense needs to be better. In defense of our offense, we’re running someone else’s offense right now. I just brought in a new coordinator this week, so we made the adjustment with him, and I love the fact that I let him call the game because it sets us up for the rest of the season. I love the character of our football team, and I think these guys play as hard as you can possibly play.”
We spoke to Michigan Panthers’ HC Mike Nolan about the efficiency of this offense, and how so many playmakers got involved from first snap to the last:
“You know, I think if you ask Bryce that question, he’d answer it the same way. He knows that he has a lot of good, competent players around him, and he wants to feed the ball to all of them. I think he does that intentionally. It’s not only the play calling from Marcel, but I know that we have a good receiving core, and they all have their own little niche in what they do. It’s a very competitive group, and a lot of toughness which isn’t always the case. There’s not a guy in the group who doesn’t make tough catches, so I think it’s really just Bryce trying to get the ball to his guys.”
Key Takeaways
Even though the score was relatively close through three quarters, this was a lopsided affair. The Michigan Panthers dominated in so many key categories, with their defense stifling Memphis’ every attempt:
- Total Yards: MICH, 369 | MEM, 150
- Yards Per Carry: MICH, 5.1 | MEM, 2.8
- Average Yards/Completion: MICH, 13.3 | MEM, 6.7
- YAC: MICH, 88 | MEM, 17
- TFL: MICH, 6 | MEM, 1
- Sacks: MICH, 2 | MEM, 0
- Takeaways: MICH, 2 | MEM 0
The Memphis Showboats need a lot of help. Like, a lot of it. Up front, they were decimated by Michigan’s O-Line. With the loss of John Atkins to IR, and the fact that P.J. Hall abruptly didn’t travel with the team, their run defense was non-existent as Michigan ran for 5.1 yards per carry, with 169 rushing yards on the day.
With the strain that Memphis’ defense was under, they folded. Their defensive backs weren’t able to hold up, as Bryce Perkins began to dice them up in the second half. Michigan was very efficient with the football, while Memphis was not.
A couple other major takeaways: Michigan’s red zone offense is showing big improvements. Michigan was 3-3 on red zone opportunities against Memphis, scoring touchdowns on all three appearances. It’s in stark contrast to the team that failed to score at the goal-line, with four attempts, against Birmingham just two weeks ago. As Mike Nolan said in the post-game presser, it’s the increased execution that has helped elevate this Michigan offense to an entirely new level.
For the Showboats, they have zero stability at quarterback. They can’t run the ball at all, with both backs combining for just 34 yards on 14 carries. E.J. Perry and Troy Williams can’t step up when pressured, with the two completing just 12 of their 24 combined pass attempts. Third down efficiency was a glaring issue today, as the Showboats were just 1-10. For Jim Turner, Noel Mazzone, and this entire staff – some serious self-reflection needs to occur.
Final Thoughts
Across the board, the Michigan Panthers are proving why they’re one of the best teams in the UFL. This group is firing on all cylinders, and now improve to 3-1 on the year – cruising towards the postseason as they did a year ago.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Showboats have a lot to sort through, in a short amount of time. They’re 0-4, and with six games left to play, need a miracle to try and make a playoff push.
Week four of the UFL continues tomorrow, with the Arlington Renegades hosting the St. Louis Battlehawks.
What are your thoughts on this game between the Michigan Panthers and Memphis Showboats? Which players impressed you the most? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
