AAF Team Orlando Apollos Announce Steve Spurrier Cruise to the Bahamas
Feb 24, 2019
Orlando Apollos head coach Steve Spurrier waves to the crowd as he enters the field before kick-off against the Memphis Express during an AAF football game, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Rick Wilson)
Those who have always wanted to play glow-in-the-dark laser tag while sailing on the high seas with the Orlando Apollos coaching staff finally have the opportunity to do just that.
As Jon Alba of Spectrum Sports 360 noted, the Apollos of the Alliance of American Football announced the inaugural "Steve Spurrier Cruise." Spurrier and the rest of his coaching staff will be aboard the boat.
The cruise's website provides details, revealing the cruise from July 12 to 15 will feature "exclusive events include Q&A sessions, welcome receptions with the coaches, private excursions, dining with fellow fans and coaches, beach olympics, photo and autograph sessions and plenty of time to schmooze with the Apollos coaches."
Spurrier's cruise leaves from Port Canaveral, Florida, and goes to Nassau, Bahamas, and Coco Cay, Bahamas, which is Royal Caribbean's private island. It will be aboard Royal Caribbean's msMariner of the Seas, which has activities such as the glow-in-the-dark laser tag, a bungee trampoline experience, a surf simulator and waterslides.
No word on whether Spurrier will take time away from designing plays to enjoy the waterslides and buffet on the lido deck.
Alliance of American Football 2019 Results: Week 3 Scores from Saturday
Feb 23, 2019
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 23: John Wolford #7 of Arizona Hotshots is sacked by Karter Schult #94 of Salt Lake Stallions during their Alliance of American Football game at Rice Eccles Stadium on February 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./AAF/Getty Images)
The Saturday slate of Alliance of American Football began at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City as the winless Stallions hosted the undefeated Arizona Hotshots.
The Stallions didn't end the day winless, though, as they notched their first win of the season in their home opener by a score of 23-15.
This Week 3 meeting was a slow burn compared to these two's first game in Week 1, which Arizona won 38-22 at home. Part of that had to do with the third-quarter exit of Hotshots quarterback John Wolford, who entered Week 3 leading the AAF in touchdown passes, leaving Trevor Knight to finish under center.
Saturday night saw Steve Spurrier's Orlando Apollos improve to 3-0 against a struggling 0-3 Memphis Express squad. Express quarterback Christian Hackenberg continued an uninspired bout in the AAF—starting early with an interception on Memphis' opening possession.
Here's a look at Week 3 results, recaps and highlights.
Week 3 Results—Feb. 23
Salt Lake City Stallions (1-2) 23, Arizona Hotshots (2-1) 15
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 23: De'Mornay Pierson-El #15 of Salt Lake Stallions celebrates after scoring against the Arizona Hotshots during their Alliance of American Football game at Rice Eccles Stadium on February 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (P
Coming into this game, the circled matchup featured Hotshots quarterback John Wolford and Stallions defensive end Karter Schult, who leads the league in sacks with four (one coming in this game).
Wolford was under constant pressure throughout the first half. At one point in the second quarter, Wolford's mic picked up the quarterback lamenting how often he was getting hit on the broadcast.
The first quarter ended with the Stallions up 3-0 thanks to this 54-yard field goal from Taylor Bertolet:
First points on the board at home! How bout some more?
The game's first touchdown came with 11:40 remaining in the second quarter when Stallions quarterback Josh Woodrum connected with receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El for 25 yards. Salt Lake held a 9-0 lead.
Midway through the second quarter, Hotshots kicker Nick Folk redeemed himself for an earlier miss by making a 48-yard attempt. With seconds remaining in the half, the Hotshots finally found the end zone on a short pass from Wolford to receiver Rashad Ross—his fourth of the season:
Arizona went into the locker room tied 9-9—after an overturned two-point attempt—despite a lack of offensive production for the majority of the first half.
The Hotshots' fortunes took a turn on the first play of the third quarter when Wolford was intercepted by Greer Martini for the Stallions' first pick of the season. Seconds later, running back Branden Oliver punched it in from one yard out—putting the Stallions up 15-9.
The fourth quarter began with the Stallions leading 15-12. The score stayed that way until midway through the final quarter when Salt Lake went for it on 4th-and-goal. Joel Bouagnon carried the ball toward the goal line, and the ruling on the field was not a touchdown, but after a Salt Lake challenge, the call was overturned.
A successful two-point conversion gave the Stallions a 23-12 lead, the largest of this game and the season for the team. Knight tried to bring the Hotshots back, but a field goal from Folk proved too little too late.
After missing Week 2 with a hamstring injury, it was surprisingly Woodrum who demanded attention at the quarterback position in this game. Ultimately, Arizona couldn't overcome its slow start or the loss of Wolford.
Orlando Apollos 21, Memphis Express 17
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 23: Rannell Hall #16 of the Orlando Express celebrates his touchdown against the Memphis Express during the third quarter of the Alliance of American Football game on February 23, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguil
Orlando's offense wasted no time, which is to be expected from an offense leading the AAF coming into this week by averaging 38.5 points per game. The Apollos' first touchdown came on a four-yard rush by D'Ernest Johnson within two minutes of the game's start.
D'Ernest Johnson runs for 7 yards on the first play. Memphis gets flagged for a 15-yard facemask penalty. Garrett Gilbert follows that with a 26-yard completion to Charles Johnson over the middle and a 23-yard pass to Rannell Hall. 1st and Goal. 🏹#TakeAim#ORLvsMEM@aafAPOLLOS
The Express offense was sparked slightly by a conversion on 3rd-and-13 with 2:45 left in the first quarter. However, that drive ended with a missed 41-yard field goal by Josh Jasper.
The first half expired with Orlando up 9-0 with neither team scoring in the second quarter.
The Express' halftime adjustments including putting Zach Mettenberger in at quarterback for the struggling Hackenberg. Within five minutes, Mettenberger struck gold with a 28-yard touchdown pass to receiver Devin Lucien—the first touchdown pass in franchise history.
Memphis' momentum was short-lived, as Apollos quarterback Garrett Gilbert found receiver Rannell Hall as he was being forced out of bounds down the right sideline for a 37-yard touchdown on 4th-and-8, putting Orlando up 15-6 with 6:40 left in the third.
Gilbert took matters into his own hands with 9:08 left in the fourth quarter with a 28-yard touchdown run on an option play that totally fooled the Memphis defense:
Just when viewers may have thought Memphis was done for, the Express embarked on an inspiring drive capped by a 40-yard Mettenberger touchdown pass to Gerrard Sheppard with 5:32 left in the game. After a successful two-point conversion, Orlando's lead was cut to 21-17.
However, the Apollos offense didn't allow Memphis to get the ball back—running out the clock and securing their third win in three games.
Arizona Hotshots at Salt Lake Stallions: AAF Game Preview, Live Stream
Feb 22, 2019
Arizona Hotshots quarterback John Wolford (7) carries the ball in the second half of an AAF football game against the Memphis Express Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Three undefeated teams remain in the Alliance of American Football. The Arizona Hotshots will look to continue their winning run in the inaugural AAF season when they visit the Salt Lake Stallions on Saturday.
After their 2-0 start, the Hotshots are the only unbeaten team remaining in the Western Conference. As for the Stallions, they are 0-2—one of three teams looking for their first win this young season.
It's the second time the two teams have played, as the Hotshots routed the Stallions 38-22 in Week 1.
How to Watch the Arizona Hotshots-Salt Lake Stallions Game
B/R Live provides free live coverage of Saturday's Arizona Hotshots-Salt Lake Stallions game from Rice-Eccles Stadium. Fans can watch the action live here. The game starts at 3 p.m. ET.
Here's the full B/R Live live-stream schedule for AAF games (all times ET):
Arizona Hotshots at Salt Lake Stallions | 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 | Watch Orlando Apollos at Salt Lake Stallions | 4 p.m. Saturday, March 2 | Watch Orlando Apollos at Birmingham Iron | 2 p.m. Saturday, March 9 | Watch Memphis Express at Salt Lake Stallions | 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16 | Watch Orlando Apollos at Atlanta Legends | 3 p.m. Saturday, March 23 | Watch Orlando Apollos at Memphis Express | 2 p.m. Saturday, March 30 | Watch Memphis Express at San Antonio Commanders | 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6 | Watch San Antonio Commanders at Salt Lake Stallions | 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13 | Watch
The Hotshots are one of three teams still undefeated, along with the Orlando Apollos and the Birmingham Iron in the Eastern Conference.
“We’re in great shape. The way we practiced in training camp, it’s like a cakewalk for us running to the ball," @RAHIMMOORESR1 on the #AZHotshots defense.
Through two games, Arizona QB John Wolford is third in the league with 469 passing yards, though he leads the AAF with six touchdown passes.
A pair of Hotshot running backs are also at the 100-yard mark, with Jhurell Pressley (121 yards) and Justin Stockton (100 yards) both reaching the century total.
As for the Stallions, three quarterbacks have completed at least seven passes. Austin Allen leads Salt Lake with 114 yards, with Josh Woodrum right behind with 103 yards. Matt Leinart is 7-for-13 for 56 yards. Joel Bouagnon is fifth in the league with his 109 rushing yards, ahead of fellow Stallion Branden Oliver (99 yards).
In the first meeting, Arizona outscored Salt Lake 16-0 in the third quarter to pull away for a 38-22 win. Wolford delivered with 275 passing yards, with Rashad Ross recording 103 receiving yards.
Arizona followed up the Week 1 win by defeating the Memphis Express on the road, 20-18. The Hotshots trailed 12-0 at the half. Meanwhile, Sale Lake lost at the Birmingham Iron, 12-9.
Alliance of American Football 2019 Week 3 Schedule, Live Stream and Odds
Feb 22, 2019
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 17: Garrett Gilbert #3 of the Orlando Apollos looks to pass the ball in an Alliance of American Football game against the the San Antonio Commanders at the Alamodome on February 17, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Edward A. Ornelas/AAF/Getty Images)
The AAF will have its hands full in that endeavor considering the the NCAA's biggest basketball tournament—March Madness—is on the horizon.
Week 3 will start off on Saturday, with the undefeated Arizona Hotshots facing the Salt Lake Stallions, who have lost both of their games.
Another 2-0 squad, the Orlando Apollos, will complete the evening against the 0-2 Memphis Express.
Week 3's games will close out with the Birmingham Iron facing off against the Atlanta Legends, followed by the two 1-1 teams, San Antonio Commanders and San Diego Fleet, each going for a respectable 2-1 record.
Week 3 Schedule
All Times ET.
Saturday, February 23
Arizona (-4.5) at Salt Lake (3 p.m. ET, LT on B/R LIVE)
Memphis at Orlando (-15.5) (8 p.m. ET, NFL Network, Fubo TV)
Sunday, February 24
Birmingham (-6.5) at Atlanta (4 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports app)
San Antonio at San Diego (-2.5) (8 p.m. ET, LT on NFL Network, Fubo TV)
Through two games, they are firing on all cylinders and are ranked No. 1 in points per game in the AAF with 38.5.
Gilbert has been targeting Charles Johnson (11 catches for 252 yards and a touchdown) and Jalin Marshall (six catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns) with aplomb, and he will continue to roll in Week 3 against Mike Singletary's Memphis Express.
"Garrett threw the ball beautifully, and our receivers caught everything," Spurrier told CBS Sports after Week 2's matchup.
Look for Orlando's receiving corps to catch everything again against Memphis.
Birmingham-Atlanta Should Be the Game of the Week
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - FEBRUARY 16: Trent Richardson #33 of the Birmingham Iron is brought down by Chris Odom #93 of Salt Lake Stallions during an Alliance of American Football game at Legion Field on February 16, 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Tod
While it may be a while before the AFF reveals some parity among its teams, fans will have to settle for powerhouse teams versus the also-rans.
In this case, that means the 0-2 Legends, who play host to the Iron in Atlanta on Sunday.
While Legends quarterback Matt Simms has underwhelmed under center, with only 286 passing yards and one touchdown to three interceptions, look for him to have a breakout game against the Iron.
Simms has an impressive pedigree (his father is New York Giants icon Phil Simms) and has eyes on righting the ship after the turnover on the coaching staff, with former head coach Brad Childress resigning before the season started.
"He's played OK in the first two games but not to the level that I know he can," Legends head coach Kevin Coyle told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Parker Johnson. "His game last week was better than the first week. This week, I think he'll take another step forward from where he was last week."
If Atlanta wants to get its first win, it will have to find a way to overcome Birmingham's impressive pass defense.
The Iron also boast Luis Perez (436 passing yards) at QB and Trent Richardson, who leads the league with three rushing touchdowns, in the backfield.
The former No. 3 overall pick of the Cleveland Browns is looking to get back to the NFL, so expect him to put on a show.
"Ya'll keep watching," Richardson told ESPN's Tony Grossi. "We're going to do great things in this Alliance league. And hopefully one day I'll get that phone call, and hopefully I'll be jumping in that Dawg Pound one day."
This game won't be a shootout, but it will be wildly competitive.
Report: AAF Needed $250 Million Emergency Investment to Be Able to Make Payroll
Feb 19, 2019
Orlando Apollos quarterback Garrett Gilbert, left, is congratulated by teammates after catching a pass from receiver Jalin Marshall for a 5-yard touchdown during the first half of an Alliance of American Ffootball game against the Atlanta Legends on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The Alliance of American Football has achieved early success during its inaugural season, but it reportedly was on the verge of collapsing recently because of financial troubles.
Fortunately for the AAF, Carolina Hurricanes majority owner Tom Dundon stepped up to save the day in the form of a $250 million investment, per The Athletic'sDavid Glenn on Monday.
"Without a new, nine-figure investor, nobody is sure what would have happened," a source told Glenn. "You can always tell people their checks are going to be a little late, but how many are going to show up on the weekend for games when they don't see anything hit their bank accounts on Friday?"
Dundon is expected to be announced as the league's new chairman on Tuesday.
The AAF features eight teams, with each roster consisting of 52 players. AAF co-founder Bill Polian revealed to Darren Rovell, then of ESPN, in July 2018 that players would receive three-year, non-guaranteed contracts worth $250,000. The deals were said to include health insurance and an education stipend for any player who registers one year of service time.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Trent Richardson, College Football Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier and Super Bowl champion Mike Martz are among those participating in the AAF's first season.
With fans around the country intrigued by the new football league, the AAF scored bigger ratings than a star-studded Houston Rockets-Oklahoma City Thunder clash in the NBA during its first week of action, perRovell.
Even with that early splash, though, the AAF found itself in an unexpected bind.
"The hope and belief now is that years from now, (the AAF) can look back and consider these some scary growing pains, because this league clearly has a chance to become incredibly successful," one source told Glenn. "The opening weekend provided a lot of excitement and hope, even beyond the TV numbers. Obviously, though, the original plan did not include a financial crisis in Week 2."
The AAF plays a 10-week schedule along with a two-round postseason.
Alliance of American Football 2019 Results: Week 2 Scores from Sunday
Feb 17, 2019
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 17: Garrett Gilbert #3 of the Orlando Apollos looks to pass the ball during the first half against the the San Antonio Commanders in an Alliance of American Football game at the Alamodome on February 17, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Edward A. Ornelas/AAF/Getty Images)
The Orlando Apollos stayed undefeated, while the San Diego Fleet earned their first win of the year to wrap up Week 2 of the Alliance of American Football season.
After Saturday's two games were decided by just five combined points, the four teams playing Sunday provided some more excellent play with both winners coming from behind in the fourth quarter.
Feb. 17 Results
Orlando Apollos (2-0) def. San Antonio Commanders (1-1), 37-29
San Diego Fleet (1-1) def. Atlanta Legends (0-2), 24-12
Orlando Apollos 37, San Antonio Commanders 29
Orlando trailed for most of the game but escaped with a win after overcoming a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Apollos quarterback Garrett Gilbert was impressive throughout the day, consistently finding his receivers on deep bombs:
Gilbert finished with 393 passing yards, 192 of them going to Johnson. The quarterback then tied the game in the fourth quarter with another touchdown throw to Jalin Marshall.
However, it was the defense that won the game for Orlando.
With the game tied and the clock ticking down, Keith Reaser picked off the ball and returned it for a touchdown to give the road team a lead:
The Apollos then made a goal-line stand on the next drive to maintain the lead and eventually seal the win.
San Antonio had played well with Logan Woodside running the offense, while Kenneth Farrow led the team with 74 rushing yards.
This was enough to lead after each of the first three quarters.
Still, Orlando continued to fly down the field with long completions, and it was enough for the visitors to come away with a win in one of the most exciting games of the AAF season.
"Garret threw the ball beautifully, our receivers caught everything and our defense came alive in the second half," head coach Steve Spurrier told CBS Sports after the game. "It was a good win for us."
The Apollos will try to keep it going in Week 3 at home against the Memphis Express. The Commanders will go on the road to face the San Diego Fleet.
San Diego Fleet 24, Atlanta Legends 12
The Fleet relied on the run game Sunday as Ja'Quan Gardner carried the team to a win with 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
His first score came in the fourth quarter, giving San Diego the lead on a fourth-down play:
San Diego finally broke the stalemate when Gardner scored the first touchdown in team history with an eight-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The home team was down 12-9 at the time but was aggressive when it mattered, and it led to the team's first win of the year.
Atlanta will hope for more luck next week against the Birmingham Iron, while the Fleet will face San Antonio.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics courtesy of the league's official site.
Video: Philip Nelson Chucks the Ball over His Head for Amazing Completion in AAF
Feb 17, 2019
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 17: Philip Nelson #9 of the San Diego Fleet runs with the ball in the second quarter against the Atlanta Legends during the Alliance of American Football game at SDCCU Stadium on February 17, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/AAF/Getty Images)
The Alliance of American Football is doing its best to emulate the NFL, and it seems Philip Nelson is trying to follow Patrick Mahomes with his no-look passes. Of course, this one wasn't quite as smooth.
The San Diego Fleet quarterback found an unorthodox way to complete a pass during Sunday's game against the Atlanta Legends, chucking the ball over his hand while under pressure:
He somehow found a receiver to turn a possible sack into a completion.
While AAF coaches might get an opportunity to be more creative than their NFL counterparts, you can be sure head coach Mike Martz wasn't a fan of that one.
Still, it looks the same in the box score for Nelson.
Apollos LB Ryan Davis Sr. Carted Off on Stretcher After Injury During AAF Game
Feb 17, 2019
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 09: Ryan Davis Sr. #95 of Orlando Apollos enters the stadium prior to the Alliance of American Football game against the Atlanta Legends at Spectrum Stadium on February 09, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/AAF/Getty Images)
Apollos reporter Tom Alexander noted Davis and teammate Earl Okine collided. They were chasing quarterback Logan Woodside. "Okine walked off the field on his own power but looked wobbly," Alexander wrote.
As for Davis, he gave a thumbs-up to the crowd while being stretchered off after players from both teams surrounded him:
Orlando team huddled together in prayer as Ryan Davis gets taken off the field. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ChvDvotUkg
The Apollos reached out to fans after the frightening injury, saying: "Thank you to those giving thoughts and well wishes to LB Ryan Davis Sr. He has exited the game with an apparent neck injury."
San Antonio and Orlando won their first games of the season, with Davis' Apollos defeating the Atlanta Legends. Davis tallied the first sack in franchise history during that win.
Davis has NFL experience and played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills from 2012 through 2017. He played in Jacksonville for the first four years of his career and notched 11 of his 14 career sacks for the AFC South team.
He also helped lead the Bills to the playoffs during the 2017 campaign with three sacks.
Alliance of American Football 2019 Results: Week 2 Scores from Saturday
Feb 16, 2019
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 16: Justin Stockton #30 of the Arizona Hotshots carries the ball during the second quarter of the Alliance of American Football game against the Memphis Express at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on February 16, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/AAF/Getty Images)
The Alliance of American Football kicked off Week 2 action Saturday with the Birmingham Iron and Arizona Hotshots staying undefeated with wins over the Salt Lake Stallions and Memphis Express, respectively.
Birmingham and Arizona both bounced back from two-score deficits. The Iron were down 9-0 before scoring 12 unanswered points, and the Hotshots were down 12-0 and 18-6 before their 20-18 victory.
Here's a look at the Week 2 results, recaps and highlights.
Week 2 Results—Feb. 16
Birmingham Iron (2-0) 12, Salt Lake Stallions (0-2) 9
Birmingham running back Trent Richardson scored the game-winning touchdown with 4:40 remaining as the Iron erased a 9-0 deficit to defeat Salt Lake 12-9 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama:
Salt Lake kicker Taylor Bertolet missed three field goals, including a 48-yarder with 1:03 left. His make was from 53 yards, while his other attempts were from 50 and 55 yards.
Also, Birmingham cornerback Jamar Summers stripped Salt Lake's De'Mornay Pierson-El on a punt return, leading to a touchdown from Shaheed Salmon after a recovered fumble in the end zone.
He also stopped a fake punt and a two-point conversion attempt.
Schult was a big reason the Birmingham offense, which gained just 216 yards, sputtered for most of the game.
Richardson did finish with 91 yards from scrimmage, while quarterback Luis Perez completed 24 of 38 passes for 184 yards.
The Stallions were without Week 1 starting quarterback Josh Woodrum, who sat with a hamstring injury. Austin Allen filled in and finished 15-of-31 for 114 yards.
The Salt Lake rushing attack carried the Stallion offense, with Joel Bouagnon and Branden Oliver combining for 129 rushing yards on 24 carries. Bouagnon scored Salt Lake's touchdown on a three-yard run with 1:56 left in the second quarter:
Salt Lake will host Arizona on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. The two teams played in Week 1, with Arizona winning 38-22 at home.
Birmingham will visit the Atlanta Legends on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Arizona Hotshots 20, Memphis Express 18
Hotshots running back Tim Cook scored a touchdown off a four-yard pass from John Wolford with 7:07 remaining as Arizona beat Memphis 20-18 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee:
Per CBS Sports, the Hotshots were 11.5-point favorites heading into their matchup with the Express, who lost to Birmingham 26-0 in their Week 1 matchup. BetDSI has also listed Arizona as the 5-2 favorite to win the championship.
However, Memphis dominated for much of the game thanks to some crucial turnovers and a bruising ground game led by running back Zac Stacy.
First, this Josh Huff fumble set up a Josh Jasper field goal:
Express quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who gave the Hotshots problems with his running abilities, capped the drive with a four-yard rush to put his team up 18-6:
Wolford rushed the ball in for the two-point conversion. After Memphis failed to score on its next drive, Arizona marched for the winning score. Memphis had the ball in its own territory with a minute remaining but did not cross midfield.
Wolford finished 20-of-29 for 194 passing yards, two touchdowns and two picks. The Hotshots rushed for 209 yards as a team.
Stacy finished with 101 rushing yards and became the first AAF player to cross the century mark in that category.
Both teams will play on Saturday. Arizona will travel to Salt Lake, and the Express will visit the Orlando Apollos.
What's Next
The only matchup between two teams that won their Week 1 games takes place on Sunday at 4 p.m. when Orlando visits the San Antonio Commanders.
The 8 p.m. nightcap features Atlanta at the San Diego Fleet. Both teams lost in their AAF debuts.
The Colleges with with the Most Players in the AAF
Feb 15, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - FEBRUARY 10: Demetrius Rhaney #65 of Memphis Express prepares to snap the ball during an Alliance of American Football game against the Birmingham Iron at Legion Field on February 10, 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/AAF/Getty Images)
The Alliance of American Football kicked off its inaugural season last weekend and plenty of familiar names took the field. Trent Richardson, who put up a record-setting season for Alabama in 2011, was one of many former college stars who shined opening week, scoring two touchdowns in the Birmingham Iron’s victory.
Eight teams make up the league, each with a 52-man roster. That makes for 416 players in the AAF. Of those 416 players, 385 hailed from Division I college football programs, a whopping 92.5 percent of players rostered on all AAF rosters.
So which programs are most represented in the AAF?
The eight teams took a bulk of their players from in-state schools. The Salt Lake Stallions, for example, are loaded with former players from the state of Utah, with 17 hailing from Utah, Utah State and BYU alone. The Utes are tied among the most players represented in the AAF with 10.
It’s probably no surprise that Alabama is tied with Utah for the most players rostered in the AAF this season. The 10 former Crimson Tide footballers are on the Birmingham Iron roster, joining four Auburn alum.
Here are the DI programs most represented on AAF rosters.
9 — LSU: Ron Brooks, CB, San Diego; Greg Gilmore, DT, Memphis; Josh Jasper, P, Memphis; Anthony Johnson, LB, Memphis; Terrance Magee, RB, Memphis; Zach Mettenberger, QB, Memphis; Sam Montgomery, DL, Memphis; Toby Weathersby, OT, Memphis; Brad Wing, P, Memphis.
9 — San Diego State: Alex Barrett, DE, San Diego; Daniel Brunskill, OT, San Diego; Donny Hageman, P, San Diego; Darrell Greene, OG, San Diego; Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego; Kameron Kelly, WR, San Diego; Jeff Overbaugh, LS, Atlanta; Eric Pinkins, LB, San Diego; Terry Poole, OT, San Diego.
8 — Texas A&M: Taylor Bertolet, K, Salt Lake; Cam Clear, TE, San Antonio; Avery Gennesy, OT, Atlanta; Trevor Knight, QB, Arizona; Patrick Lewis, C, Arizona; Damontre Moore, DE, San Diego; Shaan Washington, LB, San Antonio; Trey Williams, RB, San Antonio.
7 — Arizona State: Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona; Mike Bercovici, QB, San Diego; Marcus Hardison, DT, Arizona; Devin Lucian, WR, Memphis; Robert Nelson, DB, Arizona; Rashad Ross, WR, Arizona; Will Sutton III, DT, Arizona.
7 — Florida (all players on Orlando Apollos): Austin Appleby, QB; Josh Evans, S; Drew Ferris, LS; Will Hill III, S; Earl Okine, DE; Leon Orr, DT; Chris Thompson, WR.
7 — Florida State: Ryan Green, RB, Orlando; Ro’Derrick Hoskins, LB, Atlanta; Tre Jackson, OG, Orlando; Giorgio Newberry, DE, Orlando; Reggie Northrup II, LB, Orlando; Terrence Parks, LB, Orlando; Marquez White, CB, Orlando.
7 — Notre Dame: Scott Daly, LS, San Antonio; Tarean Folston, RB, Atlanta; Greer Martini, LB, Salt Lake; John Montelus, OG, San Diego; Nyles Morgan, Arizona; Cody Riggs, CB, Orlando; Ben Turk, P, Orlando.
4 — Auburn, Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado Houston, Louisville, Maryland, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh, San Jose State, South Carolina, Syracuse.
Thirteen programs, most notably Georgia and Miami (FL), are represented by three players, while 39 programs have two players rostered this season. Some other names you may remember roaming AAF football fields are: Nick Folk (K, Arizona, Arizona), Christian Hackenberg (QB, Penn State, Memphis), Aaron Murray (QB, Georgia, Atlanta), Nick Novak (K, Maryland, Birmingham), Branden Oliver (RB, Buffalo, Salt Lake), Denard Robinson (RB, Michigan, Atlanta), Zac Stacey (RB, Vanderbilt, Memphis) and Greg Ward Jr. (WR, Houston, San Antonio).
What about outside of DI football? There are 21 former DII football players on AAF rosters. The Atlanta Legends found some local talent, rostering five former DII stars the most of any AAF team. Two of those players hail from 2018 DII football national champions, Valdosta State. The Blazers are the only DII program with more than one player in the AAF.
Two DIII football schools are represented in the AAF. That would be North Carolina Wesleyan and Heidelberg. Southeastern (FL) of the NAIA has two players on the Orlando Apollo roster, while three junior colleges—Garden City CC, Globe JC and Grand Rapids JC—are also represented around the league. Two players didn’t go to college at all and then there is Darius Prince. Prince went to Penn State Beaver of the USCAA. Prince, who is now on the San Antonio Commanders, didn’t play a single down of college football but was a basketball player instead. His first taste of football stardom was in the Arena Football League where he earned Arena Bowl XXX MVP honors.
