The St. Louis Battlehawks are coming for revenge in week 1 as they play against the reigning champion D.C. Defenders at home in the Battledome (after losing last season’s XFL Conference Championship game.)
Potential Rivalry Game
This marks the first time in franchise history where St. Louis begins their season at home, so this matchup is pivotal in setting the tone for the season. With a strong rivalry against another dominant team, this game is by far one of the most highly anticipated games of the weekend.
New Year = New Team
It’s hard to predict how successful the Battlehawks will be this season as this team is a completely different one from last season. Unlike D.C., who retained most of their roster from last year’s championship run, St. Louis’ lineup is filled with a mixture of familiar and new faces. Not to mention, this is the first season with an entirely new head coach in Ricky Proehl.
Head Coach Ricky Proehl
Proehl was the Battlehawks’ WR coach during their 2023 campaign – where he saw a lot of success with a WR room consisting of Hakeem Butler, Darrius Shepherd, Marcell Ateman, Gary Jennings, and his son Austin Proehl. It’s no question that he’s worked with talented players before – expect his knowledge and expertise to translate to the new squad this season.
Change of Quarterback
St. Louis also underwent a big change at quarterback. After Max Duggan departed the team to play in the CFL, the Battlehawks signed three quarterbacks during the offseason to help their chances at success. Veteran Brandon Silvers was named the starter for this week’s matchup, with former CFL quarterback Harrison Frost backing him up. Former NFL quarterback Michael Pratt signed with St. Louis during the offseason and then left to pursue other opportunities. Pratt has since returned to the Battlehawks to assume their QB3 role.
Brandon Silvers
Silvers knows the Battlehawks’ playbook the strongest, despite being on the team since 2024 and not having an actual chance at the starting role. He’s gone through Anthony Becht’s playbook and has now adjusted to Ricky Proehl’s playbook. Reports have mentioned how Silvers looked really strong during training camp, which should bring some optimism to St. Louis fans.
DC Defense
However, Silvers isn’t going to have the easiest first week as the starter. He is up against a menacing D.C. defense – a defense that notably ranks second in the league for the highest turnover margin. Not to mention, he isn’t the strongest quarterback of the two that will be in the spotlight this weekend – Jordan Ta’amu is taking the reins for D.C., and he has consistently produced stellar football throughout his career. It won’t come as a shock at all if Ta’amu continues to produce at the level he has been at.
Top Ranked Battlehawks’ Defense
Ta’amu may have a tricky time too – there’s a lot of optimism surrounding the Battlehawks’ defense, which is coming off a spectacular season and sees key defensive playmakers Pita Taumoepenu and Travis Feeney returning to the lineup.
St. Louis’ defense has some new faces and additional depth pieces, but Feeney and Taumoepenu’s return to the lineup will provide the young defensive core with a positive leadership dynamic and culture that is crucial for its success. Proehl even said that this year’s linebacker core is the strongest it’s ever been – which should hopefully help with fixing some key defensive mistakes.
Return of Saylors and Offensive Changes
One face that isn’t returning to the Battlehawks’ roster is Jacob Saylors, who signed with the Detroit Lions this past NFL season and has seen a lot of success with them as their primary kick returner. He is returning to St. Louis as the honorary team captain for the coin toss, but his lack of presence will be noticeable within the RB room.
Instead, veterans Jarveon Howard and Kevon Latulas could be splitting the workload this season. Both are not terrible pickups, but they will need to step up tremendously this year in order to be successful.
It’s unknown whether the Battlehawks will employ a pass or run offense – last year’s offense was run-heavy due to Max Duggan’s strength as a runner. However, given Proehl’s experience in working with wide receivers, we may see more of a pass-heavy offense this year. St. Louis really could benefit from a mix of both in order to be successful this year.
Home Field Advantage
However, St. Louis’ biggest advantage isn’t the coaching staff or the seasoned players on the roster. Their biggest advantage is going to be their fans cheering them on from all over the Battledome. The Battlehawks’ fanbase ranks first in the UFL in the league’s “Kickoff Challenge” initiative, which is meant to encourage fans to purchase tickets to their team’s home opener.
Having home field advantage is going to be monumental for the Battlehawks in a rivalry as old as time. Attendance for this game is also going to set the tone for the rest of the season — especially with the league’s efforts in improving their external messaging.
St. Louis has always had one of the stronger fanbases in spring football, and that will be no different heading into this season. While the Dome’s attendance figures declined last year, the anticipation of the new look ‘Hawks should drive up intrigue for the league (and in turn, more people in seats).
This game has not been sold out according to Ticketmaster, but there have been enough tickets sold to guarantee a loud and energized crowd – which could help the team find their footing quickly. Having a strong fanbase by their side will prove advantageous to this young and hungry Battlehawks team eager to make it to another postseason berth (and a first-time championship run).
Week 1: D.C. Defenders @ St. Louis Battlehawks, 11 AM CT, The Dome At America’s Center
This game will also be streamed live on ESPN
