By Michael T Bell
In the newly merged UFL, an underdog has emerged amongst the 8 teams. In many Power Rankings, the Michigan Panthers have been picked to finish in the bottom 2 in the league. In another survey, fans were asked to rank the top potential quarterbacks of the 8 teams. Despite his late season success, E.J. Perry was picked in the bottom 2 of the league. The question arises, Why are the Michigan Panthers not viewed as a threat? Is it their close proximity to the Detroit Lions and their lack of success in the NFL overall? Is it because E.J. Perry is not well known outside of Panthers fans? Or is it because football fans are enamored with name brand Quarterbacks like A.J. McCarron? Let’s take a dive into why perception does not equal reality.
Detroit, Michigan has experienced 51 consecutive years of pro football. Unfortunately, 39 of those seasons have been viewed as failures. Despite the success of the Detroit Lions this season in their near Super Bowl playoff run, the organization has long been considered a laughing stock by fans and pundits. Is it possible UFL fans are giving the same treatment to the Michigan Panthers?
E.J. Perry is a proud alumni from Brown University. As fans, we don’t hear much about the Ivy League. It is rare to see a pro level Quarterback come from the Ivy League. E.J. Perry started his collegiate career with Boston College. However, he transferred to Brown to play for his Uncle James Perry, who had just been named Head Coach. After two successful First Team All Ivy League honors, E.J. signed to the Texans and Jaguars Practice Squads. He eventually would find his way into the perfect situation in a QB needy USFL team, the Michigan Panthers. Many Spring football fans aren’t familiar with Perry due to the rough QB situation in Michigan the last two seasons. The Panthers went through two seasons of subpar QB play from local legend Shea Patterson, former NFL first rounder Paxton Lynch and former Pittsburgh Maulers QB Josh Love. Perry was signed late in the season and instantly made a name for himself helping the Panthers make the playoffs. In the Semifinal, the Panthers would need a comeback against the Pittsburgh Maulers. Perry was up to the task with 370 passing yards and 2 long touchdowns to Trey Quinn and Marcus Simms. Unfortunately, the Panthers would ultimately come up short after failing on two, two point conversions. One thing is for sure, E.J. Perry commands the offense and his familiarity in Mike Nolan’s offensive scheme will prove to be a tall task for anyUFL defense this season.
A.J. McCarron is an amazing ambassador for the UFL and spring football. He is arguably the most accomplished pro football player in the UFL with several backup QB stints including 4 NFL starts. His willingness to take a significant pay cut to play for the UFL is admirable. The fact he wants to give his family a chance to see him play significant football time is one of the many things that make spring football so great. However, it begs the question, are we giving too much credit to the teams that are signing notable “name brand” Quarterbacks? I am personally looking forward to E.J. Perry vs. A.J. McCarron and balancing out the narrative of the true power rankings of the UFL.
Outside of the QB position, it is harder for the casual fan to recognize impact players. The Michigan Panthers have brought back several key contributors on both sides of the ball. According to many fan pages, spring football networks, and popular contributors, the Michigan Panthers are ranked towards the bottom of the league. Are they not factoring the continuity of returning players? Are they not giving credit to key impact contributors like USFL Defensive Player of the Year Frank Ginda? In addition to bringing back Perry, top WR target Trey Quinn is back as well as 2022 standout Lance Lenoir. One of the biggest offensive stars that is getting zero attention is the addition of RB Wes Hills. Wes Hills was the 2023 USFL leading rusher and set the single game record with 191 yards with the New Orleans Breakers.
It is clear the inaugural season of the UFL will come with many growing pains. The excitement over both groups of teams from the former USFL and XFL leagues will produce some quality football for us die hard football fans. However, let this serve as a wake up call to all spring football fans out there, Don’t sleep on the Michigan Panthers! In a league built on transition and several new players each year, the Panthers boast arguably the most continuity of any team with the amount of returning players so far. The core players are intact and ready to hunt the rest of the league!