By: Jesse Germonprez
At 1-1, the Panthers are still right in the mix—but they can’t afford to shrug this one off. They need to own it, fix it, and move forward fast.
The red zone has to be better. Turnovers have to turn into points. Special teams can’t keep costing them momentum. Field position needs to be flipped with purpose—not just reacted to. And if Bryce Perkins is the guy, then let him play like it. The offense can’t keep pulling him mid-drive and expect consistency.
This isn’t about talent—it’s about execution. Good teams tighten the screws. Great ones respond right away.
The Panthers have the pieces. Now it’s on them to come out in Week 3 with more urgency, more edge, and more purpose from the opening snap. In the UFL, there’s no time to coast. Every week is a test—and a chance to take a step forward or fall behind.
Drive Summaries Tell the Story: Field Position Slipped Away Slowly
The Panthers sit at 1-1 and still have everything in front of them—but there’s no time to dwell. They’ve got to own the mistakes, fix the details, and bounce back with urgency.
Clean up the red zone. Capitalize off turnovers. Eliminate special teams breakdowns that hand the opponent free momentum. Flip field position with intent—not desperation. And if Bryce Perkins is your quarterback, ride with him. Let him lead. Pulling him mid-drive kills rhythm and sends the wrong message.
This team isn’t lacking talent—it’s lacking execution in the biggest moments. That’s the difference between staying average and taking the next step.
Week 3 needs to look different. More urgency, identity, and fight from the opening snap. In the UFL, you don’t get time to figure it out—you either go prove it, or you get left behind.
Red Zone Regression and Questionable Calls
The defining moment of the game came in the third quarter, after Michigan’s defense had just allowed a touchdown run from Person that extended Birmingham’s lead to 12-0. The offense responded with its most efficient drive of the night—10 plays, 72 yards, eating up nearly six minutes of game clock.
Perkins and the offense mixed the run and pass well to get into scoring position. A face mask penalty on a short pass to Siaosi Mariner moved the Panthers down to the Birmingham 8, and by the next snap, they were sitting on the 2-yard line.
From there, it went sideways:
1st and goal: McCrary up the middle for -2 yards
2nd and goal: McCrary left guard for 2 yards
3rd and goal: McCrary right tackle for 1 yard
4th and goal: McCrary up the middle again, stuffed for no gain
That’s four straight runs from inside the 4. No motion, nothing to keep the Stallions guessing. Just four power calls directly into one of the league’s most disciplined defensive fronts. It never had a chance.
That sequence wasn’t just a missed opportunity, it was the moment the game slipped away. Michigan’s best drive ended in zero points. That type of red zone play calling—especially after moving the ball well—left both fans and players frustrated.
Muffed Punt and Lost Turnover Margin
The Panthers’ defense did its job, forcing two interceptions and keeping Birmingham out of the end zone for most of the first half. But the offense failed to convert either of those turnovers into points. In a close game like this, that’s the difference.
Things got worse in the second half when Devin Ross muffed a punt deep in Michigan territory. At that point, the Panthers were still within two scores and had just made a key stop. A clean catch would’ve given Perkins and the offense a real shot at flipping momentum. Instead, the Stallions recovered the loose ball and scored three plays later.
It was a brutal sequence—made worse by how much effort it had taken to claw back into decent field position. Michigan couldn’t afford a mistake there, and it cost them dearly.
Miller, Speaks, and the Defense Keep It Close
Despite the result, Michigan’s defense deserves credit. They made Birmingham earn nearly everything, especially in the first half. Brock Miller had a standout performance with two interceptions—one in the second quarter that briefly flipped momentum, and another in the third that stopped a promising Birmingham drive. He was targeted consistently and never backed down, finishing with two picks and three pass breakups, along with several strong tackles in space.
Up front, Breeland Speaks was a tone-setter, recording 6 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. He consistently won off the edge, disrupted blocking schemes, and gave Birmingham’s run game trouble all night.
On the back end, Kai Nacua once again led the team in tackles with 8, and Anthony Tarpley was right behind him with 6. Both safeties flew to the football, cleaned up missed tackles underneath, and helped prevent short gains from turning into big plays. The fact that two safeties led the team in stops says a lot about how often Birmingham was able to reach the second level—but it also shows the kind of effort and positioning both guys brought to the table.
The linebacking duo of Frank Ginda and Noah Dawkins played fast, filled gaps, and did their best to contain Birmingham’s methodical run game. This wasn’t a lack of effort or heart from the defense—they kept the Panthers in the game for as long as they could.
Offensive Identity Still Undecided
Through two games, Michigan’s offense still hasn’t found its identity. Are they a zone-read team? A power-run team? A short-game tempo offense? Right now, it’s not clear.
Bryce Perkins went 12-of-23 for 132 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 30 yards on three carries, extending plays and looking comfortable under pressure at times. But when he was swapped out for Danny Etling late in the game—despite not struggling—it raised eyebrows. Etling went 3-of-4 for 8 yards, but the offense stalled.
The receivers did what they could: Siaosi Mariner caught 3 passes for 44 yards. Gunnar Oakes had 29. Samson Nacua made the most of his one target, grabbing a 23-yard gain. Colburn and McCrary combined for nearly 100 yards on the ground, averaging over 4 yards per carry.
The pieces are here. But without rhythm, trust in your quarterback, and red zone efficiency, it’s tough to string together wins.
Looking Ahead: Time to Tighten Up
At 1-1, the Panthers remain in a strong spot in the USFL Conference. But they can’t afford to brush this one off. They’ve got to take what happened, learn from it, and respond—fast.
Fix the red zone. Finish drives. Turn turnovers into points. Stop letting special teams swing momentum the wrong way. Field position needs to be won, not just managed. And if Bryce Perkins is going to be your guy, then trust him. Let him lead without constantly yanking the wheel.
This isn’t about potential—it’s about execution. The talent is there. The structure is there. Now it’s time to clean up the details and play clean, complete football.
Week 3 is coming fast, and Michigan needs to hit the field with more urgency, more energy, and a sharper edge from the first snap. In the UFL, there’s no easing into anything. You either step up, or you fall behind. Check back soon for this week’s Shakedown article on Alternative Football Network.
