Football withdrawals, anyone?
Fear not, fans of the gridiron. The XFL has returned, and it is intent on being the cure to your post-Super Bowl sorrow.
Enter the Dragons, Seattle’s team in version 2.0 of the Vince McMahon-owned league, which opens the season against the DC Defenders Saturday, Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. PT on ABC.
OK, you’re new to this team, this league, this idea of watching football at a time of year when you’re usually convincing yourself that this is the year for the Mariners.
In 2020, the XFL has built a bridge crossing the valley between the Seahawks’ loss at Green Bay and their 2020-21 season opener, and you’ll want to know the who and what before watching.
Photo: Seattle Dragons
Seattle Dragons head coach Jim Zorn talking to the team during a practice.
Head coach
The most familiar name to Seattle fans is likely head coach/general manager Jim Zorn, the first-ever starting quarterback for the Seahawks. The pairing was on obvious choice.
“Coach Zorn is a legend in this market,” said Dragons President Ryan Gustafson. “His style of play really resembles what we’re going to be doing.”
Zorn was also head coach of the Washington Redskins for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, but Saturday’s return to the beltway leaves little room for sentimentality.
“This is a business trip for us,” Zorn said. “It’s not a vacation. It’s getting out on that field and performing.”
Photo: Seattle Dragons
Seattle Dragons XFL quarterback Brandon Silvers throwing a ball during practice.
Quarterbacks
Signal calling will fall on the shoulders of Brandon Silvers, the 6-foot-3, 223-pound quarterback who was named the starter over B.J. Daniels late last month. Silvers starred for the pass-first Troy Trojans in college, throwing for 10,677 yards, 71 touchdowns, 29 interceptions and completing 64.4% of his attempts. Perhaps the highlight was when Silvers led the Trojans to a 24-21 upset in front of 100,000 fans at No. 25 LSU.
He says he’s ready for this next challenge. “I’ve always been uptempo,” Silvers said, “so the (XFL’s) 25-second play clock is not a big deal to me.”
The 25-year-old last played for the Memphis Express of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football, where he threw for 777 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in three 2019 starts. His performance was good enough to encourage the New York Jets to sign Silvers last April, only to waive him in May.
“I really like his concentration,” Zorn said. “He’s homing in on play after play and putting these plays back-to-back now.”
Daniels, many will recall, was on the Seahawks practice squad during their 2014 Super Bowl championship run. He was moved to wide receiver in 2015 and caught two passes in six appearances.
The 30-year-old took a fair share of snaps at Tuesday’s practice. Don’t be surprised if Zorn uses Daniels – who still has NFL-caliber arm strength – to take advantage of the XFL’s double-pass rule that considers any pass behind the line of scrimmage a lateral.
Running backs
Although the Dragons will rotate three ball carriers – Ja’Quan Gardner (5-7, 201), Kenneth Farrow (5-10, 208) and Trey Williams (5-8, 195) – Gardner is somewhat of a surprise at No. 1 on the depth chart ahead of his big-college teammates. The reason? Farrow eclipsed 1,000 yards in his junior season at Houston, and Williams averaged 7.0 yards per carry as a sophomore at Texas A&M.
Gardner played collegiately at Humboldt State, (Trivia: What is the nickname of Humboldt State? Answer at the bottom) a small Division II school that discontinued its program after the 2018 season. But his college career was one for the record books as Gardner ran for 5,495 yards and 72 touchdowns and caught 81 passes for 761 yards.
“We don’t get weaker by having any of the them on the field,” Zorn said. “They all do the same thing. They’ve been pretty productive. They all can catch and run pretty good routes. We’ll see if one of them might stand out, but we don’t know who that guy’s going to be.”
Photo: Seattle Dragons
Wide receiver Kasen Williams catching the ball during practice.
Two wideouts should be familiar to Seattle fans: Kasen Williams, the former UW and Skyline High School star who made three appearances over the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Seahawks and seven more with the Browns in 2017; and Keenan Reynolds, the record-setting quarterback at Navy who played two games at split end for the Seahawks in 2018.
Williams’ sophomore year was his best at UW. He caught 77 passes and gained 878 yards en route to earning an All-Pac-12 honorable mention. He seemed destined to be the next great Husky receiver until a gruesome leg injury (broken fibula and Lisfranc tendon damage) derailed his junior year.
Reynolds was a four-year starter for the Midshipmen, running for 4,559 yards and 88 TDs while throwing for 4,001 yards and 31 TDs. He was fifth in the 2015 Heisman voting. In the offseason, Reynolds serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a lieutenant junior grade. Think about that the next time you return from Cabo and “need a vacation from your vacation.”
Offensive linemen
The Dragons have eight men on their O-line, which averages 312 pounds per man. Protecting Silvers’ blind side will be the responsibility of left tackle Isaiah Battle, a 6-foot-6, 305-pounder who started in 11 games for Clemson in 2014 and has spent time with the Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers. Dillon Day, Cyril Richardson, Michael Dunn and Quinterrius Eatmon round out the first string.
“Our offensive line is pretty cohesive,” Zorn said. “They can move and their feet are pretty good.”
Defensive linemen
If you’re a fan of a Pac-12 team, you’ve probably seen defensive tackle Will Sutton maul your quarterback and running backs in the backfield. Sutton was a third-round pick of the Chicago Bears after his senior season at Arizona State, where he was twice named the conference’s Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year.
Sutton is joined up front by fellow tackle Anthony Moten (University of Miami) and ends Stansly Maponga (TCU) and Jacquies Smith (University of Missouri).
Former UW defensive tackle Taniela Tupou is also listed on the depth chart but is currently out with an undisclosed injury. Tupou was an all-state lineman at Archbishop Murphy in Everett prior to UW and afterward played briefly for the Seahawks. He also spent time with Atlanta, Arizona and the AAF’s San Diego Fleet.
“I think we have a pretty quick defensive line,” said Zorn. “Even if we make substitutions, I think that rotation is pretty quick.”
Linebackers
This unit is anchored by middle linebacker Kyle Queiro, who had a solid college career as a strong safety at Northwestern but struggled to gain a foothold in the NFL. Quiero signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 and moved to outside linebacker but was released the same year. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds, he has added eight to 10 pounds since his college days.
The starting outside linebackers are Steven Johnson and Nick Temple. At six-foot-one and 239 pounds, Johnson is the Dragons’ biggest linebacker and has spent significant time in the NFL, including three full seasons with the Denver Broncos and one full season with the Tennessee Titans.
His story is reflective of the hardship endured and the extraordinary drive many XFL players possess in their quests to make a career out of football. He blew out his knee (ACL and LCL) in high school and was invited to walk on at Kansas. By his junior year he had earned a scholarship and led the conference with 124 tackles his senior season.
Temple was a standout in college for the Cincinnati Bearcats, totaling 113 tackles (10.5 tackles for loss) and three sacks as a senior. When the NFL didn’t come calling, Temple sought a career in the Canadian Football League, where he played for the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Bombers but was released in 2016. He then pursued a career in education, becoming an assistant dean at a K-8 public charter school in his hometown of Indianapolis. He then signed with the San Antonio Commanders of the short-lived Alliance of American Football before landing on the Dragons’ roster.
Defensive backs
Cornerbacks Jeremy Clark and Channing Stribling were college teammates at Michigan and both fit the mold of today’s larger cornerback. Clark is 6-foot-3, 206 pounds; Stribling is 6-foot-2, 188.
Clark picked off three passes his junior season but tore his ACL four games into his senior year. The New York Jets still thought highly enough of Clark to draft him in the sixth round in 2017. He was waived a year later.
Stribling had four interceptions for the Wolverines in 2016 and spent time as a practice squad player for three NFL teams.
Six-foot, 212-pound strong safety Godwin Igwebuike has experience in four NFL camps, including making the 53-man roster for both San Francisco and Tampa Bay as a special-teams player in 2018.
Free safety Jordan Martin (6-foot-2, 204) played for the AAF’s San Diego Fleet and Salt Lake Stallions before a short stint in the Minnesota Vikings’ mini-camp last year.
“It’s hard to single out DBs,” Zorn said, “but I think ours have some size and quickness and speed. They’re playing with confidence.”
Special teams
Kicking duties belong to Ernesto Lacayo, a 30-year-old who played college ball at NAIA Hastings College. Adjusting to the XFL’s kicking rules (no PAT kicks, kickers lining up with their teammates downfield on kickoffs) will be a unique experience for everyone.
“That’s probably what I’m most excited about seeing out there,” Zorn said. “Especially the first kickoff to see how odd it’s going to look, but it’s going to be a competitive play all year.”
Punter Brock Miller (Southern Utah) will also handle holds from long snapper Noah Borden (Hawaii) on field goals.
Seattle Dragons head coach Jim Zorn talking to the team during practice.
Assistants you know
Zorn’s coaching staff consists of seven coaches with NFL experience, including offensive coordinator Mike Riley, the former two-time head coach at Oregon State. Riley coached the Beavers for the 1997 and 1998 seasons before accepting the head coach position with the San Diego Chargers. He was fired after three years, culminating in a season-ending loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2001. Back to Corvallis Riley went in 2003 where he led the Beavers to eight bowl games – including six victories – and an overall record of 93-80 – through 2014. His head-coaching career also includes three seasons at Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers went 19-19 from 2015-17.
Another member of the staff familiar to locals is running backs coach Butch Goncharoff, who coached Bellevue High School to 11 WIAA 3A state titles between 2001 and 2013. Local die-hards will recall the Wolverines’ 39-20 victory over famed DeLaSalle (Concord, Calif.) in 2004. The Spartans entered the game with 151 consecutive wins, a national high school record that still stands and inspired the film When the Game Stands Tall, starring western Washington actor Jim Caviezel.
XFL, explained
Yes, this is the same XFL that lasted one season in 2001 before shutting down. Version 1.0 allowed players to put nicknames on their jerseys. The opening kickoff was determined by two opposing players dashing toward the ball – like two Target shoppers going after the last Xbox console on Christmas Eve – placed at the 50-yard line. First one to gain possession won.
It felt more WWE than NFL.
The league aims to be different in 2020. Oliver Luck, the former athletic director at West Virginia, is the XFL’s CEO and commissioner and adds a certain dignity to the organization.
XFL owner Vince McMahon is reportedly worth more than $2 billion, so covering expenses does not seem to be an issue.
The league consists of eight teams divided into two conferences: West and East. West teams are: Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Los Angeles Wildcats and Seattle Dragons. East teams are: DC Defenders, New York Guardians, St. Louis BattleHawks and Tampa Bay Vipers.
When to watch
The Dragons will host the Vipers in their home opener Saturday, Feb. 15 at CenturyLink. Predictions have attendance somewhere north of 20,000.
“The XFL is for the love of football,” said Gustafson, the Dragons president. “And Seattle has a unique passion for its sports teams.”
Teams will play 10 games: two against their conference rivals, and one against each team from the other conference. The top two teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs. The regular season kicks off Feb. 8 and ends April 12. Playoff games will be held on April 19, and the championship game on April 26.
The XFL signed a three-year agreement with ESPN and Fox to carry all 43 regular and postseason games. Games will be played on Saturdays and Sundays, and a Thursday night primetime game will be played in each of the final two weeks of the regular season.
Locally, ESPN Radio will broadcast a weekly segment with Zorn on Monday’s John Clayton Show at 11 a.m., and a one-hour Dragons insider show hosted by Lydia Cruz that will offer insights into players, opponents and XFL news on Wednesday nights.
Want to bet?
Caesars Sportsbook has lines on this weekend’s games. The Dragons are an eight-point underdog at DC.
Watch party
If you wake up Saturday morning with a hankering for football – not to mention $3 jello shots – look no further than Fuel Sports, the official home bar of the Seattle Dragons. Fuel – located at 164 South Washington Street in Pioneer Square – is hosting a watch party for the season opener against the Defenders. The bar will open at 10:30 a.m. and offer specials on food and drinks. Kickoff is 11 a.m.
Ticket prices
Season and single-game tickets are available at xfldragons.com, ticketmaster.com and by calling 206-960-4777. Single-game ticket prices range from $108 for club seats to $24. Season ticket prices for five home games range from $450 to $100.
Seattle Dragons schedule
Feb. 8 at DC Defenders
11am PT, ABC
Feb. 15 Tampa Bay Vipers
2pm PT, FOX
Feb. 22 Dallas Renegades
2pm PT, FOX
Feb. 29 at St. Louis BattleHawks
2pm PT, FOX
March 7 at Houston Roughnecks
11am PT, ABC
March 15 Los Angeles Wildcats
4pm PT, ESPN2
March 22 New York Guardians
12pm PT, ABC
March 29 at Dallas Renegades
3pm PT, FS1
April 5 at Los Angeles Wildcats
3pm PT, FS1
April 11 Houston Roughnecks
11am PT, ABC
All home games are at CenturyLink Field.
Trivia question answer: Lumberjacks is the nickname of Humboldt State. No prize if you got it right. Just tremendous satisfaction.
Articles by Mike Kord 