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UFL tries to take Orlando by Storm
Spring football is back in Orlando. The United Football League’s Orlando Storm will play its inaugural season at Inter & Co Stadium hoping to finally make pro football work in the city. Head Coach Anthony Becht wants his team to be known for physicality and toughness.
“We will run the football” Becht told Pulp City Magazine in one of several Zoom sessions with the media to promote the season. “We are going to be physical. We are going to be very aggressive in everything we do.” Becht was a star Tight End for 10 seasons in the NFL, best known for his years with the New York Jets. “Competitive violence is important to me”, Becht says but adds personal fouls won’t be tolerated. “We want to be the smartest team on the field”. Becht has been successful as a coach so far in the XFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks, leading them to a 22-8 record over three seasons there. So what does a UFL team look like under him? “It’s going to look professional, and I really preach the details of making it look that way.”
The new challenge is the Orlando Storm in a city that’s been known as a graveyard for Spring football. If you’ve been in Orlando for decades, you’ve seen the teams come and go. RIP to the Renegades of the USFL, the Thunder of the World League of Football, the Rage of the original XFL, the Apollos of the Alliance of American Football, and most recently the Guardians of the XFL, consolidated and folded when the league merged with the USFL. Is your brain tired yet? Now Becht and his 50 players have to convince a city weary of being just another stop on the road to bankruptcy. “It’s going to be fun, and I promise you we are going to do our part” Becht told us, and he knows exactly what will help endear the fans to his team. “I think it’s also important to win”. In St. Louis, the crowds grew the more the team won.
The opener against the Columbus Aviators is not sold out yet. Tickets start at $12 for the game and will be played at Orlando City’s stadium, something Becht cannot wait to see. “There’s no bad seat at Inter & Co. You can sit at the top and you’re pretty close to the action”. To make the opener even more enticing, the team will have Grammy winner DJ Khaled perform at halftime. His concert tickets go for much more than $12.
The UFL also has different rules than the NFL. One-foot catches are legal, and 60 yard field goals are worth four points, not three. On top of that, a team must go for it on 4th down once they cross midfield, which means there should be plenty of drama and scoring. Becht believes the rules mean he’ll be going for a lot of two-point attempts since an extra point kick is 45 yards long, but going for two starts at the two yard line. A three-point attempt would be from the eight yard line. If a game goes to overtime, it is almost like a hockey shootout. Each team gets five attempts at two-point conversions from the two yard line with the winner being whichever team scores more.
Coach Becht understands that in Orlando you have to compete with theme parks, beaches, and all of the things there are to do in the region but still says “I’m just fired up.” He believes the games will be a hit and encourages fans to get on board. “It’s a great chance for Orlando and the people of Orlando to just show off a beautiful stadium a football team in the area and would love to have as many fans as we can get there.” If the team can win, Becht is ready to celebrate with the fans. “Maybe I’ll jump up into the stands or something, I’m not sure, but we’ll have fun.”
On the field, there will be players that die-hard fans will recognize, like Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson who has been successful in the UFL. There’s former 2nd round NFL draft pick KJ Hamler from Penn State at Wide Receiver, and there are hometown heroes as well. Elijah Badger played receiver for the Gators, Running Back Jashuan Corbin represents Florida State, and UCF Knights fans will be happy to see Guards Samuel Jackson and Cole Schneider up front. The goal for these guys is just a chance to play in the NFL, and that motivation is enough to give their all on every play.
The team has a host of promotions planned for the five home games between March 29th and May 22nd. You can learn more from the team on how to get tickets and all the events surround the games at https://www.theufl.com/teams/orlando
