Birmingham Stallions win UFL behind 3 TDs from former KSU QB Martinez | K-State Sports

“I believed our protection performed a heck of a soccer sport,” head coach Skip Holtz mentioned. “They saved the ball in entrance of them, didn’t hand over any large performs, tackled – simply an unbelievable effort by our defensive aspect.”

Birmingham added the brand new spring-football league’s crown to the championships gained by the Stallions the previous two seasons within the USFL, which merged with the XFL to kind the United Soccer League this 12 months.

The end result avenged Birmingham’s solely lack of the season. The Brahmas beat the Stallions 18-9 on Could 25 in Week 9 of the common season.

“We have been undefeated after we performed San Antonio the primary time,” Birmingham linebacker Kyahva Tezino mentioned. “And if I’m being actual with ourselves, we have been snug, we have been complacent. We in all probability wanted that. Coach Skip really got here within the locker room and mentioned he would reasonably lose that sport and win the championship than for it to be vice versa.

“We simply got here collectively, and we mentioned we’re not going to let (San Antonio operating again Anthony McFarland) beat us, we’re not going to let this offense beat us, and we’re simply going to come back collectively and play our butts off, and that’s what we did.

“Shout out to these guys. Shout out to the D-line. It begins with them, after which all people else follows proper behind them, so it’s only a group effort.”

With the No. 1 offense within the league, led by former Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez, Birmingham opened the title sport with three punts and a fumble on its first 4 possessions. Then the Stallions scored the following thrice that they had the soccer.

Martinez completed with 98 passing yards, finishing 13-of-23 passes with one landing and no interceptions.

The previous Wildcat quarterback added 52 yards on the bottom to go together with two dashing touchdowns.

Martinez, who was the UFL Most Precious Participant within the common season, additionally gained the MVP Award for the championship sport.

For San Antonio, although, the offense produced six punts, misplaced two fumbles and obtained stopped on downs twice.

Birmingham’s breakout play was a 44-yard burst by operating again Ricky Individual Jr. to the San Antonio 30-yard line. The massive play led to an 8-yard landing cross from Martinez to extensive receiver Gary Jennings with 40 seconds left within the first half. Birmingham took an 8-0 halftime lead on Martinez’s 2-point conversion cross to extensive receiver Amari Rodgers.

Receiving the second-half kickoff, the Stallions moved 64 yards in eight performs for one more landing. Martinez ran in from 11 yards with 11:00 left within the third quarter, then hit tight finish Jordan Thomas with a 2-point conversion cross for a 16-0 lead.

“We’re a defer group,” Holtz mentioned. “We’ll at all times defer the ball, so when there was a coin toss, I hoped we might win it so we may defer, and so they gained it and took the ball. And our entire sideline was like, ‘Sure!’ as a result of what we have now talked about is the chance if we are able to handle this clock the proper approach and we are able to discover a strategy to get a rating earlier than half after which get the ball within the third quarter and go rating once more, it’s a two-score sport earlier than they get again out. They’d the ball on the finish of the second quarter, we went down and scored, went down and scored once more, and when their offense got here again out it was 16-0. That’s arduous for an offense to beat.”

San Antonio then made the deadly error of the sport. Birmingham linebacker Kyahva Tezino induced Brahmas extensive receiver Jontre Kirklin to fumble on a completion on the Brahmas’ first snap of the second half, and security Kenny Robinson Jr. recovered on the San Antonio 24-yard line.

The Stallions cashed in with Martinez’s 1-yard quarterback sneak for a landing – a play dominated in need of the aim line on the sector however was a TD by way of video assessment with 7:25 left within the third quarter.

A 49-yard subject aim by Chris Blewitt with 11:31 left to play set the ultimate rating.

San Antonio ran for 127 yards on 33 carries in its regular-season victory over Birmingham. On Sunday, the Brahmas had 52 yards on 16 dashing makes an attempt. In the meantime, the Stallions ran for 210 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries towards San Antonio on Sunday, with Individual choosing up 102 on 13 makes an attempt.

“I advised the group within the assembly at present I used to be going to run the ball 25 occasions, and so they mentioned 30,” Holtz mentioned. “I advised them if they might common over 4 yards a carry, I’ll name it 30 occasions. We needed to run the ball on this sport. That was the sport plan entering into. I used to be getting flustered after we went three-and-out, three-and-out. Had a few third downs and perhaps a few drops or reads or throws that we couldn’t execute. Nevertheless it was simple to stick with it with the protection exhibiting a zero on the scoreboard, as a result of although it appeared prefer it was dangerous, it was nonetheless 0-0. You’re nonetheless proper within the sport. We’re proper the place we must be. We don’t must win it within the first quarter, and I applaud our gamers for simply being affected person.

“And the offensive line – we knew (the San Antonio protection is) athletic, they’re quick, they will run, they will rush the passer. They’ve confirmed that. However we really feel like our offensive line is fairly good, and we felt like we might be receiving the advantages within the second, third and fourth quarters if we saved banging that rock as a result of, ultimately, we have been hoping it could put on them down. And our offensive line, they obtained stronger as the sport went on.”