By Greg Luca, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-03-05 16:32:51
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥市 - 5月25日：2024年5月25日，圣安东尼奥雄狮队主教练韦德·菲利普斯(Wade Phillips)在阿拉莫穹顶举行的比赛中击败伯明翰骏马队后，在更衣室与球员们庆祝胜利。（CJ Halloran/UFL/Getty Images 摄）
由于主教练从海因斯·沃德(Hines Ward)到韦德·菲利普斯的过渡，以及促成UFL成立的合并的最后阶段，圣安东尼奥雄狮队总经理马克·利利布里奇(Marc Lillibridge)被迫等到去年一月中旬，才完全开始组建阵容。
当XFL和USFL合并成一个联赛时，春季橄榄球生态系统失去了八支球队，将400名新的潜在目标推向市场。由于赛季在三月底开始，利利布里奇没有多少时间在季前训练营开始前组建一支球队。
雄狮队比大多数球队更好地应对了动荡，以7胜3负的战绩结束了常规赛，并晋级了UFL冠军赛。
与2024年的时间紧迫不同，利利布里奇有幸利用接下来的八个月专注于打造雄狮队的阵容。随着联盟在进入第二个赛季时表现出更大的稳定性，UFL的一个席位也更容易向潜在的新人推销。
随着圣安东尼奥本周在阿灵顿开始训练，68人的大名单中包括上赛季的30名回归球员，以及30名首次参加春季橄榄球赛的新人，他们融合在一起形成了一个整体，雄狮队相信他们可以在3月29日赛季开始时再次争夺冠军。
“将今年的球队与去年的球队进行比较，看看我们今年球队的天赋，我非常有信心我们能够在2025年再次参与竞争，”利利布里奇说。“所以，这令人兴奋。每个人现在都很兴奋。”
雄狮队迎回了防守端的三名主要擒抱手，分别是安全卫乔丹·莫斯利(Jordan Mosley)和线卫塔万特·贝克特(Tavante Beckett)和乔丹·威廉姆斯(Jordan Williams)。顶级角卫达里厄斯·菲利普斯(Darius Phillips)和一支强大的防守锋线上的四名球员也将在2025年回归。
在进攻端，雄狮队将有一名新的四分卫首发，凯伦·蒙德(Kellen Mond)、凯文·霍根(Kevin Hogan)和贾雷特·瓜兰塔诺(Jarrett Guarantano)之间的竞争随着训练营的开始而展开。
无论谁赢得这份工作，都将有幸向琼特尔·柯克林(Jontre Kirklin)传球，他去年以56次接球、614码和3次达阵领先全队，以及外接手马奎斯·史蒂文森(Marquez Stevenson)，他是第二位回归的首发球员。
头号冲球手约翰·洛维特(John Lovett)也在2024年获得了423码和5次达阵后回归。
菲利普斯说，连续性让雄狮队能够在周一的第一次训练中“投入更多东西”，这激发了圣安东尼奥对2025年前景的信心。
“如果今天是一个指标，我们将是伟大的，”菲利普斯说。“但是，这只是第一天。我真的认为我们在几个位置上都比去年有更多的天赋。所以，我们会看看结果如何。”
一些新来者拥有丰富的NFL经验，包括防守后卫格里迪·威廉姆斯(Greedy Williams)，他是克利夫兰布朗队在2019年选秀的第二轮新秀。
前圣安东尼奥指挥官队的杰出球员格雷格·沃德(Greg Ward)在2019-21年为老鹰队效力三个赛季，完成88次接球，推进768码后，重返春季橄榄球赛，防守后卫亨利·布莱克(Henry Black)在2020年和2021年赛季为绿湾包装工队出战25场比赛，防守截锋布莱恩·莫恩(Bryan Mone)在2019-22年为西雅图海鹰队出战41场比赛。
利利布里奇说，他优先考虑毅力和足球智商，希望那些看起来准备好为重返NFL的道路而奋斗的球员。
“让那些在NFL中证明过自己的老将回归，并将他们与一些渴望成功的优秀年轻球员混合在一起，这真是太令人兴奋了，”利利布里奇说。
雄狮队还期望从教练组的连续性中受益。进攻线教练安德烈·古罗德(Andre Gurode)离开去母校科罗拉多担任职位，所以圣安东尼奥将马文·威廉姆斯(Marvin Williams)调到进攻线教练的位置，并聘请杰西·汤普森(Jesse Thompson)担任跑卫教练。
除此之外，圣安东尼奥的教练组与2024年相同，AJ·史密斯(AJ Smith)再次担任进攻协调员，威尔·里德(Will Reed)再次担任防守协调员。
“这让我很容易成为主教练，因为他们都知道我们要求什么，我们正在寻找什么，以及如何去做，”菲利普斯说。“这在去年我们的球队中表现出来了，今年也会再次表现出来。我们能够用优秀的人才做一些好事，但我认为我们可以用伟大的人才做一些伟大的事情。”
利利布里奇相信UFL可以成为一个给予第二次机会的联盟，他愿意签下一些近年来在场外遇到障碍的球员。
线卫塔里克·卡彭特(Tariq Carpenter)因于2023年12月将一名女子摔倒在地而被指控犯有简单袭击罪而被钢人队解雇，后来被处以六场禁赛。
线卫朗尼·菲尔普斯(Lonnie Phelps)去年六月因将车撞到佛罗里达州基韦斯特的一家小酒馆而被指控犯有轻罪酒后驾车罪，并被判处12个月的缓刑。在此事件发生后，他与克利夫兰布朗队的未来合同被解除。
线卫拉肖德·贝里(Rashod Berry)也以激烈的境况失去了他在NFL的机会，在2023年6月因违反联盟的赌博政策而被发现后，他被小马队解雇。
“我甚至更加努力地推动联盟管理层给予第二次机会，他们真的接受了这一点，我认为我们就是这样，”利利布里奇说。“我很兴奋能参与其中，因为我们这里有一些球员过来拥抱我，并告诉我感谢我给了他们另一次机会，当所有希望都破灭时，或者在他们看来他们处于一个糟糕的境地。你正在做上帝的工作。这就是我想要做的一切。”
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 25: San Antonio Brahmas players are greeted by fans before the start of their game against Birmingham Stallions at Alamodome on May 25, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/UFL/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 09: Head coach Wade Phillips of the San Antonio Brahmas celebrates a win against the St. Louis Battlehawks with players during the XFL Conference Championship Game at The Dome at Americaâs Center on June 09, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/UFL/Getty Images)
点击查看原文：Brahmas confident in mix of talent as practices opens for 2025
Brahmas confident in mix of talent as practices opens for 2025
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 25: Head coach Wade Phillips of the San Antonio Brahmas celebrates with players in the locker room after the Brahmas defeated the Birmingham Stallions to win the game at the Alamodome on May 25, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by CJ Halloran/UFL/Getty Images)
Slowed by the head coaching transition from Hines Ward to Wade Phillips and the final phases of the merger that formed the UFL, San Antonio Brahmas general manager Marc Lillibridge was forced to wait until mid-January last year to fully engage the process of building a roster.
The spring football ecosystem lost eight teams when the XFL and USFL consolidated into one league, putting 400 new potential targets on the market. With the season kicking off at the end of March, Lillibridge had little time to assemble a team before preseason camp opened.
The Brahmas managed the turbulence better than most, finishing the regular season 7-3 and advancing to the UFL championship game.
Unlike the time crunch in 2024, Lillibridge had the luxury of using the next eight months to focus on building the Brahmas roster. With the league showing more stability entering a second season, a spot in the UFL also became an easier sell to possible newcomers.
As San Antonio opens practice this week in Arlington, the 68-player roster lists 30 returners from last season along with 30 first-time entrants to spring football, meshing to form a unit that the Brahmas believe can contend for a title once again when the season kicks off March 29.
“To compare and take the team last year and look at the talent we have on this year’s team, I feel really confident we’ll be able to compete again in 2025,” Lillibridge said. “So, that’s exciting. Everybody is excited right now.”
The Brahmas return their three leading tacklers on defense in safety Jordan Mosley and linebackers Tavante Beckett and Jordan Williams. Top corner Darius Phillips and four pieces of a stout defensive line unit also return for 2025.
On offense, the Brahmas will have a new starter at quarterback, with a competition between Kellen Mond, Kevin Hogan and Jarrett Guarantano underway as camp opens.
Whoever wins the job will have the luxury of throwing to Jontre Kirklin, who returns after leading the team with 56 catches for 614 yards and three touchdowns last year, as well as a second returning starter at wideout in Marquez Stevenson.
Leading rusher John Lovett is also back after picking up 423 yards with five touchdowns in 2024.
Phillips said the continuity allowed the Brahmas to “put in a few more things” on the first day of practice Monday, inspiring confidence in San Antonio’s prospects for 2025.
“We’re going to be great, if today is any indicator,” Phillips said. “But, it’s only the first day. I really do think we have a lot more talent than we had last year, overall, at several positions. So, we’ll see how it works out.”
Some of the newcomers arrive with extensive NFL experience, including defensive back Greedy Williams, a former second-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2019.
Former San Antonio Commanders standout Greg Ward is back in spring football after racking up 88 catches for 768 yards across three seasons with the Eagles from 2019-21, defensive back Henry Black played 25 games with the Green Bay Packers between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and defensive tackle Bryan Mone appeared in 41 games for the Seattle Seahawks from 2019-22.
Lillibridge said he prioritized grit and football IQ, wanting players who appeared ready to fight for a path back to the NFL.
“It’s super exciting to get the veterans back, or guys who have proven it in the NFL, and to mix that with some good young guys who are hungry,” Lillibridge said.
The Brahmas also expect to benefit from continuity on the coaching staff. Offensive line coach Andre Gurode left for a position at his alma mater Colorado, so San Antonio moved Marvin Williams to O-line coach and brought in Jesse Thompson to coach running backs.
Otherwise, San Antonio’s staff is unchanged from 2024, with AJ Smith back as offensive coordinator and Will Reed returning as defensive coordinator.
“It makes it easy for me to be the head coach, because they all know what we ask and what we’re looking for, and how to do it,” Phillips said. “It showed up last year with our team, and it’ll show up again this year. We were able to do some good things with good talent, but I think we can do some great things with great talent.”
Believing the UFL can be a league of second chances, Lillibridge was open to signing a few players who have faced hurdles off the field in recent years.
Linebacker Tariq Carpenter was released from the Steelers after being arrested on charges of simple assault for throwing a woman to the ground in December 2023, later receiving a six-game suspension.
Linebacker Lonnie Phelps was charged with misdemeanor DUI and sentenced to 12 months probation after crashing his car into a bistro in Key West, Fla., last June. He was released from his futures contract with the Cleveland Browns following the incident.
Linebacker Rashod Berry also lost his NFL opportunity under acrimonious circumstances, released from the Colts in June 2023 after he was found to have violated the league’s gambling policy.
“I pushed harder even with league management about giving second chances, and they really bought into it, and I think we are that,” Lillibridge said. “I’m excited to be a part of that, because we have some guys here that come up and hug me and tell me thank you for giving them another opportunity when all hope was lost, or in their mind they were in a bad spot. You’re doing God’s work. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
By Greg Luca, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News