Stallions win number 6, clinch post season berth

The Birmingham Stallions defeated the Memphis Showboats (again) on Saturday to go up 6 to 0. The league best record secured Birmingham a spot in the United Football League playoffs. The Stallions have thoroughly dominated the USFL Conference of the UFL.

The Stallions have shown the ability to come from behind, win by playing crushing defense, and on Saturday in Memphis they showed the ability to light up the scoreboard with a 39 to 21 win over the Memphis Showboats.

Former Nebraska Quarterback Adrian Martinez is fast becoming one of the stars of the spring football league. Martinez, a dual threat quarterback, has shown the ability to take it the distance with his legs as well as his arm.

On Saturday he roasted the Showboats secondary with his passing skills. Throwing 23 completions on 36 attempts for 368 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran the ball five times for 25 yards for what was nearly a 400-yard all-around performance for Martinez. Martinez threw one 79-yard touchdown to Kevin Austin Jr. who finished with four catches on the day. Marlon Williams had four catches with two touchdowns.

66 quarterbacks started games in the NFL this past season with some teams starting four different quarterbacks. It is hard to believe, based on his Stallions tenure, that Martinez won't be in the fall league when NFL camps begin in late June. Marlon Williams had four catches with two of them going for touchdowns.

The Stallions are used to being in the championship hunt, having won both USFL championships. The USFL merged with the XFL in late December to become the UFL.

Skip Holtz is in his third season as the Stallions head coach.

"Winning is hard and it takes a total team effort from Sunday all the way to Saturday," "I think we were minus yards for that first quarter." "Nobody hit the panic button. I thought they were very poised on the sideline."

"This is the first game where we gave up more than 21 points." Said Holtz. "This is the second week in a row where we had no turnovers. Our defense forced three turnovers."

"I think this is the first game this year where we had more pass plays than running plays," Holtz said. "I think Adrian made some great deep balls and some guys went and made great catches down the field."

"I still think we have way too many drops," Holtz said. "We had some pretty big injuries tonight. With the limited rosters that is something we have got to look at."

"There is a lot we can get better with," said Martinez. "I am very fortunate to continue to play this game. I think when you come to it from gratitude. I am grateful for this opportunity. My end goal is to get to the NFL."

"I thought your end goal was to play for me?" Holtz said jokingly. "I am really hurting that the NFL is your end goal. I can't believe you said that."

The top two teams in the USFL Conference will play each other. The Stallions have locked in to one of those spots. The top two teams in the XFL Conference will play in their Championship game. The two conference champions will then play in the UFL Championship game at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis on June 16.

The United Football League (UFL) is owned by RedBird Capital Partners, FOX, Actor/wrestler Dwayne Johnson and his manager and former wife Dany Garcia.

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