BY RALPH VENTRE
The second rendition of the United States Football League kicked off with four Week 1 contests and a number of NCAA Football Championship Subdivision products took the field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Here are five former FCS players who caught my eye during the first round of USFL games.
DE Ahmad Gooden, Houston Gamblers (Samford)
The former All-Southern Conference performer spearheaded the Gamblers’ pass rush in Week 1, recording 2.0 sacks. Gooden, who spent time on the Practice Squad with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, was credited with six total tackles in his first USFL game. His second-quarter strip sack of Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson was scooped up and returned for a defensive touchdown.
RB Darnell Holland, Philadelphia Stars (Kennesaw State)
Holland, whose freshman year coincided with Kennesaw’s first season of football competition, may have found a home with the Stars after bouncing through the XFL and the Spring League. In the opener the 5-foot-10 running back, who averaged 9.96 yards per carry during his collegiate career, broke off a 42-yard scoring scamper in a 23-17 setback. He totaled 64 yards from scrimmage.
WR Lance Lenoir, Michigan Panthers (Western Illinois)
The former three-time 1,000-yard receiver at Western Illinois accounted for a game-high 71 receiving yards on six catches in the Panthers’ season-opening setback. Lenior, who made some noise during Buffalo Bills training camp in 2021, scored Michigan’s first touchdown when he caught an eight-yard pass 5:18 into the third quarter. He also carried once for seven yards.
LB Donald Payne, Houston Gamblers (Stetson)
The former Stetson star activated “beast mode” during his USFL debut. Payne, who serve Practice Squad stints with three different NFL franchises and saw regular season game action with the Jacksonville Jaguars, totaled a league-best 18 tackles (13 solo) in the Gamblers’ 17-12 season-opening win over the Michigan Panthers.
QB Kyle Sloter, New Orleans Breakers (Northern Colorado)
The former Big Sky signal-caller took all of the snaps in the New Orleans Breakers’ season opener. Sloter, who threw a program-record 29 touchdown passes in his one season as the Northern Colorado starter, earned a victory while completing 63.0 percent of passes in his USFL debut. Despite the win, the Breakers’ field general averaged only 5.6 yards per attempt and did not complete a touchdown pass. He was intercepted once and looked shaky at times.
TALKING PIGSKIN 