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Passing Game Outlook
A familiar face in the alt football streets, Mike Riley, is back for more spring football after spending the 2019 season in the AAF as the San Antonio Commanders’ head coach and 2020 season in the XFL as the Seattle Dragons’ offensive coordinator. In 2019, his Commanders offense averaged 19.8 points per game, dropping back at a 47.7% clip. His 2020 Dragons fared worse, averaging just 17.4 points per game with a 51.1% pass rate despite trailing often and finishing with a 1-4 record. In his latest attempt at minor league football, Riley’s Generals once again profile as a run-first offense with QB Ben Holmes under center. The most unknown product in the league’s quarterback pool, Holmes played collegiately at Tarleton State University, where he posted a 58.6% completion rate in two seasons as a starter. He was last seen with The Spring League Sea Lions where he went 16-35 (55.4%) for 219 yards, zero TDs, and two INTs. Entering the season, the Generals boast the league’s most lackluster QB room.
UPDATE 9:58AM ET: QB Ben Holmes suffered a season-ending foot injury that resulted in his release. Former AAF Birmingham Iron, XFL New York Guardian and TSL Jouster Luis Perez was signed and will likely serve as the team’s opening day QB with De’Andre Johnson serving as depth. Perez has posted pedestrian numbers in his three previous minor league stops including 5.7 yards per attempt and 1.9% TD rate in seven games as the Iron’s starter.
In keeping with the draft theme of familiarity, New Jersey used their first wide receiver selection on Holmes’ Sea Lions teammate KaVontae Turpin, who posted 17/240/3 in his TSL appearance. A return specialist at TCU, Turpin is listed at 5’8”, 158 lbs. Despite being the first Generals receiver drafted, he may have immediate playing time competition with the group drafted after him.
The Generals used their next two selections on a pair of former Green Bay Packers preseason mainstays in J’Mon Moore and Darrius Shepherd. Moore had legitimate NFL pedigree, after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to cap off his collegiate career at Missouri, he was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Packers and bounced around practice squads before ultimately getting waived from Injured Reserve ahead of the 2021 season. The 6’3”, 205-lb WR should contend for a team-leading target share immediately. A 2019 UDFA, Shepherd boasts similar experience, spending three seasons on a variety of NFL practice squads.
Taken in the supplemental draft, Alonzo Moore seemingly follows HC Mike Riley wherever he goes. The pair’s time together dates all the way back to Moore’s college days where Riley was his HC at Nebraska. They linked up again with Riley at the helm for the San Antonio Commanders, and once more with Riley serving as the Seattle Dragons’ OC. In 13 minor league appearances, Moore went for 21/328/0. His understanding of Riley’s offense and spring ball experience should put him in the wide receiver rotation from Day 1.
Profiling more as a block-first tight end, Braedon Bowman does not figure to earn a significant share of the team’s targets. Second TE selection Nick Truesdell spent time with the AAF’s Stallions and XFL’s Vipers and showed legitimate pass-catching chops. In his brief three-game stint with the Vipers, he posted a 9/91/0 receiving line on 5.0 targets per game.
Running Game Outlook
Riley has managed his run-first style by deploying backfield committees in lieu of a true bellcow. In 2019 with the Commanders, then RB1 Kenneth Farrow saw 40.6% of the team’s rushing attempts while three others were north of 10.0%. With the Dragons, he utilized a full-blown three-man RBBC that saw no back earn more than 29.0% of the team’s carries.
The Generals used their first RB selection on former Ohio State banger, Mike Weber. Posting a 4.47 40-yard dash at 5’10”, 211 lbs, Weber had legitimate NFL pedigree when he was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 draft. After bouncing around a handful of NFL practice squads, he was ultimately waived from the Injured Reserve before the 2021 season. He figures to operate as the team’s de-facto RB1 and has the best chance to separate as a fantasy workhorse.
Riley brought back another familiar face with his second RB selection in Trey Williams, who was part of both backfield committees in San Antonio and Seattle. Traditionally treated as a change-of-pace back, Williams can be expected to carry some of the rushing load and get work in passing situations.
5’7”, 227-lb Darius Victor was added in the supplemental draft. An early-down grinder for the XFL’s New York Guardians, Victor would likely mix in if Weber is not utilized as a true workhorse.
