It’s been a busy week for UFL news out of Birmingham. The Stallions hosted the first of the league’s many town hall events this Thursday, and with it came major confirmations about the 2024 rulebook from head of football operations Daryl Johnston. I had a chance to talk with Johnston after the press conference and was able to get first hand details on what to expect this season.
Here’s everything we know about the UFL rules so far.
UFL Kickoff
UFL Rule – Kickoff from the 20 yard line, with all players moving on the kick. (USFL Rule) During a live interview with Birmingham’s The Next Round, Johnston confirmed that the UFL will use the same kickoff format as the USFL did in years prior. This version of the kickoff, while different from the NFL, is much more traditional than its XFL counterpart. In the UFL kickoff, the place kicker will send it away from their own 20 yard line, increasing returns and improving
offensive field position.
Johnston went on record stating that he “did not like the stationary [XFL] kickoff” and that “it just didn’t look like football.” Even the strongest XFL supporters can’t deny that Johnstons claim holds some truth. While their format succeeded in decreasing the risk of injury, it often came across stilted and slow on tv. Furthermore, in removing a key aspect of the NFL special teams system the XFL version cut off potential opportunities for return specialists.
The USFL kickoff on the other hand has played a huge role in helping players get to the league, a prime example being KaVontae Turpin. The former USFL MVP is now a staple of the Dallas WR core and return team. However, it’s unlikely that Turpin would have gotten a chance without special teams letting him get a foot in the door.
UFL Catching in Bounds
UFL Rule – Two feet must be in bounds for the receiver to make the catch. (USFL Rule)
Another key difference between the rulebooks centered around catching the football in bounds….