ARLINGTON, Texas — Roughly seven days prior to the commencement of the previous season, Shannon Harris assumed the role of interim head coach for the DC Defenders, following Reggie Barlow’s departure to take the head coaching position at Tennessee State. The season concluded with Harris and the Defenders clinching the UFL championship title.
As the now-established coach, Harris recognizes that circumstances will diverge for the Defenders.
“Paraphrasing Nick Saban, ‘eschew the ‘rat poison,” Harris stated. ‘That’s our fundamental practice: avoiding the ‘rat poison.’ We disregard such content. Our approach is to arrive daily, equipped with our safety helmet, meal container, and work footwear, addressing each day identically.'”
Harris noted that the meticulousness displayed during the preseason has met his expectations.
“Despite numerous new individuals on our squad, the established culture remains firm,” Harris remarked.
The Defenders benefit from Jordan Ta’amu’s return for his fourth season as quarterback. In the prior year, Ta’amu passed for 2,153 yards, achieving 17 touchdowns against four interceptions. During the championship match versus the Michigan Panthers, he accumulated 390 yards and four touchdowns, additionally rushing for a score.
“My motivation persists,” Ta’amu declared. “I still aim to repeat our success.”
Despite widespread roster alterations across the league, introducing new franchises in different locales (Louisville, Columbus, Orlando), the Defenders maintain that they possess stability, initiated by Harris and Ta’amu and extending across the entire coaching and player personnel.
“The fact that over half our players were retained is remarkable,” Ta’amu expressed. “I am simply pleased that our entire coaching staff has returned. I sense we possess an advantage over certain other teams. Presently, we are rectifying the errors from the previous year, thereby enhancing ourselves.”
Presented here is an overview of the enduring, novel, and distinct aspects of the UFL as it approaches the 2026 season.
Regulatory Adjustments
A UFL season would be incomplete without modifications to its regulations. The ‘tush push’ maneuver has been prohibited. A four-point field goal is now awarded for attempts from 60 yards or beyond. Teams are barred from punting within the opponent’s 50-yard line, except during the concluding two minutes of either half or the entire match. Furthermore, the ‘coffin corner’ punt has been abolished; kicks landing out of bounds now result in possession starting at the 20-yard line.
Managing the game will assume even greater significance.
“Numerous distinct situations are poised to emerge this year, serving as a pedagogical opportunity not merely for myself but for everyone, given the novelty of these rules for every coach,” stated A.J. McCarron, Birmingham’s inaugural-year coach, who had been the St. Louis Battlehawks’ quarterback two seasons prior. “That will undoubtedly present the most complex challenge.”
The UFL has facilitated the transition of placekickers Brandon Aubrey and Jake Bates to the NFL, partly owing to their proficiency in executing lengthy kicks. During the preseason, the league’s kickers engaged in a contest before UFL chief Mike Repole, with DC’s Matt McCrane emerging victorious.
“The four-point maneuver undeniably introduces additional motivation and merit,” Harris commented. “I am enthusiastic about it. We will still endeavor to secure our three points should the opportunity arise, yet with the four-point option, we are highly confident in Matt’s capabilities and his powerful leg.”
Repole anticipates the UFL’s regulations being integrated by the NFL in the future. However, he has no desire to diminish the enjoyment of the sport.
“There will be no penalties for celebrations,” Repole declared. “Perhaps I’ll even award an additional point for the most exceptional sack dance. I intend to revive the Mark Gastineau sack dance. But for a player to reach the end zone, and then at the 5-yard line, gesture towards an opponent and incur a 15-yard penalty? Absolutely not. I believe a 5-yard bonus should be given. … This is a sport, truly. Rest assured, the stakes are considerable, yet we can nonetheless ensure it remains competitive, fierce, and entertaining. That is our objective.”
Location Modifications
Securing suitable stadiums held significant importance for Repole.
Rather than competing in Detroit’s 65,000-capacity Ford Field, San Antonio’s 64,000-seat Alamodome, or Memphis’s 50,000-seat Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, UFL franchises in Columbus, Ohio, Orlando, and Louisville are slated to play in more compact venues primarily recognized as soccer arenas.
The Columbus Aviators are set to compete at Historic Crew Stadium (capacity 19,968). The Louisville Kings will utilize the 15,304-seat Lynn Family Stadium. Inter&Co Stadium, with a capacity of 25,500, will serve as the home for the Orlando Storm.
The CITADEL 😤
👉 https://t.co/FpoddF2K3A pic.twitter.com/maPUxZqrsp
— Louisville Kings (@UFLKings) October 7, 2025
“I refer to it as ‘Outdoor Arena Football,'” Repole stated. “Should you have visited any of these soccer venues, you’d find them smaller and more personal. I appreciate soccer, so this isn’t meant as a critique, but perhaps every five to seven minutes, there’s a significant play, a substantial pass, or a shot on goal, leading the spectators into a frenzy. With 20,000 attendees, you’re immediately immersed. In football, such intensity occurs on virtually every down. There’s a forceful tackle. There’s a fumbled ball. There’s a score. There’s a disrupted play. There’s a quarterback takedown.”
Audience fervor, in essence, will play a role.
“I appreciate our inclination towards soccer stadiums and more compact venues that can be filled to capacity, similar to Audi Field,” Ta’amu remarked. “St. Louis offers a superb atmosphere, but we won’t be traveling to Memphis again to perform before a sparse crowd of ten. We are heading to locations where there’s a strong craving for football.”
Significant Relocation for Coach Becht
Anthony Becht served as the St. Louis Battlehawks’ coach for a trio of years, compiling a 22-8 win-loss record. He and Shannon Harris represent the sole pair of returning head coaches in the UFL for 2026, notwithstanding Becht’s current tenure with the Orlando Storm.
“Look, my involvement in this endeavor is solely for victory,” Becht asserted. “We advocate for a 12-0 season. We are unafraid to discuss triumphs. We are unafraid to discuss championship titles. Having reached the conference championship consecutively for two years… we have indeed achieved success.”
Becht’s primary source of confidence stems from his quarterback corps, comprising Jack Plummer, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Hank Bachmeier. Becht holds especially high regard for wide receiver KJ Hamler, previously a second-round draft selection by the Denver Broncos.
“He has completely embraced the league through his leadership and performance,” Becht commented. “He embodies an NFL-caliber player. In other words, he won’t be with us next season. He has been exceptional. To me, he’s a standout.”
The Battlehawks in St. Louis enjoyed a genuine home-turf benefit within The Dome at America’s Center. Becht aspires to establish an identical atmosphere at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
“When one serves as both general manager and head coach, actively assisting in ticket sales, the convergence of those elements provides a tremendous experience for me,” Becht remarked. “It promises to be enjoyable, and we possess a capable team. I genuinely believe we will expand that market.”
Sumlin Returns to Houston Once More
From 1989 onward, Kevin Sumlin’s career had primarily been in collegiate football, with the single exception of 2022, during which he was affiliated with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers. He has rejoined the Gamblers, though currently under the UFL’s umbrella.
Sumlin held the position of head coach at the University of Houston (2008-11), Texas A&M (2012-17), and Arizona (2018-20). Following the conclusion of his initial tenure with the Gamblers, he moved to Maryland to serve as Mike Locksley’s assistant head coach.
He did not coach during 2025.
“From my perspective, collegiate football has undergone transformations,” Sumlin articulated. “And Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has altered numerous aspects. … This environment is entirely distinct. We are based in Arlington for a duration of five months. We can aid these athletes. There are 10 regular-season games, plus two potential playoff contests, to observe the outcome. This scenario is utterly unique. And NIL compensation is absent here.”
Yet, certain resemblances persist.
Given his connections to collegiate football recruitment, Sumlin retained the contact information for an estimated 14 or 15 players on his current roster. “And if I lacked their personal numbers, I possessed those of their parents, who would then readily provide them, saying, ‘Oh, hello, Coach, here you go,'” Sumlin recounted.
Sumlin mentioned that his prior involvement in spring football will prove beneficial for logistical planning and establishing training timetables. Greater emphasis is placed on mental exertion rather than physical labor, particularly since the majority of players possess prior professional experience.
“For our squad, the aspiration is to reach the [NFL],” Sumlin stated. “I believe every one of the 32 teams is represented within our meeting space by individuals who have been part of a roster, participated in training camps, or served on a practice squad. Consequently, I anticipate an increase in the caliber [of play]. Several players have approached my office, asking, ‘Coach, do you have a moment? What aspects should I refine? How can I return to the league?’ This, then, fuels the drive of both our players and coaching staff.”