Omaha Mammoths usher in new football league
Professional football has returned to Omaha.
The Omaha Mammoths stomped the Boston Brawlers 41-18 in the inaugural game of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL).
This is Omaha’s second dance with an outdoor professional football league. The Omaha Nighthawks lasted three seasons in the United Football League, before the league’s founders pulled the plug in 2012.
The difference with the FXFL is that it doesn’t want to compete head-to-head against the monster that is the National Football League, like the UFL did. The FXFL wants to be a developmental league for the NFL, its founder Brian Wood has said to several media outlets.
The FXFL has targeted players who were among the last cuts of preseason camps in order to get them more playing experience. They then could be ready for the NFL with a little more seasoning.
The FXFL has a media contract with ESPN to televise games via its online “channel,” ESPN 3. This will help give the league exposure nationally.
The Mammoths and Brawlers are among four teams in the FXFL this season. The Brooklyn Bolts and the Blacktips are the others. The Blacktips, a Miami-based franchise, plays all road games as part of their three-game schedule.
Among the players on the Omaha roster are Brock Jensen and Jordan Jefferson. Jensen starred at quarterback for North Dakota State during the Bison’s three-year run as national champion in the NCAA’s FCS division. Jefferson played QB for the LSU Tigers in the Southeast Conference.
Omaha is coached by former Nebraska-Omaha’s Sandy Buda. “The Riverboat Gambler,” as he was known for taking chances during his coaching days with the Mavericks, takes on his first professional outdoor team this season. He has coached indoor football with the Omaha Beef.
Buda’s coaching staff features former NFL players Sage Rosenfels, Dave Tollefson and Kenny Onatolu, as well as long-time Buda assistants Herman Colvin and Chuck Osberg. Dean Picottes and Shane Smith are the other coaches.
The game itself was entertaining for the estimated 2,000 fans in attendance. The fans were vocal. They made their presence known when the Mammoths had a good play or made a good stop.
The Mammoths’ cheerleading squad did a superb job of keeping fans engaged.
The contest looked like it was going to be a track meet at the start. Tajh Boyd – former Clemson star – engineered the league’s first touchdown drive by capping the opening possession with a 21-yard scoring pass to Cam White. The extra point try failed. The FXFL is using the 17-yard line as the line of scrimmage for PATs. This is something the NFL toyed with during its preseason this year.
Omaha responded with a touchdown drive of its own on the next possession. Ladarius Perkins scampered 34 yards for the score. The extra point gave the Mammoths a 7-6 lead they’d never relinquish.
The Omaha quarterbacks – Jefferson and Jensen – combined for 324 yards through the air. Jefferson was 12 of 16 for 156 yards. Jensen went 10-12 for 168 yards.
I urge people to attend the FXFL games. It looks like the league can be a good one. The league’s leadership obviously believes Omaha can be a player in the AAA level of football. We support baseball. We can support minor league football.
I’ve heard people say they want to wait and see if the league succeeds before getting involved. I was one of them. But, if we wait, we could lose our opportunity for professional football. I encourage fans to try the game. Once you attend, I am sure you’ll enjoy it.
Omaha hosts the Blacktips Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT. This will be the Blacktips first game of the season.
