New quarterback Kellen Mond struggled to keep the Brahmas offense on track as the Renegades surged to a blowout win.
Two years ago, Wade Phillips looked on as Arlington Renegades coach Bob Stoops and quarterback Luis Perez celebrated an XFL championship in the Alamodome . Phillips knew what the duo was capable of firsthand, as they beat Phillips ’ Houston Roughnecks in the playoffs to earn their spot in that title game.
So when Phillips stood across from Stoops and Perez once again as his San Antonio Brahmas opened the 2025 UFL season on Saturday in Arlington, he understood the Renegades’ continuity might create a few advantages. San Antonio quarterback Kellen Mond, a newcomer to spring football, didn’t have the same luxury, struggling to keep the Brahmas' offense on track in a 33-9 loss to the Renegades. “The thing about this league is it’s a big turnover every year. You almost have a new team every year, and you see where they meld together,” Phillips said. “Their team came together, ours hadn’t yet, but I truly believe ours will as the year goes along.” Mond finished his San Antonio debut 17-of-31 passing for 159 yards, saying small details like errant throws and missteps on routes prevented the offense from clicking at a higher level. READ MORE: Ivy League products Prince Emili, Jacob Sykes anchor San Antonio Brahmas defensive line The Brahmas ran for 105 yards on 20 carries but finished just 2 for 11 on third down, and the longest passing gain of the day covered only19 yards. “Just didn’t play clean as an offense, and we definitely have to clean it up, but sometimes it takes being humbled to clean those details up,” Mond said. “We have to come back stronger.” Arlington’s offense finished 8 for 12 in third-down situations, rushing for 183 yards at an average of 5.9 yards per carry. Perez hit an efficient 20 of 25 passes for 164 yards. San Antonio’s defense was often the catalyst on the team’s run to the UFL championship game last year, leading the league in points and yards allowed. Cornerback Corey Mayfield said Saturday's letdown was a result of situations in which “10 guys were doing their job, and one wasn’t.” “We didn’t live up to the expectations today, and it showed,” Mayfield said. “But like Coach Wade said, this is game one. We have nine more games. We have a lot of the same guys. I really think we’ll get back to the drawing board and get to work come the rest of the season.” The Renegades punched in four rushing touchdowns, with De’Veon Smith scoring from 1 yard out in the opening quarter and Kalen Ballage breaking loose for a 77-yard strike early in the second. Smith added two more 1-yard touchdowns less than 10 minutes apart to give Arlington a commanding 30-3 lead early in the fourth quarter. John Lovett provided San Antonio’s only touchdown, rushing in from about 12 yards with less than five minutes remaining and the game out of reach. “We made too many mistakes, and that starts with me,” Phillips said. “We have to do things better than we did in this ball game, but it’s one game. We’re not going to let this get us down. We're going to keep working hard. I think this team has a lot of heart, and I think we’ll come back from this game.” Kicker Donald De La Haye provided a bright spot for the Brahmas, converting the first field goal of his professional career from 39 yards out during the second quarter. Known as “Deestroying” to his 6.2 million subscribers on YouTube, De La Haye was playing for the first time since suffering a fractured neck while covering a kickoff during his second game last season. “It felt amazing,” De La Haye said on the Fox broadcast. “I'm not going to lie, I had a little jitters, but I trust my preparation, I trust what I do, and I just had to knock it through.” While Mond said the Brahmas felt the pain of Saturday’s disappointment in the first outing with a new team, he added that the group understands the importance of not dwelling on the setback. San Antonio next travels to St. Louis, one of the league favorites and a 31-6 winner against Houston in Week 1, and then visits Michigan and DC before the Brahmas’ home opener arrives April 27. “It just takes perseverance. We have to keep working on what we’re doing,” Phillips said. “We’re all unhappy, obviously, but I know these guys. They’re hard workers, and hard work pays off in the end. These guys are going to come back from this and bounce back. We lost a game, but we didn’t lose a season.”
Arlington Renegades XFL UFL Ivy League Fox Houston Phillips Wade Phillips Kellen Mond Luis Perez Corey Mayfield Wade Emili De'veon Smith Kalen Ballage Jacob Sykes John Lovett Arlington San Antonio Bob Stoops Mayfield Alamodome Michigan St. Louis DC Houston Roughnecks Donald De La Haye Youtube
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