"Entering second season with Birmingham Stallions, former WSU DB Daniel Isom maintains NFL dream"

The article below, released yesterday, was written by Stephen Hunt for the the Spokesman-Review as part of their coverage of Washington State football. You can read the full version by clicking this link. I'm unsure as to who gets credit for the photo, however. 

ARLINGTON, Texas – Last season, Daniel Isom showed little rust in playing his first football in two years with Birmingham of the United Football League.

Isom, a defensive back who played at Washington State from 2019 through 2021, had 11 tackles and one interception in 10 regular-season games (five starts) – including a key 48-yard game-tying interception return for a touchdown in a come-from-behind win over Michigan in the UFL semifinals.

His Stallions won the inaugural UFL championship game a week later, beating San Antonio 25-0 in the city where Isom was born and raised, St. Louis – the perfect ending to a great season for the 27-year-old.

“Yeah, I think the first year (in the UFL) was really good. I was really thankful for the opportunity to get my feet back under me,” Isom said. “I had dealt with some issues that led me to not play for two years, so it was good to get out and play ball again. Obviously, we had a great year as a team. We ended up winning the championship. We came together as a team and were able to get it done. This year, we’ll focus on doing the same thing, taking it day by day and coming together to win games.”

Prior to landing in Birmingham, the defensive back’s last on-field action had come with the Los Angeles Rams, a short stint in the NFL which was truncated by injury.

“It was a good time, a good opportunity. I ended up unfortunately getting hurt and having to leave, but it was a good time,” Isom said. “I learned a lot about the game of football, about myself. It’s led me to the opportunity I’m at now.”

Being away from football for two years showed him how much he’d missed the game and maybe even increased his love for the sport.

“I definitely gained some sort of extra appreciation from being away from the game and coming back and being able to accomplish all the things we were able to accomplish as a team,” he said.

With the Stallions, he’s playing for Skip Holtz, son of Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz. Skip Holtz took over as Stallions head coach prior to the 2022 season. It’s an experience he’s enjoying.

“I love his approach to the team. He wants us to be comfortable in our position on the team, never be too high or low,” Isom said. “We’re always worried about going 1-0 and what’s in front of us. The way he leads the team, he gives us a good way to lead our lives and worry about what we can take care of now.”

Isom arrived at Washington State in 2019 after playing his first two collegiate seasons at Northern Illinois and Iowa Western. He started the first five games that season before then-coach Mike Leach dismissed him from the program for “a violation of team rules.”

The following season, Leach’s replacement, Nick Rolovich, reinstated Isom, who was named Pac-12 honorable mention his senior season.

"Play It Again, Samford!"

My access to past high school and university yearbooks will come to an end soon, so I may do a run on that type of content in the coming days. 

The following images are snips from Samford's 1985 yearbook, the first following the program's return in 1984. 

"Tailback Greg Switzer goes off tackle for a long gain against Arkansas Monticello"

"Quarterback Tommy Bledsoe prepares to discharge the football down field while a fellow team(mate) protects him against the sack."

2011, Nov. 13th: "Doormat No More: Miles Wins Inaugural Title Game"

Not much to add here. The image comes from the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. The article did as well, originally, but I copied the version displayed in the Birmingham News because the layout was better suited to the task. 

1985, Jan. 3rd: "Stallions Make Rice No. 1 Pick"

Birmingham News coverage of the Stallions' draft results in preparation for the 1985 season. The last two images are from the January 4th edition.

2023, May 27th: "Stallions find that winning song, rock past Breakers to division lead"

Fox Sports' RJ Young provides the summary below of the Stallions win over the Breakers. 

Did I miss something? Did this game have a classic rock theme to it at the time? I have no idea why Young is referencing 70s songs all over the place, but I love seeing someone enjoy his work! 

Photography credit provided where available.

I've probably said it in an earlier post involving these two teams, but man, I loved to hate the Breakers for a variety of reason. Hopefully they are brought back some day.  

The Birmingham Stallions got it on, banged a gong, and sang that winning song after their 24-20 victory against the New Orleans Breakers on Saturday.

...

(Alex McGough) has proven to be the most valuable player in the Birmingham locker room since taking over the job due to a season-ending injury to J'Mar Smith. But he needed — needs — help. For the second week in a row, he received that from the run game and the defense.

McGough completed 16 of 23 passes and accounted for 198 total yards with two TDs against John DeFilippo's Breakers.

...

Defensively, Birmingham linebacker Quentin Poling, a native of Gomer, Ohio, rocked out with 11 tackles, including three tackles for loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in the win.

"We've been doing a great job as a unit," Poling said. "We just have to keep growing."

Despite out-gaining the Stallions 186-96 in the first half, not to mention converting seven of 10 third downs and getting off 40 offensive plays, the Breakers walked into halftime down 10-6 due to two costly turnovers. 

With outstanding field position after a Wes Hills fumble and a mistake by the New Orleans punt team, Birmingham needed just 21 plays to put double-digits on the field and build quite a bit of momentum. 

...

QB Alex McGough

Coming out for the third quarter, it was like Holtz looked down at the stat sheet, saw running back CJ Marable had just four carries, and decided to let the Chanticleer crow. Marable accounted for just 46 total yards against the Breakers a month ago, but he matched that on the ensuing drive alone.

Former North Carolina State running back Ricky Person finished what Marable started on that drive, punching it in to give the Stallions a 17-6 lead in the third. 

(Photo by Stew Milne/USFL/Getty Images USFL)

Marable ended the game with 23 touches for 138 total yards from scrimmage, his second straight game with 100-plus yards.

After a stop by the Birmingham defense on New Orleans' next possession, the Stallions looked to be putting a Ted Nugent stranglehold on the game. That's until Breakers defensive back Michael Stevens ripped the ball free of wideout Adrian Hardy to take over possession on the Birmingham 19 yard-line.

The turnover amounted to three points and put New Orleans back on the Stallions' scent, and here the Breakers come again now, baby. Or so Breakers fans thought, because on the next drive McGough and the offense made like they heard one guitar just blow them away, saw stars in their eyes and decided to become something like jukebox heroes.

McGough started rocking, up eight in the third, scrambling, dipping, ducking and diving to find La'Michael Pettway, and then Myron Mitchell, and then Jace Sternberger — twice — to extend the Stallions' lead to 24–9 with less than a minute left to play in the third.

(Photo by Stew Milne/USFL/Getty Images USFL)

(Bethel-Thompson) found wideout Lee Morris for six and then converted the two-point try with a pass to Surratt to make it a one-score game with 12:10 left to play, giving New Orleans fans permission to dream on.

After a defensive stop, the Breakers took possession of the southern rock on their own 35-yard line looking like making a bigger mess than George Thorogood & the Destroyers at a bachelorette party. The Stallions came up with a stop to force a 55-yard field goal but to close the game to 24-20 with 5:40 left to play.

DB Jojo Tillery, photo credit unavailable)

Four inches, fourth down, up four, 1:26 left to play, the Stallions let their defense finish the game. It was a fitting end for a team that had given up 45 points to New Orleans in Week 4.

Quincy Crawford to Tuskegee

The Tuskegee football program announced its list of signees for 2025 earlier this week, and it included a Birmingham player. 

The team's website also identified a receiver by the name of Ashten Long as being from Birmingham and playing at Ramsay, but that appears to be incorrect. 

2012, Sept. 22nd: "No. 18 Panthers remain undefeated with 16-2 SAA victory over Rhodes"

This game follows a 61-14 pounding of Ave Maria the previous weekend. While numerous records and standards were set in that game, Ave Maria was only in its second year at that point, and playing its first game of that season, making the accomplishments somewhat less impressive. 

Still, for record-keeping...

The Panthers broke the single-game scoring record (previously 54 points against Rhodes College on Nov. 5, 2011), the single-game touchdowns record with nine (previously eight against Rhodes on Nov. 5, 2011), and the single-game rushing yards record with 408 (previously 406 against Millsaps on Nov. 12, 2011).

Speaking of Rhodes, let's review how BSU reached the 4-0 mark that year. 84 below should be Aaron Sherrill.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.—No. 18 Birmingham-Southern opened Southern Athletic Association play with an 16-2 victory against Rhodes today at Crain Field in Memphis, Tenn.

The Panthers remain undefeated at 4-0, while the Lynx fall to 2-1. Today marks BSC's fourth straight win against Rhodes over the past six seasons. Today's game marked the first SAA game for both teams in their new conference.

BSC scored on its second drive, using four plays to score on a five-yard pass from senior Tyson Beacham to senior Aaron Sherrill. Junior Ryan Laughlin's extra point was good to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead at the 4:12 mark of the first quarter.

BSC led 7-0 at halftime but Rhodes got on the board in the third quarter. After a long drive by the Lynx to the BSC one-yard line, the Panther defense held steady and Rhodes turned the ball over on downs. BSC took over at their own one-yard line, and Rhodes was then able to get a safety, tackling senior Shawn Morris in the end zone, cutting the score to 7-2 with 7:39 left in the quarter.

The Panthers scored on their next possession on a 30-yard field goal by Laughlin to go up 10-2 at the 1:25 mark of the third.

In the fourth quarter, after another Rhodes turnover on downs, the Panthers drove 60 yards to score once more, this time on a one-yard dash by Morris into the end zone. BSC tried for the two-point conversion, but it was no good, and the Panthers led 16-2 with 10:34 left in the game.

...

Beacham was 7-9 for 48 yards with one touchdown; senior Jimmy Stainback also saw action and was 5-7 for 66 yards. Morris led with 76 yards rushing on 15 carries, and junior Matt Hansard led with 38 yards on two catches.

Senior Nick Gordon led the BSC defense with 10 tackles, including seven solo tackles, two sacks, two tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble and a pass break-up.

"Aydden Moody is coming to The Gump!"

This young man was the first player announced by Alabama State on Wednesday during signing day. One to watch!