Brahmas seek offensive uptick despite line shuffle
In the eyes of San Antonio Brahmas head coach Hines Ward, defense is often simple: “see ball, get ball.”
Calls such as cover two or cover three are mostly universal, allowing players to step into new situations and thrive.
Offense, however, takes time, Ward says, relying on chemistry and communication developed through months of practice and offseason activities.
Without those luxuries during the six-week build to the XFL season, defense has been a step ahead of offense throughout the league, mirroring most previous spring football startups. The gap is only exaggerated at the line of scrimmage, with secondary pro leagues struggling to find enough offensive linemen with the size and athleticism to hold their own.
The stress has been even more severe for the San Antonio Brahmas, who lost two offensive line starters to injury during their debut and are expected to start a third new combination up front when they travel to face the Houston Roughnecks at 7 p.m. Sunday.
“The biggest team component within the offense is the offensive line working together,” center Luke Juriga said. “It’s not the easiest thing to throw a bunch of guys in there and expect them to do it perfectly.”
Through two weeks, XFL teams are averaging 18.8 points, 252.2 yards and 2.7 sacks per game, compared to last year’s NFL averages of 21.9 points, 340.1 yards and 2.4 sacks per game.
When San Antonio hosted a team in the Alliance of American Football in 2019, the league implemented rules to assist the offensive line. Defenses were limited to no more than five pass rushers, and those players had to be aligned within two yards of the widest offensive lineman and five yards of the line of scrimmage.
No similar rule exists in the XFL, and Juriga, quarterback Jack Coan and left tackle Chidi Okeke all said they prefer facing the challenges of “real football.”
“Nobody wants to make anything easy,” Okeke said. “All of our goal is to go back to the NFL. So we want real football, and everything that comes with football. I don’t think if you ask anybody in the room, they would want it the easy way.”
The Brahmas have also faced attrition, with projected starting right tackle Derrick Kelly missing the opener due to injury. Projected starting right guard Norman Price kicked out to right tackle in his place, but Price was injured during the opener, too, sitting out last week. Starting left guard Willie
Wright also went down to a season-ending injury during San Antonio’s debut.
With Kelly and Price both expected to return this week, Ward is expecting a “huge boost” to the Brahmas’ offensive line. Coan was sacked twice in each game, often forced to evade pressure or find quick outlets.
“Whenever you’re shuffling guys in and out, it’s a different buy-in there, and they need to learn how to play with each other,” Coan said. “That being said, they did an unbelievable job last week going in and competing as hard as they could.”
Ward said San Antonio probably “sacrificed some” O-line
chemistry by limiting contact during training camp, prioritizing health in a league with 51man rosters and no practice squad.
Juriga, who directs many of the offensive line’s protections from the center position, said the Brahmas have proven to be a group of “really smart guys,” capable of fixing mistakes after one practice snap or a first showing on film.
Regardless of who shuffles into the starting unit, Okeke said “the standard is still going to remain.”
“We’re all smart people. They’re sharp, and they can grab stuff quickly,” Okeke said. “When you’re a baller, you’re a baller. You just dial in that everything is going to be the same.”
The O-line unit worked to build chemistry away from practice, Okeke said, playing
video games together during down times. With roommates assigned by position group, the linemen can quiz each other on plays at all hours.
Juriga said the group also organizes a weekly dinner.
“Offensive linemen, we like to eat,” Juriga said. “Breaking bread together is a big one for the O-line.”
Orlando gave San Antonio’s front a look the Brahmas hadn’t studied on film, Juriga said, and one of the focuses going forward will be adjusting more quickly.
Okeke said the unit “can be better than what we showed on tape,” and Coan anticipates continued improvement as the Brahmas build cohesion.
“As the season goes on,” Coan said, “hopefully offense just explodes.”