Buckle up football fans, the XFL season is just over a month away!
Back in 2001, the XFL lasted only one season before the plug was
pulled on the league. However, that was before the age of legalized sports
gambling.
2001 XFL Season Highlights:
Sports gambling will surely increase the viewership and interest
in the XFL, especially to fill the void of the eventful NFL season that ends a
week prior to kickoff. Football fans will be desperate to get their fix while
the NFL, and its players, take a well-deserved break.
The season is bound to throw up plenty of shocks, but the
pre-season odds are always a good indicator of which teams can be expected to
be in the running for the glory. So, let’s have a closer look at those who have
every reason to be feeling optimistic for the upcoming season.
New
York Guardians
Odds to win Championship: +400
Taking over the reigns as head coach of the Guardians is a
familiar face to New York.
Head coach Kevin
Gilbride has over 30 years of NFL coaching experience and won two Super
Bowls as Offensive Coordinator of Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
Leading Gilbride’s offense in New York will be six-year NFL backup
Matt McGloin, who saw time with the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans.
Eight-year NFL veteran defensive end George Johnson was the
Guardians’ most notable draft pick due to his hometown New Jersey roots and
solidified NFL career.
Johnson totaled 66 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two
fumble recoveries in his career.
Other notable players drafted by New York: Wide receiver and
special teams’ standout Demarcus Ayers, former AAF standout corner and New
Jersey native Jamar Summers and former fifth-round wide receiver DeAngelo
Yancey.
Dallas
Renegades
Odds to win Championship: +300
The Dallas Renegades have the strongest odds to win the XFL
Championship based mainly on the coaching. While there isn’t particularly great
value to be had when betting on them, they are the favorites for a reason.
Dallas will be led by legendary Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops,
who won a FBS National Championship and 10 Big-12 Championships with the
Sooners.
Stoops’ offense will be run by former Pittsburgh Steelers
quarterback Landry Jones.
He played for four years under Stoops at Oklahoma and will fit in
nicely with the gun-slinging shotgun offense the Renegades will run.
Other notable players drafted by Dallas: former New Orleans Saints
wide receiver Tommylee Lewis, who was infamously involved in the controversial
pass-interference call against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 playoffs.
Auburn alumni running back Cameron Artis-Payne and cornerback John
Franklin III will also get another shot at the pros. Artis-Payne played three
seasons with the Carolina Panthers and Franklin III is known best for his
appearance on the Netflix Series “Last Chance U”.
Tampa
Bay Vipers
Odds to win Championship: +500
The Tampa Bay Vipers have the third best odds to win the XFL, and
if they win it all it’ll be courtesy of the scheme set up by head coach Marc
Trestman.
Trestman has been a head coach and offensive guru in three
separate leagues, the NFL, CFL and now XFL.
In the CFL, Trestman had his most success winning three Grey Cups in 2009, 2010 and 2017. As a head
coach with the Chicago Bears, he helped lead the team to the second highest
scoring offense in the NFL.
Playing quarterback for Trestman and the Vipers is the SEC’s
All-time passing touchdown leader Aaron Murray.
The Georgia alumni played one full season in the NFL and started
for the AAF Atlanta Legends before the league was disbanded.
One of the most interesting draft picks by Tampa Bay is running
back Quinton Flowers, who was a four-year starting quarterback at the
University of South Florida.
Flowers is USF’s all-time passing and rushing touchdowns leader,
and coach Trestman will surely find a creative way to best utilize his
abilities.
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