St. Louis Battlehawks wide receiver Hakeem Butler lit up his hometown crowd with six catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns, helping his team secure a dominant 45-12 victory over the DC Defenders.
Playing in front of a throng of friends and family at home, St. Louis Battlehawks receiver Hakeem Butler delivered a showstopping performance on Sunday. The Baltimore native hauled in six receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns, powering his team to a resounding 45-12 triumph over the DC Defenders.
Butler's explosive display ignited the crowd and solidified the Battlehawks' victory. "I only get to play in this area once a year," Butler said. "For them to come and be able to watch me, it means a lot."
Butler's performance was particularly impressive considering the Battlehawks were without UFL all-purpose yardage leader Darrius Shepherd, who sat out due to a hamstring injury. However, Butler and quarterback AJ McCarron stepped up to fill the void.
McCarron, a former Alabama standout, continued his stellar season by completing 14 of 24 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. The Alabama product leads the UFL in touchdown passes (10) and ranks second in passing yards (1,051) while boasting just one interception.
Despite losing two offensive linemen to injuries, the Battlehawks' offense remained efficient against a stout Defenders defense. The team also played with heavy hearts, as long snapper Alex Matheson lost his father this week. Matheson chose to stay with the team and played in Sunday's game.
Making his second start of the season, Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez showcased his impressive running ability, rushing for a league-high 138 yards and passing for another 155 and a touchdown in Birmingham's convincing 32-9 victory over Houston.
The undefeated Stallions (5-0) extended their winning streak to 12 games dating back to last season. Martinez, who leads the league in rushing with 302 yards through five games, guided the Stallions past the team that last defeated them.
Panthers running back Wes Hills, the USFL's leading rusher last season, erupted for 82 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Michigan's 35-18 road win over Memphis. Panthers safety Kai Nacua continued to shine on defense, recording an interception for the third consecutive game.
San Antonio leaned heavily on its rushing attack in its 25-15 road victory over Arlington, accumulating 190 total rushing yards. Running back John Lovett led the Brahmas with 95 rushing yards and two scores, while fellow running back Morgan Ellison contributed 84 yards on seven carries, including a long of 47 yards.
While kickers have been remarkably accurate throughout the spring football season, Week 5 witnessed a slight cooling down. Michigan's Jake Bates, who holds the record for the longest game-winning field goal in UFL history, missed his first attempt of the season, spraying a 53-yard attempt wide right.
Despite the decline in accuracy this past weekend, kickers still maintained a solid 68.4% (13 of 19) success rate during Week 5. Overall, kickers have made 75 of 87 (86.2%) field goal attempts in the first five weeks of the season.
