UFL Contracts Hartford Colonials, Releases 2011 Schedule

The Hartford Colonials franchise suspended operations and their players moved to the remaining four teams in the United Football League via a dispersal draft, but all is not glum with the newest gridiron league. The UFL released their 2011 schedule and looks forward to building towards the future.

As read on UFL-Football.com:

The United Football League will play its third season in 2011 during the course of seven weeks leading up to a Championship Game to be played in one of the league’s four markets.

The restructured four-team league will kick off in Omaha and Sacramento on September 15 and 17 and the top two teams in the standings at the end of a six-game campaign will meet for the William Hambrecht Trophy on November 4 or 5.  The team that sets the early pace on the field, attracts the most passionate fans to the stands, and boasts the most active social media presence will earn the right to host the season finale.

“In a six-game season, every game counts and not only is there no room for a losing streak, but our teams will be in playoff mode right from the opening kickoff,” said UFL Commissioner MICHAEL HUYGHUE.  “That will make for some tense and exciting games to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

“We are grateful to the venues in each city for their flexibility and willingness to help us create a schedule at relatively short notice after we restructured our season.  We have targeted as many Friday nights and weekend games as possible to appeal to families and fans of all ages.”

2011 United Football League Schedule

* All games are subject to change

A total of 12 regular-season games will be played over a period of seven weeks beginning on Thursday, September 15 in Omaha when Nighthawks head coach JOE MOGLIA makes his professional coaching debut against NFL veteran head coach MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER and league newcomer the Virginia Destroyers.  The clash will be the first football game played at TD Ameritrade Park, which opened its doors to Nebraska sports fans earlier this year.

“I’m thrilled the season is finally here so we can show Nighthawk fans an exciting, physical, and determined brand of football,” said Coach Moglia.  “We want to make Omaha and the UFL proud, and promise to work hard to do that.”

Schottenheimer, who will coach in his 21st opening day and has a 12-8 record in such situations, added: “We are excited about being the opening game (away at Omaha) of the 2011 UFL season.  It won’t be long before there is exciting football in the Hampton Roads Virginia area.”

That much-anticipated debut of UFL football in Virginia will come at 7pm on Saturday, September 24 when the Destroyers will play their first-ever game at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex against the defending champion Locos.

On Saturday, September 17, two-time reigning champion JIM FASSEL and the Las Vegas Locos travel to Sacramento to take on DENNIS GREEN and the Mountain Lions.  It will be the first time in three seasons Sacramento has opened at home and also the first time the Locos have kicked off a campaign on the road.

“It is very exciting to open the 2011 season with two home games,” said Coach Green.  “The atmosphere in Sacramento for home games last year was fun for the fans and the community.  So with three of the first four games at home, we see this as an opportunity to get off to a good start and challenge for the UFL championship.”

Coach Fassel added: “We are looking forward to an intensive training camp to bring everyone up to speed to be ready to hit the field a month from now.  Three of our last four games are at home and that will be exciting for our fans heading into the final stretch.”

The season culminates with the United Football League Championship Game on either November 4 or 5 between the top two teams in the final regular season standings.

The 2011 UFL schedule features seven games on Saturdays, three games on Fridays and two games on Thursdays.  All games are subject to change.  For ticket information, visit www.UFL-Football.com/tickets.  Broadcast information will be released in the coming weeks.

“The first game is only a month away and our coaches and players are eager to report to training camp to prepare to hit the field and come out of the starting blocks firing,” said UFL Vice President of Football Administration BRENDAN ROWE.  “We expect the revised schedule to produce close games and a tight finish at the end when all four teams are competing for two places at the Championship Game.”

2011 United Football League Schedule – By Team

* All games are subject to change

* All times local to home team

Las Vegas Locos                                Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/17     at Sacramento          7.30pm 10.30pm

Wk 2    9/24     at Virginia                    7pm     7pm

Wk 3    Bye

Wk 4    10/8     OMAHA                      5pm     8pm

Wk 5    10/15   at Omaha                    7pm     8pm

Wk 6    10/22   SACRAMENTO           7pm     10pm

Wk 7    10/27   VIRGINIA                    7pm     10pm

Omaha Nighthawks                            Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/15     VIRGINIA                    7pm     8pm

Wk 2    Bye

Wk 3    10/1     at Sacramento             4pm     7pm

Wk 4    10/8     at Las Vegas               5pm     8pm

Wk 5    10/15   LAS VEGAS                7pm     8pm

Wk 6    10/21   at Virginia                    7pm     7pm

Wk 7    10/28   SACRAMENTO            7pm     8pm

Sacramento Mountain Lions               Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/17     LAS VEGAS               7.30pm 10.30pm

Wk 2    Bye

Wk 3    10/1     OMAHA                      4pm     7pm

Wk 4    10/7     at Virginia                    7pm     7pm

Wk 5    10/15   VIRGINIA                     4pm     7pm

Wk 6    10/22   at Las Vegas               7pm     10pm

Wk 7    10/28   at Omaha                    7pm     8pm

Virginia Destroyers                             Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/15     at Omaha                    7pm     8pm

Wk 2    9/24     LAS VEGAS               7pm     7pm

Wk 3    Bye

Wk 4    10/7     SACRAMENTO           7pm     7pm

Wk 5    10/15   at Sacramento             4pm     7pm

Wk 6    10/21   OMAHA                      7pm     7pm

Wk 7    10/27   at Las Vegas               7pm     10pm

UFL match ups by week:

Week 1

VIRGINIA at OMAHA

All-time series record: first ever meeting.

The game will be Omaha’s first-ever at the team’s new TD Ameritrade Park home… This will be Omaha President / Head Coach Joe Moglia’s first-ever game as professional head coach… The Nighthawks look to snap a four-game losing streak that closed the 2010 season… The Nighthawks’ last win came on the road, five games ago in Hartford… The Nighthawks go in search of a first home win since a 20-17 October 2 victory over Sacramento in Week 3 of 2010…. The Nighthawks are 1-0 in UFL home openers… Matchup could see young dynamic quarterback Pat White (VIR) against former Nebraska hero Eric Crouch (OMA)… The first game in Destroyers history is also UFL head coaching debut of Marty Schottenheimer… This will be coach Schottenheimer’s 21st Opening Day as a professional Head Coach… He is 12-8 on Opening Day, including seven wins in a row from 1990-96.

LAS VEGAS at SACRAMENTO

All-time series record: 3-1 Las Vegas.

Las Vegas won the first three games in this series, while Sacramento won the last one…. Locos head coach Jim Fassel has a 1-1 record in his opening games as a UFL coach… The Locos have won both games on their travels to Northern California, 16-10 in 2009 and 26-3 last season… This is the first time in three seasons the Locos have opened their campaign on the road… Mountain Lions head coach Dennis Green has a 0-2 opening weekend record with the Mountain Lions and California Redwoods… This is the first time the Mountain Lions have opened a season at home.

Week 2

LAS VEGAS at VIRGINIA

All-time series record: first ever meeting.

The Virginia Beach Sportsplex will host a UFL game for the first time… The first home game in Destroyers history… This is the first meeting between Marty Schottenheimer and Jim Fassel since October 28, 2001… Fassel’s Super Bowl-bound Giants lost 35-21 when the two head coaches last met in Washington as Schottenheimer guided his Redskins to an 8-8 finish… This matchup is a quasi-extension of the best rivalry in UFL history, between the Locos and the Florida Tuskers, whose players the Destroyers had the rights to during the 2011 offseason.

Week 3

OMAHA at SACRAMENTO

All-time series record: tied at 1-1.

Omaha is 1-1 coming off a bye week… Sacramento is 0-2 coming off a bye week… This will be the first-ever coaching meeting between Omaha’s Joe Moglia and Sacramento’s Dennis Green… The two teams split their first-ever meetings in 2010… In the ‘Rumble at Rosenblatt’ in Week 3, Nighthawks got a late-fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia to Jeb Putzier for a 20-17 victory… In Week 9 at Hornet Stadium, Mountain Lions won 41-3 and set a UFL single-game record with 244 rushing yards.

Week 4

SACRAMENTO at VIRGINIA

All-time series record: first ever meeting.

This will be the first meeting between Marty Schottenheimer and Dennis Green since December 31, 2006…. Schottenheimer and the San Diego Chargers triumphed 27-20 over Green in his last game in charge of the Arizona Cardinals… The former Florida Tuskers, whose players were protected by the Destroyers, defeated the then-California Redwoods twice in 2009, 34-7 and 34-27… The Mountain Lions won both games against the Tuskers in 2010, 24-20 at home in Week 2 and 21-17 on the road in Week 6.

OMAHA at LAS VEGAS

All-time series record: 2-0 Las Vegas.

The Locos won both meetings last year, 22-10 at home at Sam Boyd Stadium and 24-10 in Omaha… The Locos hold a 1-1 record in their first home games of the season… In previous home openers, Las Vegas has a 1-1 record… The Locos’ first home opener, a 30-17 win over the Redwoods, was also the first game in UFL history on Thursday, October 8, 2009… The Locos forced eight Nighthawks turnovers in the two meetings last season.

Week 5

LAS VEGAS at OMAHA

The Locos have fond memories of Omaha having won their second UFL Championship Game in the city with a 23-20 win over the Florida Tuskers at Rosenblatt Stadium on November 27, 2010… The game is one of two where teams meet on back-to-back weeks having played in Las Vegas in Week 4… Las Vegas will be the first team to complete its 2011 road schedule with two games at home to follow… In last year’s matchup at Rosenblatt, Las Vegas broke a 10-10 tie after three quarters with a pair of fourth-quarter scores – one on offense and one on defense… This is the only week when two games are played on the same day.

VIRGINIA AT SACRAMENTO

Sacramento will be the first team to complete its 2011 home schedule with two games on the road to follow… The game will also be a back-to-back meeting between the teams as the Destroyers and Mountain Lions also meet in Week 4… Sacramento, as was the case with all five UFL teams in 2010, was 2-2 at home… This is the only week when two games are played on the same day.

Week 6

OMAHA at VIRGINIA

The second-ever meeting between the youngest franchises in the UFL… Omaha was 1-3 on the road in its expansion season, with its only road victory coming in Hartford in Week 5 (19-14).

SACRAMENTO at LAS VEGAS

This will be the sixth coaching matchup in the UFL between Las Vegas’ Jim Fassel and Sacramento’s Dennis Green, most in league history… Las Vegas has had trouble with the Redwoods / Mountain Lions franchise at home… In 2009, in the league’s first-ever game, the Locos led the Redwoods, 20-17, after three quarters before scoring 10 fourth-quarter points to pull away… In 2010, Sacramento took a 21-0 lead before Las Vegas stormed back to tie the game 24-24 in the fourth quarter, only to see the Mountain Lions win in the final two minutes, 27-24.

Week 7

VIRGINIA AT LAS VEGAS

Coming into 2011, the Locos have a 5-3 all-time record at home.

SACRAMENTO at OMAHA

Mountain Lions running back Cory Ross could return ‘home’ having played college football at Nebraska… In two games against the Nighthawks in 2010, Ross ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 85 more yards… In the second meeting, in Week 9 at Hornet Stadium, Ross set a new UFL record with a 75-yard touchdown run… The Nighthawks won this matchup 20-17 in 2010 in the ‘Rumble at Rosenblatt.’

Source: UFL-Football.com

Photo Courtesy of UFL-Football.com

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