The DC Defenders and Memphis Showboats are kicking off their seasons on Sunday. Both teams will do so without the coaches initially tapped to lead them during the 2025 UFL campaign.
The Defenders and Showboats saw Reggie Barlow and Ken Whisenhunt, respectively, step away from their roles within a week of the teams' season debuts.
Barlow did so to take on the head coaching vacancy at FCS school Tennessee State, which was created in early March after Eddie George was hired by Bowling Green. Whisenhunt cited "personal reasons" for his departure.
How difficult was it for the UFL to deal with this type of coaching shake-up on the eve of the season? UFL president Russ Brandon conceded that the timing was "not ideal," but noted the process of replacing the talented duo was relatively stress-free, as the league was able to promote from within.
"We have a real great stable of coaches in the UFL, but also (great) coaching staffs," Brandon told USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview.
How UFL replaced Reggie Barlow, Ken Whisenhunt
Brandon was quick to point out that Barlow and Whisenhunt's departures were "far different" from one another.
The league knows that Barlow's departure is "permanent," and of the variety the UFL will experience given its status as a developmental league.
"We're thrilled for Reggie. It's a great opportunity for him and Tennessee State. And that's part of our business," Brandon said. "It's what we do. (UFL executive vice president) Daryl (Johnston) and I were very, very prepared for that."
Brandon and the UFL are leaving the door open for Whisenhunt to return. They didn't put a timetable on his potential return, but they want to allow the 63-year-old to come back and coach for the league should he be ready to do so.
"We'll see what the timeframe is on Ken," Brandon said. "He could be back very quickly."
While Barlow and Whisenhunt's absences may differ in term, the UFL took a comparable approach in addressing the vacancies.
"For us, it comes down to what is a seamless transition culturally," Brandon said. "In both instances, we felt that both (Defenders interim coach) Shannon (Harris) and (Showboats interim coach) Jim (Turner) were the individuals to do that."
Why Shannon Harris, Jim Turner were named interim coaches
Harris was the Defenders' quarterbacks coach under Barlow. That familiarity played a major role in the UFL's decision to elevate him into the interim head coaching role.
"He's worked with Reggie for years," Brandon said. "He can stay consistent with the culture that they have built in DC."
Meanwhile, Turner drew the nod for Memphis because he "has a ton of NFL experience and coaching experience," which made him an ideal fill-in for Whisenhunt, who spent eight seasons in the NFL as a player and 23 as a ...
