USFL

Philadelphia Stars make a Return to the top of the North

Philadelphia Stars make a Return to the top of the North
Philadelphia Stars make a Return to the top of the North

Written by Karver Jordan 

  • Philadelphia Stars will face off against the Pittsburgh Maulers on May 27, 2023, Saturday
  • Stadium: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH
  • Channel: FS1

After a slow start to the season, the Philadelphia Stars are now 3-3, right back at the top of the North. Let’s talk about how the Stars have turned their season around and are right back on track. 

Offensive Line problems leading to RB drawback

The offensive line for the Stars could have been better. Quarterback Case Cookus has been under pressure for most of the season, and the offensive line lacks run blocking. The average rushing yardage per game is 64.3, which is the lowest in the league. Matt Colburn II, the Stars’ up-and-coming running back, would only have 13 rushing attempts for 62 yards in the Stars’ win over the New Orleans Breakers in week 6. If the Stars overcome their offensive line challenges, they can become a major threat to opponents. The Stars have another great running back on the roster, who hasn’t seen as much time as Colburn however; he is a player you should keep an eye out for. Dexter Williams is his name, the 5 foot 11 inch (5’11”) Powerback could see an increase in playing time due to the run game not running smoothly with Matt Colburn. 

Case Cookus

One of the fan-favorite quarterbacks is having an ok season, he shows flashes here and there. In week six Cookus did not up to standards he would throw for 17-27, 238 yards with two interceptions. With an overall completion percentage of 63.0%.

Last year’s version of Case Cookus was tremendously better, the quarterback was making every throw with ease. In 2023 the quarterback seems to struggle with time, either it’s a short amount of time due to OLine collapsing or struggles with making quick reads. 

Season Stats after Week Six 

Stars Defense keeps Struggling Offense in-game

The Stars Defense has improved over the weeks, especially in the week six win over the New Orleans Breakers. McLeod Bethel-Thompson the Breakers QB would force passes and was just very inaccurate against the Stars. 22-38, 190 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. A low completion percentage of 57.9%. The hard-hitting safety LaDarius Wiley would get an interception on the Breakers QB, and Amani Dennis would get one as well. The Breakers high-powered offense has seemed to fizzle out, and the Stars defense has seemed to improve and hopes to continue to improve. 

Wide receiver group:

Philadelphia is loaded with talent at the WR position, Jordan  Suell is a very reliable and essential piece to the Star’s offense. Corey Coleman is an electric wideout with the ball in his hands, by far the best WR in the group. Devin Gray is another player who is rising in playing time and getting more targets. Lastly, a player who is very impactful; Pro Wells is a very reliable target for Cookus, the tight end is someone to watch out for if you’re the opposing defense.

Corey Coleman shows his presence 

The former NFL wideout has hopes to return there someday. Six receptions for 76 yards, what a day from Coleman. The WR has climbed up all the way to number three in the league for receiving yards. The 5’11” wideout would have 30 receptions for 334 yards while adding a touchdown over the whole course of the beginning of his USFL career. 

My Final Thoughts:

The Stars seem to be gaining some momentum at the right point of the season. The offense is still an issue however, the Stars have a great defense that should keep them in the game. Luis Aguilar has been performing very well, arguably the best kicker in the USFL. Philadelphia is right back on top and will face off against the Pittsburgh Maulers in week seven. 

More about the writer:

My name is Karver Jordan, I’m a high schooler who is writing in New England. I enjoy sharing my sports knowledge with everyone. My goal is to help get the fans to get a better understanding of Teams, Players, and more. If you enjoyed this piece of writing check me out on Instagram and Twitter! 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newenglandsportsreview/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nesportreview 

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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