On Tuesday, March 17, media members and UFL influencers met with the Senior Director of Communications and the Battlehawks’ first-year head coach, Ricky Proehl.
Coach Proehl gave an update on the Battlehawks’ training camp and their development, as well as some crucial roster decisions that could come before they take the field next week. The meeting was insightful into how the coach is approaching his first year in “The Lou” as a figurehead.
Coach Proehl began by making a few jokes concerning the dreadful weather that St. Louis has been going through and how excited he is to come to “The Lou.”
Ryan Mumma, who runs a morning radio show on 105.1 WGEM SportsRadio ESPN, asked:
Q: One of the questions I know I’m sure is on a lot of people’s minds, what’s the latest on the Quarterback battle at camp? Who’s maybe leading the way and who is kind of right there?”
Coach Proehl would start his response by saying that it has been a great battle but comes down to Brandon Silvers and Harrison Frost for who will lead the offense come week 1.
Proehl: Obviously, we are five practices, I think, before our first game but we are homing in on naming a starting quarterback, but we’re not quite there yet.
Coach Proehl finished his answer, acknowledging that both players have been supportive of each other throughout the battle, which makes him, as a head coach, feel good. There were some questions afterward about leadership from the QBs and the roster cuts that had to happen going into the final week before the regular season, and Coach Proehl’s answers seemed genuinely unique in how he cares for these players, even if they might not be with this organization come game time.
Q: How important is it to have such big veterans for St Louis and the Battlehawks, like Brandon Silvers, Hakeem Butler, Travis Feeney and how does that affect the locker room going into the season, especially with such an important rematch against the DC Defenders week one?
Proehl: I think it’s huge. I think because they’ve experienced the DC Defenders and how good this football team is and how physical they are, and just the preparation standpoint that I just spoke about. It’s you know, this game is a game of emotions. It’s a game of momentum. And we can’t be caught off guard, you know. And that’s what, I think, understanding, what this team brings, the DC defenders, what they’re coming with, and, you know, with all due respect, but we know we’ve had some, I mean, I don’t forget what, three years ago, you know, in DC, and then, you know, at home. But it can get chippy, and it’s something we’ve got to be able to control our emotions, you know, I say poised under pressure, and we’ve got to play smart, and we got to play physical, but we can’t buy in and get into, you know, the little side things that that could happen during the course of the game and that cause penalties and turnovers and different things. We got to play discipline football, and that’s what I think, that veteran leadership, it keeps everybody poised under, you know, those situations, those circumstances.
Q: You are taking the helm as the head coach, Coach Chamberlain, taking over as the defensive coordinator, and Coach Smith taking over as offensive coordinator, and you know, St. Louis has always had that championship or bust sort of mentality, especially over the past couple of years with the talent and with the coaching that we’ve had. How does it feel to have those high expectations, and did those sorts of factors play into, you know, bringing in such a story, a defensive coordinator, and a young and hungry offensive coordinator?
Proehl: Yeah, it did. I, you know, my life. I think, you know, I own a business I’ve learned from some great coaches and people that I’ve surrounded myself with. Life’s about relationships, man, and it’s sometimes, it’s about surrounding yourself with people that are smarter than you, people that have experience that I can feed off and learn from, you know, and this is no different. I’ve never been a head coach, but I’m a leader of men. I believe that, like I said, I run a business, and it’s not different, and surround yourself with great people, great men, that want to impact young lives. And that’s what being a head coach is bringing in people, giving them the autonomy, but manage people and players and building a culture that is conducive to winning and that’s what we’re doing here.
“Q: Back in 2020, the Battlehawks were very active on social media, back when the XFL was first kicking off again, and they did a segment where the players would try St Louis staples like Imos, Gooey Butter cake, toasted raviolis. And even last year, the after-game meals were at Hi-Pointe Drive-In. Can we see a little more of that unique content in the next season? Maybe have them sort of not only experience what the fan atmosphere is like but also sort of like a taste of St Louis?”
Proehl: Well, I will say this. As I mentioned, I’m not the most tech-savvy, so I don’t. My wife and daughter do all my social media stuff for my business, for Battlehawks Stull, he does a lot of it, so I’m going to lean on him, but I will do I’m not afraid to look stupid. I will do anything and everything to promote St Louis, the Battlehawks, the UFL, our football team. You know, I want to do everything and anything I can to build our community. I want to do a run team. I’ve run before the game. I want to try to get, you know, a group of men and women that maybe want to run with me before the game. I’m willing to do whatever it takes that’s fun, that promotes this league, promotes our team and promotes fans, that we can bring more fans into the dome, because that’s what makes it fun. I want us all to be a big family man and have fun. And obviously, you know, winning helps that, but I definitely want to kick it off the right way and look forward to that, that kind of stuff.
Mr. Stull would follow up after that last question, noting that the rosters do look vastly different from what they were back in 2020, and with many more new faces involved, so they will need to be introduced to STL staples like The Arch, T-Ravs, and the illustrious gooey butter cake.
One final question asked was how some of the new guys coming into the league, either straight out of college or from other avenues, have adapted to playing and practicing in a more professional setting in the UFL.
Coach Proehl first acknowledged that it was a good question and said that he believes that they have been adjusting well. He continued by saying that although these players aren’t paid multi-million-dollar contracts, they are just as hungry and motivated to make something happen for themselves and for the team. He also highlighted that in meetings, they preach consistency and how their preparation builds confidence, and confidence builds success.
All in all, with only one week left to show time, this Battlehawks team sounds confident and strong with such a daunting opponent for week one. The season kicks off on Saturday, March 28 at 11 a.m. at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, against the D.C. Defenders.
