Why are Arlington Renegades quarterback Luis Perez and former 2023 USFL Championship Birmingham Stallions Alex McGough, two of the best quarterbacks in spring football history, struggling to find success in the NFL?
NFL Success Eludes UFL and Spring Football’s Best Quarterbacks
Perez, the star of the Renegades offense, topped the UFL leaderboard in almost every passing category. He led the league with 2,309 passing yards, 18 touchdowns against only four interceptions, and another 16 rushing yards on seven carries. In addition, Perez was number one in total touchdowns, passing touchdowns, points scored, and completions and had the highest passer rating of any UFL quarterback. No wonder Renegades head coach Bob Stoops and the fans are thrilled to have him back this season.
Perez- The Early Years
A native of San Diego, California, Perez proved a talented multi-sport standout in Junior High School, excelling in football and basketball. Accustomed to playing tight end, Perez first tried out as a walk-on to play quarterback when he attended Southwestern Junior College. While coaches were initially skeptical of his lack of experience, he quickly won the starting assignment.
Perez has been overcoming the odds for most of his career. Despite not playing for a top-ranked collegiate athletic program, he’s become a superior athlete who consistently improves every year. As quarterback for East Texas A&M University, Perez passed for 2,234 yards on 242 of 360 attempts with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions. He added one rushing touchdown on 41 carries. In 2017, he led the team to the school’s first National Championship title. In recognition of his accomplishments, Perez was awarded the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the best Division II football player.
Brief Stint In The NFL
Despite his successful college career, Perez wasn’t selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. Receiving an invitation to attend the Los Angeles Rams mini-camp, he signed with the Rams in May 2018 as an undrafted free agent. Unfortunately, after seeing only limited action during the pre-season, Perez was waived. Subsequently re-signed to their practice squad, he was released in September 2018. Perez also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and the Rams for a second stint. But he never made it further than the practice squad before being released a few months later.
A Standout As A Spring Football Quarterback
In 2020, Perez turned his attention to spring football. Over the next few years, he became a familiar participant. After playing for the USFL New Jersey Generals and Las Vegas Vipers, Perez finally found success with the XFL Renegades. He led the team to the 2023 Championship title game. The Renegades emerged victorious with a 35-26 win over the D.C. Defenders and Perez was named MVP of the game.
Demonstrating strong athletic skills and leadership qualities, Perez has thrown for 7,674 yards and 51 touchdowns throughout his professional football career. Considering that a spring football regular season consists of only ten games, those numbers are even more impressive.
Another Shot As An NFL Quarterback
After his UFL season success, Perez was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers in mid-August. He appeared in two pre-season games. Having only four days to prepare before taking the field, Perez impressed head coach Jim Harbaugh with how quickly he caught on with the team’s offense. Nonetheless, he was waived only two weeks later. Now, Perez is back with the Renegades for the upcoming season.
Alex McGough-Spring Football Star Quarterback
A talented, mobile quarterback at Florida International University, McGough completed 232 of 355 attempts for 2,798 yards with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Possessing dual-threat capabilities, he added 231 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 78 carries. When the Seattle Seahawks selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, McGough seemed destined for a promising NFL career.
Although Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was full of praise for McGough during the mini-camp, he was waived and re-signed to the practice squad in September. Following his eventual release, he had brief stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. A second opportunity with the Seahawks followed before McGough found success with spring football.
Spring Football Star Quarterback
Before the UFL merger, McGough spent two seasons with the USFL Birmingham Stallions. During that time he won back-to-back USFL Championships. In 2023, the Stallions’ second championship year, McGough was the league MVP. He earned the USFL’s highest passer rating with 2,105 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. In addition, he gained another 403 rushing yards with five touchdowns.
Following USFL Success McGough Signs With NFL Team
After his USFL success, McGough was once again on the NFL radar. He signed with the Green Bay Packers on July 19, 2023, but was waived a month later. Re-signing with the Packers practice squad for the 2023 season, he committed to a future/reserves contract the following January.
In May of 2024, Packers coach Matt LaFleur announced that McGough would now play as a wide receiver. However, an incident in the pre-season led to McGough’s release with an injury designation. Fully recovered, he re-signed to the Packers practice squad in November. Now, McGough is back with coach Skip Holtz and the Stallions preparing for another Championship title.
