The 2023 season was the Michigan Panthers second season in the United States Football League (USFL), their first playing at Ford Field and their first under head coach/general manager tandem of Mike Nolan and Steve Kazor. They improved upon their 2–8 record from the previous season and reached the playoffs where they lost to the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL North Division Championship Game in overtime.
Offseason Stadium plans
During the 2022 season, the Panthers, and every team in the USFL, played in Birmingham, Alabama. Before the end of that season, the USFL announced plans to move into two or four hubs for teams to play in. In November, the USFL were reportedly exploring options of having a hub in Metro Detroit, with possible locations being the Eastern Michigan Eagles' Rynearson Stadium and the Detroit Lions' Ford Field. On January 26, the USFL chose Ford Field, with Rynearson Stadium to serve as their practice field. The previous iteration of the Michigan Panthers had them playing in the Pontiac Silverdome, which was also home to the Detroit Lions.
Draft
Prior to the draft order being complete, the Panthers played the Pittsburgh Maulers in the last week of the 2022 season. Both teams came into the game with a league worst 1–8 record. The USFL announced that the winner of the game would hold the first overall pick in the next years' draft, incentivizing the teams to win the game instead of tanking. The Panthers came out victorious 33–21.
The draft only included players that were 2023 draft eligible, contrasting with the 2022 draft, which was to build rosters. Also differing from the 2022 draft, players were not initially contracted with the USFL prior to the draft, meaning teams have to negotiate with players to retain their rights. No player signed with the team until April 12 when the Panthers signed their third-round draft pick, Santrell Latham.
With the first overall pick, the Panthers chose Jarrett Horst out of Michigan State. Horst already declared for the NFL draft in December 2022.
2023 Michigan Panthers DraftRoundPickPlayerPositionNotes11Jarrett HorstOffensive tackle28Tanner MorganQuarterbackSigned by an NFL team as an UDFA.316Santrell LathamLinebacker424DJ Scaife Jr.Offensive lineman532DaShaun WhiteLinebacker640Levi BellDefensive end748Gunnar OakesTight end856Andrew Farmer IIDefensive end964Chim OkoraforGuard1072Sidy SowOffensive tackleDrafted in the 2023 NFL draft
Additions
PositionPlayerDateDBKiante HardinJuly 26DBKeandre EvansJuly 26WRLa'Darius McElroyJuly 26RBLa'Darren BrownJuly 26SWarren SabaAugust 22ILBPaddy FisherAugust 22OLBCharles WilliamsAugust 22OTKa'John ArmstrongAugust 22OLGene PryorAugust 22WRIsaiah McKoySeptember 17WRWhop PhilyorSeptember 26DTJamal MilanOctober 5OCNoah JohnsonOctober 5DTGarrett MarinoOctober 6TECole HikutiniOctober 7WRA. J. RichardsonOctober 22OCApi ManeNovember 17OTCorey HoelckNovember 22OLBLeon JacobsDecember 13WRMyron MitchellDecember 13OTRyan NelsonDecember 13TEKyle MarkwayDecember 15DEBreeland SpeaksDecember 22OTDenzel OkaforDecember 23RBStevie Scott IIIDecember 23RBJosh AdamsDecember 28WRTalolo Limu-JonesDecember 30WRTrey QuinnDecember 31CBLevonta TaylorJanuary 5RBReggie CorbinJanuary 11DTRobert NkemdicheJanuary 11WRIshmael HymanJanuary 19SLano HillFebruary 17LBTreshaun HaywardMarch 6LBNoah DawkinsMarch 14QBCarson StrongMarch 19CBJosh ButlerMarch 22DERon'Dell CarterMarch 22WRDevin RossMarch 28
Subtractions PositionPlayerDateWRMyron MitchellDecember 15OTSyrus TuiteleDecember 30CBJoseph PutuJanuary 2SKieron WilliamsJanuary 2CBDominique MartinJanuary 2DEAdewale AdeoyeJanuary 2RBJosh AdamsMarch 15ILBAlexander VainikoloMarch 27WRIsaiah McKoyMarch 28
Final roster
Staff On February 3, 2023, head coach Jeff Fisher stepped down to "spend more time with family". The Panthers named Mike Nolan as head coach.
Schedule Regular season Week Date Time (ET) Opponent Result Record TV Venue Recap1April 1612:00 p.m.at Houston GamblersW 29–131–0NBCSimmons Bank Liberty StadiumRecap2April 237:00 p.m.at Philadelphia StarsW 24–102–0FS1Tom Benson Hall of Fame StadiumRecap3April 304:00 p.m.vs. New Jersey GeneralsL 13–282–1FoxFord FieldRecap4May 67:30 p.m.vs. Memphis ShowboatsL 10–292–2NBCFord FieldRecap5May 1312:30 p.m.vs. Pittsburgh MaulersL 7–232–3USAFord FieldRecap6May 204:00 p.m.vs. Birmingham StallionsL 13–272–4FoxFord FieldRecap7May 285:30 p.m.at New Jersey GeneralsW 25–223–4FS1Tom Benson Hall of Fame StadiumRecap8June 44:00 p.m.at New Orleans BreakersL 20–243–5FoxProtective StadiumRecap9June 1012:00 p.m.at Pittsburgh MaulersL 7–193–6FoxTom Benson Hall of Fame StadiumRecap10June 187:00 p.m.vs. Philadelphia StarsW 23–20 4–6FoxFord FieldRecap Bold indicates divisional opponent.
Game summaries Week 1: at Houston Gamblers
The Panthers traveled to the Houston Gamblers for their season opener. The Panthers began the scoring with a Marcus Baugh 22-yard reception from Josh Love. The Gamblers responded with a long drive capped off with a 2-yard rushing touchdown from T.J. Pledger to tie the game at 6–6. The Panthers extended their lead with a 35-yard field goal from Cole Murphy before the Gamblers answered with a T.J. Pledger 2-yard rushing touchdown on the back of a muffed punt by the Panthers, closing out the first half with Houston up 13–9.
The second half began with a Panthers punt before Panthers cornerback William Saba intercepted Kenji Bahar to set the Panthers up 2-yards to score, which they capitalized off of with a Stevie Scott 2-yard run to put them in lead 16–13. The third quarter ended with a Houston fumble and a Michigan punt. In the fourth quarter, the Panthers drove the ball down the field, ending with a Trey Quinn 24-yard reception to put the Panthers ahead by 22–13. With Panthers defensive end Breeland Speaks forcing a fumble in the redzone, the Panthers quickly drove 82 yards down the field to score on a Joe Walker 34-yard reception to extend the Panthers' lead to 29–13, which would be the final score.
Panthers quarterback, Josh Love, set a USFL record for highest completion percentage in a game, with 90.0%. The Panthers defense forced four turnovers while defensive end Breeland Speaks produced three sacks and seven combined tackles along with the forced fumble. Both Love and Speaks received player of the week for their respective side of the ball.
Week 2: at Philadelphia Stars
In Week 2, the Panthers visited the Philadelphia Stars. The Stars kicked off the scoring with a Luis Aguilar 27-yard field goal to put the Stars up 3–0. The Panthers failed to answer on their first drive, driving down field for Cole Murphy to attempt a 47-yard field goal, but the ball hit the left upright and failed to cross. After trading punts, Stars kicker Aguilar attempted a 46-yard field goal, but it too failed to cross between the uprights. After getting the ball back, the Panthers quickly drove 64 yards down the field to score on a Josh Love 36-yard pass to tight end Cole Hikutini to go up 7–3. The teams went scoreless through 4 drives, which includes both the teams throwing interceptions and punting, before the Stars got the ball back with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter. However, with 1:01 left, Stars quarterback Case Cookus threw an interception, setting the Panthers up at Philadelphia's 27 yard line. They failed to convert, leading to a Cole Murphy 36-yard field goal to put the Panthers up 10–3 at halftime.
After the Panthers got the ball back to start the second half, quarterback Josh Love threw an interception. The Stars capitalized by driving down and scoring a touchdown with a Matt Colburn 1-yard rush to tie up the game 10–10. The Panthers responded by moving down the field and scoring on a 2-yard rush by Reggie Corbin to go up 17–10. After getting the ball back, the Stars produced a lurching drive that lasted a little over 14 minutes and took 12 plays. On a 4th & 1 at the Michigan 34, the Stars failed to convert after a dropped pass. The Panthers capitalized with a 52-yard rushing touchdown by Corbin on the third play of the ensuing drive, stretching their lead to 24–10, which would be the final score.
Panthers running back, Reggie Corbin, earning an Offensive Player of the Week nomination by rushing for 131 yards and two touchdown on 11 receptions. Along with Corbin, punter Kyle Kramer also earned a Special Teams Player of the Week nomination, going 3/3 on extra points and 1/2 on field goals.
Week 3: vs. New Jersey Generals
In Week 3, the Panthers hosted their home opener against New Jersey Generals. To open the scoring, the Panthers drove 30 yards for Cole Murphy to kick a 45-yard field goal, which he made to put the Panthers up 3–0. The Generals responded with a 4 play drive that ended with a 51-yard pass from De'Andre Johnson to Darius Victor, which put the General ahead 7–3. The Panthers punted on their next possession, and the Generals wasted no time, with quarterback Johnson rushing 71 yards to set up the 9-yard rushing touchdown from Johnson to extend the Generals lead to 14–3. After another Panthers punt, the Generals orchestrated a 9 play, 81-yard drive ending in a 35-yard rushing touchdown from Victor on 4th & 1 to put the Generals up 21–3 going into the second quarter. After the Panthers turned the ball over on downs and the Generals punted, the Panthers orchestrated their own 9 play, 81-yard drive ending with a 28-yard pass from Carson Strong to wide receiver Trey Quinn to put the Panthers in a 10–21 deficit to end the first half.
To begin the second half, the Generals got the ball. However, the Panthers defense held them to a three-and-out and they punted. With the ball, the Panthers orchestrated a lurching 16 play, 61-yard drive that lasted a little over 9 minutes. The drive ended with a Cole Murphy 31-yard field goal to shorten the deficit to 13–21. After getting the ball back, the Generals struggled to earn a first down. On the third play of the drive, quarterback Johnson stepped up, but fumbled the ball for Walter Palmore to recover, the first turnover of the game. However, on the Panthers' ensuing drive, quarterback Josh Love threw an interception to D. J. Daniel. On the first play of the Generals' drive, Alonzo Moore caught a pass from De'Andre Johnson, taking it 72 yards to score, putting the Generals up 28–13, which would be the final score.
The Panthers defense let up 28 points, more than the first 2 weeks combined, while recording only one sack. Quarterback Josh Love also played poorly, throwing 48.4% completion percentage and one interception, culminating in a 42.5 passer rating. Also, despite passing the ball 31 times, he only threw for 101 yards.
Week 4: vs. Memphis Showboats