2024 Houston Roughnecks season

2024 Houston Roughnecks season
2024 Houston Roughnecks season
Owner	National Spring Football League Enterprises Co, LLC, (Fox Sports)
General manager	Lionel Vital
Head coach	Curtis Johnson
Home field	Rice Stadium
Results
Record	1–9
Division place	4th in USFL Conference
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
	← 2023 Gamblers; Houston Roughnecks; 2025 →;

The 2024 Houston Roughnecks season was the third season of Houston Roughnecks (2024), an American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team's first season in the United Football League (UFL) after a merger in the offseason between the USFL and the XFL. Under the terms of the agreement, the team consists of the roster and coaching staff of the former USFL's two-season-old Houston Gamblers franchise, taking over the Roughnecks branding and home city previously used by the XFL team with the same name.

Renovations that began on the Roughnecks' home stadium in 2020 and 2023, TDECU Stadium, following the end of the 2023 University of Houston Cougars football season rendered that stadium unavailable for use for the 2024 season, while the Gamblers had never played in Houston, instead sharing stadiums with their rivals the Birmingham Stallions and Memphis Showboats under the USFL's hub model. The XFL stated that the Roughnecks would remain in Houston during the renovations, potentially at another stadium in the city.^[1] Rice Stadium, which hosted games in the USFL's predecessor The Spring League in 2021, and Shell Energy Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo soccer team, were among the venues the league contacted about hosting the Roughnecks.^[2] On February 1, 2024, the league announced that home games would be hosted at Rice Stadium.^[3]

Current roster

**2024 Houston Roughnecks roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 6 Jarrett Guarantano 14 Nolan Henderson 7 Reid Sinnett Running backs (RB) 14 Ezra Gray 22 Kirk Merritt 5 T. J. Pledger 8 Mark Thompson Wide receivers (WR) 18 Emmanuel Butler 3 Keke Chism 16 Cyril Grayson 11 Justin Hall 12 Brian Hightower 1 Anthony Ratliff-Williams 81 Reggie Roberson Jr. Tight ends (TE) 80 Braedon Bowman 84 A. J. Lewis 42 Clint Sigg		Offensive linemen (OL) 79 Isaiah Battle T 72 Cam Carter T 74 Avery Gennesy G 75 Shamarious Gilmore G 76 Brandon Haskin T 78 Braylon Jones G 65 Jack Kramer C 77 Justin Redd G Defensive linemen (DL) 15 Ronheen Bingham DE 50 Jeffery Johnson DT 97 Glen Logan DT 93 Chris Odom DE 58 Adam Rodriguez DE 94 Keonte Schad DT 95 Ethan Westbrooks DE		Linebackers (LB) 2 Christopher Allen OLB 52 D'Juan Hines ILB 28 Marvin Moody ILB 23 Christian Sam ILB 33 Jeremiah Tyler OLB Defensive backs (DB) 20 Jamari Brown SS 29 Corn Elder CB 25 Mister Harriel FS 4 Jimmy Moreland CB 27 Jai Nunn-Liddell CB 9 Colby Richardson CB 31 Markel Roby FS 38 Donald Rutledge Jr. SS 24 Kiondre Thomas CB 21 Rashad Torrence II SS Special teams 45 Logan Klusman LS 49 Hunter Niswander P 39 J. J. Molson K				Reserve 88 Woody Brandom TE (IR) 10 Reuben Foster OLB (IR) 90 Toby Johnson DT (IR) 99 Olive Sagapolu DT (IR) 55 Gabriel Sewell Jr. ILB (IR) 59 Reggie Walker DE (IR) Rookies in italics 50 active, 6 reserve

Signees to the NFL

Player	Position	XFL team	Date	NFL team	Ref.
C. J. Brewer	DT	Houston Roughnecks	May 15	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	^[4]
Jack Heflin	DT	Houston Roughnecks	May 15	New Orleans Saints	^[5]

Schedule

All times Central

Week	Day	Date	Kickoff	TV	Opponent	Results		Location	Attendance
Week	Day	Date	Kickoff	TV	Opponent	Score	Record	Location	Attendance
1	Sunday	March 31	2:00 p.m.	ESPN	Memphis Showboats	12–18	0–1	Rice Stadium	9,157
2	Sunday	April 7	3:00 p.m.	Fox	at DC Defenders	18–23	0–2	Audi Field	15,052
3	Sunday	April 14	11:00 a.m.	ABC	at Michigan Panthers	20–34	0–3	Ford Field	6,952
4	Sunday	April 21	1:00 p.m.	FS1	Arlington Renegades	17–9	1–3	Rice Stadium	7,179
5	Saturday	April 27	6:00 p.m.	Fox	Birmingham Stallions	9–32	1–4	Rice Stadium	6,285
6	Saturday	May 4	2:00 p.m.	Fox	at St. Louis Battlehawks	8–22	1–5	The Dome at America's Center	32,969
7	Sunday	May 12	2:00 p.m.	ESPN	San Antonio Brahmas	12–15	1–6	Rice Stadium	6,134
8	Saturday	May 18	7:00 p.m.	ESPN2	at Birmingham Stallions	28–35	1–7	Protective Stadium	10,245
9	Sunday	May 26	1:30 p.m.	Fox	Michigan Panthers	22–26	1–8	Rice Stadium	6,527
10	Sunday	June 2	6:00 p.m.	Fox	at Memphis Showboats	12–19	1–9	Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium	6,039

^[6]^[7]

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Memphis Showboats

Week 1: Memphis Showboats at Houston Roughnecks – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Showboats	9	6	0	3	18
Roughnecks	0	3	0	9	12

at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas

Date: March 31
Game time: 2:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Haze, 79 °F (26 °C)
Game attendance: 9,157
Referee: Jeff Heaser
TV announcers (ESPN): Lowell Galindo, Tom Luginbill, Harry Douglas and Kayla Burton
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

MEM – Matt Coghlin 27-yard field goal, 4:31. Showboats 3–0. Drive: 16 plays, 56 yards, 10:29.
MEM – Christian McFarland 12-yard fumble return (one-point run failed), 3:42. Showboats 9–0.

Second quarter

MEM – Vinny Papale 11-yard pass from Case Cookus (one-point pass failed), 6:57. Showboats 15–0. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 7:57.
HOU – J.J. Molson 55-yard field goal, 1:51. Showboats 15–3. Drive: 10 plays, 41 yards, 5:06.

Third quarter

No scoring plays

Fourth quarter

HOU – J.J. Molson 45-yard field goal, 13:46. Showboats 15–6. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:12.
MEM – Matt Coghlin 51-yard field goal, 8:44. Showboats 18–6. Drive: 9 plays, 20 yards, 5:02.
HOU – Jarrett Guarantano 1-yard run (three-point pass failed), 5:29. Showboats 18–12. Drive: 3 plays, 17 yards, 1:09.

Top passers

MEM – Case Cookus – 23/40, 204 yards, TD, INT
HOU – Jarrett Guarantano – 16/21, 157 yards

Top rushers

MEM – Case Cookus – 4 rushes, 16 yards
HOU – Jarrett Guarantano – 2 rushes, 22 yards, TD

Top receivers

MEM – Jonathan Adams – 4 receptions, 49 yards
HOU – Kirk Merritt – 4 receptions, 33 yards

Standings

2024 UFL standings v t e
USFL Conference
Team	W	L	PCT	GB	TD+/-	TD+	TD-	DIV	PF	PA	DIFF	STK
(y) Birmingham Stallions	9	1	.900	-	11	31	20	6–0	265	180	85	W1
(x) Michigan Panthers	7	3	.700	2	5	27	22	4–2	228	189	39	L1
(e) Memphis Showboats	2	8	.200	7	-19	20	39	2–4	188	290	-102	W1
(e) Houston Roughnecks	1	9	.100	8	-12	17	29	0–6	158	233	-75	L6
XFL Conference
Team	W	L	PCT	GB	TD+/-	TD+	TD-	DIV	PF	PA	DIFF	STK
(y) St. Louis Battlehawks	7	3	.700	-	7	31	24	5–1	260	202	58	W1
(x) San Antonio Brahmas	7	3	.700	-	12	24	12	3–3	192	153	39	L1
(e) DC Defenders	4	6	.400	3	-2	24	26	2–4	209	251	-42	L1
(e) Arlington Renegades	3	7	.300	4	-2	26	28	2–4	247	249	-2	W2
(x)–clinched playoff berth; (y)–clinched division; (e)–eliminated from playoff contention

Staff

The 2024 coaching staff was announced on February 21, 2024.^[8]

Houston Roughnecks staff

	Front office General manager – Lionel Vital Head coach Head coach – Curtis Johnson Offensive coaches Special Teams/Running Backs – Garret Chachere Offensive Line – Bob Connelly Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Eric Price			Defensive coaches Defensive Line – Kwahn Drake Defensive Backs – Brett Maxie Assistant Secondary – Zach Shagi Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Chris Wilson Team operations Quality Control – Jordan Higgins

References

^ https://twitter.com/XFL_PR/status/1683862174022742017
^ Mitchell, Mike (2024-01-04). "UFL President Reveals League's Future Plans, Schedule, Vision". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
^ Zuvanich, Adam (2024-02-02). "Houston Roughnecks of United Football League to play home games at Rice Stadium". Houston Public Media. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
^ "Bucs add two players, cut two players after rookie minicamp". bucswire.usatoday.com. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
^ "Saints to sign Jack Heflin". profootballtalk.com. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
^ "2024 Houston Roughnecks Schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
^ Guillermo, Matt (February 5, 2024). "Houston Roughnecks kick off their UFL era on March 31, play 9 weeks of games thereafter". KTRK-TV. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
^ "UFL announces 2024 coaching staffs for all eight teams". Fox Sports. February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.

[1] ttps://twitter.com/XFL_PR/status/1683862174022742017

[2] Mitchell, Mike (2024-01-04). "UFL President Reveals League's Future Plans, Schedule, Vision". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-01-05.

[3] Zuvanich, Adam (2024-02-02). "Houston Roughnecks of United Football League to play home games at Rice Stadium". Houston Public Media. Retrieved 2024-02-02.

[4] "Bucs add two players, cut two players after rookie minicamp". bucswire.usatoday.com. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.

[5] "Saints to sign Jack Heflin". profootballtalk.com. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.

[6] "2024 Houston Roughnecks Schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved June 26, 2023.

[7] Guillermo, Matt (February 5, 2024). "Houston Roughnecks kick off their UFL era on March 31, play 9 weeks of games thereafter". KTRK-TV. Retrieved April 21, 2024.

[8] "UFL announces 2024 coaching staffs for all eight teams". Fox Sports. February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.

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v t e Houston Roughnecks
Founded in 2022 Formerly the Houston Gamblers (2022–2023) Based in Houston, TX
Franchise	History Seasons Players Coaches
Stadiums	Legion Field (2022) Protective Stadium (2022) Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (2023) Rice Stadium (2024)
Key personnel	Head coach: Curtis Johnson
Affiliations	League: United States Football League (2022–2023); United Football League (2024–present) Conference: USFL Conference (2024–present) Division: South (2022–2023)
Seasons	2022 2023 2024 2025

v t e 2024 UFL season
USFL Conference	Birmingham Stallions Houston Roughnecks Memphis Showboats Michigan Panthers
XFL Conference	Arlington Renegades DC Defenders San Antonio Brahmas St. Louis Battlehawks
Dispersal Draft • UFL Championship