SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Brahmas’ coaching staff and players arrived at the team hotel Friday with an extra pep in their steps, having already clinched a playoff spot.
The Brahmas beat the Arlington Renegades last week to claim the I-35 Rivalry and an opportunity to play postseason football, so some might expect the San Antonio to relax a little in this weekend’s contest. But that isn’t the Brahmas’ style.
San Antonio’s opponent this week, the Birmingham Stallions, is not only a perfect 8-0 on the season. The Stallions haven’t lost since the middle of last season, a 15-game winning streak.
Brahmas head coach Wade Phillips and a few players spoke to KSAT as they arrived in the lobby at the team’s hotel.
“You’re motivated certainly, and then once you reach your goal, then you need another goal and our next goal is to win this game,” Phillips said.
“You know, I think that that’s a huge challenge for us to go in and try to take one from them and get them in that loss category, so looking forward to the challenge,” Brahmas quarterback and Boerne High School alum Quinten Dormady said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a good game, and hopefully we can come out with more points than them.”
The Brahmas hope to send the Stallions back to Alabama with their first loss since May 13, 2023.
“Anytime you got a great team on either side of you playing, you got to get ready to go to work ‘cause we’re just still trying to get to the next level,” Brahmas defensive lineman, Cuero High School and Texas State alum Caeveon Patton. “You know, we at this level, you know, we got to take it one day at a time. Keep selling them days, man.”
The Brahmas will have their hands full stopping Birmingham’s high-powered offense. Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez is second in the league in passing touchdowns (13) and leads the United Football League in rushing yards (431).
“(Adrian) Martinez, the quarterback, is the leading rusher in the league. Not a leading passer, leading rusher,” Phillips said. “So that’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
“Got to stop No. 9 (Martinez),” Patton said. “You know he’s the engine that makes the thing go, and we know we got (sic) to work together. We got (sic) to do our job, and just take it one play at a time. At the game, we see where it stands, you know, but we’re definitely planning to come out on top.”
“I think they’re really solid,” Dormady said. “Just kind of said it this week, kind of a bend, don’t break kind of defense. We just got (sic) to go out and execute because we know that that’s what they’re going to do offensively and defensively. So, should be a good battle.”
Anyone who doesn’t have a ticket to the Alamodome can tune into KSAT 12 at 2 p.m. Saturday to watch the Brahmas host the Stallions in San Antonio’s final home game of the regular season.