June 15, 2025
The win caps a formidable season for Harris, who within the week main as much as the sport was given the USL’s Buddy Teevens Coach of the Yr award.
On June 14, as the ultimate whistle blew within the UFL championship recreation, DC Defenders head coach Shannon Harris made it into the historical past books—changing into the primary HBCU alumnus to win knowledgeable soccer championship within the U.S. The second was all of the extra triumphant as his workforce cruised previous the Michigan Panthers in a lopsided 58-34 victory.
In response to Sports activities Illustrated, Jordan Ta’amu, a former profession NFL backup and the 2023 UFL Offensive Participant of the Yr, was named the MVP of the sport after finishing 21 of 28 passes, throwing for 390 yards, 4 touchdowns and including seven carries for 29 yards and one dashing landing. The win caps a formidable season for Harris, who within the week main as much as the sport was given the USL’s Buddy Teevens Coach of the Yr award after he guided the Defenders to the championship in an interim capability after the workforce’s former head coach, Reggie Barlow, agreed to interchange Eddie George as the pinnacle coach of Tennessee State College.
After the sport ended, Harris was extremely grateful for his journey, telling Sports activities Illustrated, “Yeah, to God be the glory. And I’d say these guys right here, man, the teaching workers, assist workers, I imply, everyone’s been on the identical web page since day one, since taking on, and, once more, we simply rattle it round one another, and it continues to simply be us, we, and ours, so these guys, I imply, I can’t thank them sufficient for the hassle they put into this, the resiliency that we had all through the course of the yr. We have now some nice followers again in D.C., we wish to do it for them as nicely, and God is wonderful, man, God is wonderful, and I’m very grateful.”
Harris, who can also be an alum of Tennessee State College, is a former quarterback who as soon as outdueled future Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo when he was the quarterback at Jap Illinois in an exhilarating shootout that Romo’s workforce received 52-49. In that recreation, Harris went 29 of 43 for 382 yards, throwing 5 touchdowns and one interception; Romo wasn’t unhealthy both, finishing 21 of his 36 passes for 381 yards and three touchdowns whereas additionally throwing one interception.
Per the UFL’s announcement of Harris’ Coach of the Yr award win, the sturdy play of the Defenders has positioned Ta’amu as a finalist for his first MVP award, the quarterback led the UFL in passing yards (2,294) and passing touchdowns (17) whereas rating quantity two in whole yards (2,333) as he led the league’s most prolific offense, the Defenders ranked first in whole yards, posting 3,454 yards in that class.
In response to the announcement, “Harris led DC to a 6-4 regular-season document, incomes a berth within the XFL Convention Championship Recreation. His Defenders defeated the St. Louis Battlehawks 36-18 Sunday to advance to the 2025 UFL Championship Recreation. Beneath Harris’ management, DC earned seven All-UFL picks, which was tied for many within the league.”
Though Harris might probably be a part of Barlow’s workers at Tennessee State College after the conclusion of the UFL season, as Harris basked within the glow of his victory throughout the post-game press convention, he informed reporters that “That’s but to be decided and we nonetheless have a variety of conferences to go and we nonetheless have issues to speak over, in order that’s nonetheless but to be decided.”
He paused and glanced over at Ta’amu and one other participant reverse the quarterback, earlier than closing his remarks. “These guys right here man, it’d be onerous to go away these guys right here.”
For now, at the least, Harris can bask within the glow of his accomplishments throughout the course of the UFL season and his place in historical past as the primary HBCU alumni to win knowledgeable soccer championship in america as he weighs his subsequent transfer throughout the UFL’s low season.
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