Photo courtesy of UFL Former Penn State standout Keaton Ellis (31) looks to make a play for the Memphis Showboats against the Michigan Panthers.

BY GREG WILLIAMS

Sentinel reporter

gwilliams@lewistownsentinel.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Keaton Ellis won’t have to wait long to make his mark in the United Football League. The former Penn State safety steps into the spotlight Friday night when the Birmingham Stallions visit the Louisville Kings in the league’s 2026 opener — the first game for a franchise that relocated from Memphis and rebranded during the offseason.

For the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Ellis, it’s a chance to bring the same steadiness and communication that defined his Penn State career to a defense still finding its identity. For Nittany Lion fans, it’s the first of several familiar faces they’ll see across a UFL landscape that looks noticeably different this spring.

The Kings aren’t the only team with a new home. The Michigan Panthers moved to the Columbus Aviators, the San Antonio Brahmas shifted to the Orlando Storm and Houston revived the Gamblers name, a nod to the old USFL era. It’s a reshaped league — and one dotted with Penn State alumni chasing the next step in their football journeys.

Ellis brings leadership to Louisville’s secondary

Ellis was a model of reliability in Happy Valley, transitioning from corner to safety and becoming a trusted voice in the secondary. Louisville is counting on that same presence as it builds a defense around smart, disciplined play.

His instincts and ability to diagnose routes made him invaluable in college, and those traits tend to shine in spring leagues where defensive backs are tested early and often. For a franchise undergoing a full relocation and rebrand, Ellis offers something rare: immediate stability.

Last year with the Showboats, Ellis was the team’s third-leading tackler with 53 stops, including 37 solo.‌

“I feel like I’m playing really strong and just trying to be as consistent as possible,” Ellis told reporters recently. “And just show up every day, not only for myself — because at the end of the day, I’m trying to improve my game — but just for the team and playing for my guys and making sure that I’m playing hard all the time for them and I think that the stats just show that, just playing hard and just playing how I know I can play.”

He’s taken shots with the National Football League with Tennessee and even signed with Calgary of the Canadian Football League.

Lovett looks to carve out a role in Columbus

John Lovett’s Penn State career was brief but meaningful. After transferring from Baylor, he added depth and experience to the Nittany Lions’ backfield. Now he joins the Columbus Aviators, another relocated franchise, with a chance to take on a larger role in a league that values versatility.

Lovett’s ability to run between the tackles and catch passes in space makes him a natural fit for a UFL offense built on tempo and balance. For a player who battled injuries late in his college career, the spring season offers a clean slate and a chance to remind scouts what he can do when healthy.

Jacobs and Smith reunite in DC

Penn State fans will recognize the heart of DC’s defense immediately. Curtis Jacobs and Brandon Smith — two of the most athletic linebackers to come through the program in recent years — are back on the same sideline.

Jacobs brings leadership, range and the kind of football IQ that made him a steady presence in the Big Ten. Smith, meanwhile, remains one of the most physically gifted defenders to wear blue and white, with size and explosiveness that translate to any level.

Their familiarity with each other’s tendencies could give DC an early advantage. In a league where continuity is rare, having two linebackers who already know how to communicate and adjust together is no small thing.

Hamler seeks a fresh start in Orlando

Few players in recent Penn State memory brought more electricity to Beaver Stadium than KJ Hamler. His speed, burst and ability to turn a routine slant into a 60-yard highlight made him a fan favorite.

After injuries stalled his early NFL career, Hamler now joins the Orlando Storm, another relocated franchise, for a chance to reset. If he’s healthy — and that’s the key — he instantly becomes one of the most dangerous playmakers in the UFL. For Penn State fans, seeing Hamler back on the field, flashing the same explosiveness that once terrorized Big Ten defenses, might be the most compelling storyline of the spring.

A spring football fix for Penn State faithful

The UFL won’t replicate the roar of 107,000 at Beaver Stadium, but it offers something meaningful: a chance to watch former Nittany Lions continue their football journeys. For fans who follow the program year-round, Friday’s opener marks the start of a new slate of games, new storylines and new reasons to cheer.

And with Penn State alumni scattered across a reshaped league, the blue-and-white presence will be felt from opening night to the championship — proof that the pipeline from Happy Valley stretches far beyond the fall.