From June Jones as the head coach to Johnny Manziel's potential future

What you need to know about the XFL in Houston

What you need to know about the XFL in Houston
SportsMap/Cody Stoots

New XFL Houston Head Coach June Jones

The XFL announced their final head coach in Houston at TDECU stadium which will serve as their home in 2020. Here is what you need to know about the XFL coming to Houston.

June Jones and his offense first mentality

The well traveled June Jones will coach the XFL Houston team. He returns back to professional football in Houston for the third time in his coaching career. Previously he was the wide receivers coach for the USFL's Houston Gamblers and the quarterbacks coach for the Oilers.

He has been a head coach a number of places including for the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL, SMU and Hawaii in college, and recently with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League.

Jones praised the XFL's forward-thinking attitude about offense and its draw to fans. He mentioned multiple times his plans to have an offensive attack that resembles the ones he has previously implemented.

What about Johnny Football?

June Jones coached Johnny Manziel in the CFL when Manziel was on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Jones praised Manziel and said he enjoyed working with him in the time he coached him in the CFL.

Jones ultimately left it up to the league for Manziel's future. XFL owner Vince McMahon said at the league's introduction press conference "If you have any sort of criminal record or commit a crime, you aren't playing in this league."

It remains to be seen if that will be a situation that is enforced on Manziel.

The XFL Showcase

CEO and XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck gave some more details on the future of the XFL.

The biggest news was the upcoming eight XFL showcases the league has planned. The XFL will be inviting players eligible to play in the league for a tryout/combine event. Luck also mentioned current college players could attend these workouts and doing so wouldn't compromise their eligibility with their schools.

Every XFL city will have one of these tryouts. Luck also mentioned their coaches would be attending NFL training camps around the nation in hopes of scouting players that could end up in the XFL.

The league is scheduled to tentatively hold its draft in October.

The Houston ______ of the XFL

None of the eight XFL teams have names or color schemes yet. Oliver Luck said they are in the process of determining what those may be.

Luck said they are working with outside agencies as well as the creative department of Vince McMahon's WWE to come up with names and schemes for the teams to use.

When pressed about honoring some of the football history in this city, such as using the Oilers Columbia Blue colors, Luck smiled and politely declined to get into specifics. He did though mention when he was the president of the Houston Dynamo the soccer club had a Columbia Blue alternate jersey.

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José Altuve’s homer not enough as Astros lose to Giants

Isaac Paredes hit a big double in Game 1 versus the Giants. Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Image.

San Francisco Giants (3-1) vs. Houston Astros (2-2)
Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT, Houston

Probable Pitchers:

  • Giants: Logan Webb (0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 5 strikeouts)
  • Astros: Hayden Wesneski (0-0)

BetMGM Sportsbook Line:

  • Giants -119, Astros -101
  • Over/Under: 8 runs

Here's a look at tonight's lineup with Hayden Wesneski on the hill.

Bottom Line:

The San Francisco Giants aim to secure a series win against the Houston Astros after taking the opener. San Francisco is off to a strong start at 3-1, while Houston looks to even its record after a 2-2 start to the season.

The Astros, who finished 88-73 last season with a solid 46-35 home record, will rely on their lineup to generate runs against Logan Webb. Houston averaged 4.6 runs per game in 2024 while holding opponents to four runs per contest. Wesneski, making his Astros debut, will look to contain a Giants offense that averaged eight hits per game last season and launched 177 home runs.

Injuries:

  • Astros: Shawn Dubin (shoulder), Forrest Whitley (knee), J.P. France (shoulder), Luis Garcia (elbow), Cristian Javier (elbow), Taylor Trammell (calf), Kaleb Ort (oblique), Pedro Leon (knee), Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm).
  • Giants: Tom Murphy (back), Jerar Encarnacion (finger).

Both teams will look to set the tone early as they continue this early-season interleague matchup.


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