For the third straight season, the Birmingham Stallions are playing for a Championship. RB C.J. Marable is heading into his third Championship appearance – something most of this Stallions roster can’t say that they’ve accomplished. With all of the turnover over the past couple of seasons, C.J. has consistently remained as a key offensive component, in both the USFL, and now the UFL.

However, it hasn’t been an entirely rosy season for C.J. After rushing for 67 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, Marable had some quiet outings. For example, in week three, C.J. tallied just 19 yards on 10 carries. The next week against DC, he had 19 yards again, this time on 14 carries.

At this point, there were rumblings of whether or not Marable should be “the guy” in that backfield for Skip Holtz. Ricky Person Jr. was establishing himself as a scoring machine, and C.J. was not producing the same way he had in the USFL in years prior.

C.J. Marable missed week five’s matchup against Houston for personal reasons. After Larry Rountree posted 50 yards and a touchdown in that game, some wondered if we’d actually see Marable make an impact again this season.

Recent Resurgence

Over the next couple of games, though, Marable started to get back to how he looked a season ago. He wasn’t getting a ton of opportunities – but he was making the most of them, with efficient yardage on limited carries.

In the past two games, Marable has proven why he belongs on this roster – and why he’s so important to the success of this team. In week 10 against Michigan, he posted 54 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a comeback win.

Then, C.J. did his thing yet again this past weekend. His success against the Panthers in the USFL Conference Championship was pivotal. He had 77 rushing yards on just eight carries, and made a major impact down the stretch of this game – putting it away with a couple of big gains.

With the way Marable has been playing these last two weeks, one would hope that this positive momentum will carry over into the UFL Championship game.

Stallions Head Coach Skip Holtz commented on Marable’s growth, and impact, as a third year player in his offense:

“His role changes with his experience, because he’s been here before. It’s amazing when we ask the question in our locker room ‘how many players have never won a championship?’, and the number of hands that went up. When you get to the playoffs, having experience matters. Having some leadership like C.J. Marable – the character, the player, the voice that he has and the respect that he commands in that locker room – I think he’s going to have some great insight for a lot of players on how to handle it.”

Final Thoughts

The San Antonio Brahmas have the best one-two punch in the league, with their backfield of John Lovett and Anthony McFarland. Birmingham desperately needs production from their running backs, to help alleviate some of the pressure off of Adrian Martinez’ shoulders.

Given Marable’s resurgence in the UFL over the past few weeks, it’s likely that he’ll receive plenty of attention this weekend. Skip Holtz needs players he can count on, and who else to step up to the plate rather than C.J. Marable – someone who’s helped this team win two Championships already. His poise and playmaking abilities need to be on full display in order for Birmingham to see offensive success against a stout Brahmas defense.

The stakes are higher than ever, with Birmingham attempting to defend their title for a third straight year. The UFL’s inaugural championship will be played this Sunday, at 5pm ET on FOX.

What are your thoughts on C.J. Marable in Birmingham’s offense this season? What should we expect from him this Sunday? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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