Assignments
UFL 2024 Conference Championship officials
Scott Walker and Jeff Heaser are the referees for the title game playoffs
The UFL has assigned entire crews for their playoff games, and not by mixed crews like the NFL does in the postseason. Playoff crews were assigned on merit, except that referees from last year’s USFL and XFL league championships would not be eligible for the UFL league championship game: Michael VanderVelde (XFL) and Scott Walker (umpire, USFL). Larry Smith, who headed last year’s USFL title game crew, was not in the UFL this season.
Walker and Jeff Heaser are heading the crews this week in the conference championship games. The conferences are named after the leagues from which the teams originated.
The winners will vie for the title next week at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
The officiating assignments are listed below, which shows their years in the MDP program (NFL development), spring pro seasons, and college conference. Playoff experience in the 2023 USFL and XFL plus any bowls or all-star games from the 2023-24 college football season (excluding alternates) are shown. All times are Eastern.
USFL Conference Championship: Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions
Saturday, June 8, 3 p.m. ABC ESPN+
| MDP Yrs | Pro League Yrs | Conference | 2023 USFL-XFL Postseason/Bowl Games | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 20 | Scott Walker | 0 | 2 | SEC | USFL CHAMPIONSHIP SUN |
| U | 59 | William Thomas* | 9 | 3 | ACC | ACC CHAMPIONSHIP HULA |
| DJ | 34 | Sergio DeHoyos | 0 | 2 | Big Ten | ORANGE |
| LJ | 2 | Quentin Givens | 7 | 5 | Big 12 | USFL CHAMPIONSHIP LAS VEGAS |
| FJ | 76 | Eric Hartman | 0 | 4 | Big 12 | |
| SJ | 46 | Connor Clougherty | 4 | 2 | ACC | XFL CHAMPIONSHIP |
| BJ | 19 | Justin Staehr | 1 | 2 | Big Ten | BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP SENIOR |
| RO | Jordan Craddock | — | 1 | SEC | SUN |
*-From Jeff Heaser’s crew
XFL Conference Championship: San Antonio Brahmas at St. Louis Battlehawks
Sunday, June 9, 7 p.m. Fox
| MDP Yrs | Pro League Yrs | Conference | 2023 USFL-XFL Postseason/Bowl Games | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 22 | Jeff Heaser | 2 | 4 | ACC | CITRUS |
| U | 18 | Cat Conti* | 2 | 3 | Big 12 | USFL DIV PLAYOFF LAS VEGAS |
| DJ | 62 | Cravonne Barrett | 4 | 5 | Big 12 | GASPARILLA |
| LJ | 14 | Jeremiah Harris | 0 | 2 | SEC | HULA |
| FJ | 48 | Michael Kennedy | 0 | 2 | American Athletic | |
| SJ | 97 | Gabriel DeLeon | 3 | 2 | Big 12 | ROSE SHRINE |
| BJ | 94 | Donnie Aultman | 0 | 2 | Big 12 | COTTON |
| RO | Eric Oliver | — | 1 | Big Ten |
*from Derek Anderson’s crew
