It’s spring, which means Penn State is on the practice fields laying the foundation for the 2025 season and NFL teams are beginning their offseason programs while preparing for the draft later this month. But there is football to be found.

The UFL began its second season of play last week as a spring football league continues to try to take hold. The league emerged from a merger between the most recent iterations of the USFL and the XFL with eight teams located primarily in the midwest and the south.

As is typically the case with any football league at any level, there are a couple Penn State connections in the UFL, including some recent notable names.

The second week of the UFL season began Friday night, and it’s scheduled to last 10 games. The season will conclude June 14 with the UFL Championship Game.

Let’s take a look at the former Nittany Lions in the mix.

KEATON ELLIS, FS, MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS

Keaton Ellis spent some time last offseason with the Tennessee Titans, but he remained a free agent for the regular season. He had seven tackles for the Showboats in their 26-12 loss to the Michigan Panthers to open the 2025 season.

Ellis, 24, is a State College native who spent five seasons with the Nittany Lions. He finished his career with 86 tackles, three tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and 14 passes defended in 56 games.

Ellis was a Top247 recruit out of State College (Pa.) Area in the Class of 2019. The four-star recruit was ranked as the No. 2 player in Pennsylvania, the No. 14 cornerback nationally and the No. 130 overall prospect in the class.

STEVEN GONZALEZ, OL, ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

Steven Gonzalez is entering his third season with the Battlehawks in both the XFL and the UFL. In 2023, Gonzalez was named an All-XFL performer for his play.

Gonzalez, 27, was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2019. He appeared in 50 games, primarily at guard, for the Nittany Lions during his college career.

Gonzalez and the Battlehawks won their first game over the Houston Roughnecks. They face the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday.

JOHN LOVETT, RB, SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS

John Lovett‘s time at Penn State was brief and unspectacular, but he’s found his footing in the UFL. Last season, Lovett finished fourth in the league in rushing with 423 yards on 4.1 yards per carry. He also scored five touchdowns.

Lovett spent the first four seasons of his career at Baylor before transferring to Penn State for his fifth and final season in 2021. Lovett carried 52 times for 177 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and caught nine passes for 36 yards. The majority of his production came across wins over Villanova and Indiana when he carried 21 times for 86 yards combined in the two matchups.

Lovett rushed for 1,803 yards and 17 touchdowns during his four seasons at Baylor.

Lovett had eight carries for 18 yards and a touchdown in San Antonio’s 33-9 loss to the Arlington Renegades in the season opener.

MARQUIS WILSON, CB, HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS

Marquis Wilson didn’t end his career at Penn State, but he belongs on this list. During four seasons at Penn State, Wilson had 56 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, five passes defended, one fumble recovery and four forced fumbles. In 2021, Penn State used him on both offense and defense — he was listed as an “athlete” on the roster — and he caught three passes for 29 yards. Wilson finished his career as a cornerback in 2022.

Wilson played the 2023 season at Purdue, where he had 20 tackles and six pass breakups.

Wilson had one tackle in the Roughnecks’ loss to the Battlehawks in Week 1.

KEN WHISENHUNT, HC, MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS

Showboats coach Ken Whisenhunt is in his first year leading the UFL franchise. He worked as an analyst under coach James Franklin in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, he joined Nick Saban at Alabama as special assistant to the head coach. Whisenhunt is the former Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans head coach who rose to prominence as a Pittsburgh Steelers assistant under Bill Cowher.

The Showboats are 0-1 entering Saturday’s matchup with the DC Defenders.

Daniel Gallen covers Penn State for Lions247 and 247Sports. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow Daniel on X at @danieljtgallen, Instagram at @bydanieljtgallen and Bluesky at @danieljtgallen.bsky.social.