Channing Stribling played defensive back collegially at Michigan from 2013-2016. He amassed 69 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 15 pass deflections, and 6 picks for 91 yards and a TD. After going unselected in the 2017 NFL draft, Channing was on and off the practice squads of Cleveland and Indianapolis that year. In 2018, he was in camp with the 49ers- later returning to the Colts, and then to the Chargers.
After being cut in October of 2018, Stribling decided to give the Alliance of American Football a shot. He was assigned to the Memphis Express and started in the team’s young secondary, posting 19 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 4 pass deflections, and an interception for 31 yards.
Although the numbers didn’t show it, Stribling was key in helping shut down the Iron’s passing attack, as the Express upset the Iron in OT 31-25.
Kenny Hilliard comes from strong football bloodlines, being the nephew of former LSU and Saints RB Dalton Hilliard. Kenny followed in the footsteps of Dalton to LSU, where he averaged a healthy 5.2 yards per carry over his four years there while scoring 27 TDs on 302 carries. He’d be selected in the 7th round of the 2015 draft, as the Texans were looking to shore up their RB committee.
Kenny spent most of the next two seasons honing his craft, on and off the franchise’s practice squad. He’d sign with the Redskins in mid 2017 and again be on Washington’s practice squad through 2018.
Afterwards Kenny joined the Alliance of American Football in 2018 as one of their first recognizable name pickups. He’d play for the Memphis Express during the AAF’s lone 8 game season in 2019- seeing action in only the final game rushing 4 times for 6 yards, including an 11 yard burst, while catching 2 passes for 7 yards.
Acquired: IP 2020, Houston Roughnecks Season Ticket Holders Kickoff Party See Also: Charles James
Charles James has continued to stay busy as a defensive back playing football and keeping the dream alive since his last stop in Houston going back to 2016. He joined the Colts for a game in 2016 and then spent the 2017 off-season with the Bills and the Jaguars.
After a year out of football, Charles found a home in the Spring league of the Alliance of American Football (2019). Charles was the old vet in a very young secondary, for the Memphis Express, posting 18 tackles and 5 pass deflections. In the final contest against the Orlando Apollos, Charles had his best game with 6 tackles and 4 pass deflections- as the Express almost upset Orlando, but lost in the closing seconds.
Charles next joined the XFL for the 2020 season originally with the St. Louis Battlehawks. He’d be traded to the Houston Roughnecks before the season, and added to an already capable secondary. In 4 contests Socks had 7 combined tackles and a pass deflection, before the league was ended by COVID.
James as a defensive back by nature is skilled in the art of smack talk, and with the XFL being very upfront and personal with sideline interviews you know they were bound to catch some quality audio from James, and indeed they did.
During the league’s week 4 contest against the Dallas Renegades- Renegades QB Landry Jones had a particularly poor game, throwing 3 interceptions in the first half. As the camera rolled on the sidelines, Socks blurted out to the camera crew, “Get that quarterback the f*** outta here!”
I met James at the Roughneck’s Season Ticket Holder Party. He was very grateful to sign autographs and meet fans, and he very much enjoyed his short time in the AAF.
I lobbied hard to get Charles an official football card from Topps, but surprisingly he was neither included in the AAF or the XFL card sets. About a year after the AAF folded I went ahead and designed Charles his card out based on the above shot he signed. Looking back I wish I had thought of doing this sooner, as I am sure he would have appreciated this card.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
