The XFL is back for another try at cracking into the NFL monopoly.

The 2020 XFL season starts on Saturday, Feb. 8, and will include players from Michigan State, Michigan, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Grand Rapids Community College.

All eight XFL teams have at least one player who played at a Michigan college or university. You'll also find former University of Michigan assistant coach Pep Hamilton as the DC Defenders head coach and general manager.

Most of the Michigan ties come from Michigan or Michigan State, but Nick Truesdell's affiliation is with Grand Rapids Community College back before they ended the football program in 2012.

Bleacherreport.com says Truesdell was recruited by former GVSU and current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly back when Kelly was head coach at the University of Cincinnati.

Kelly would later kick Truesdell off of the team for stealing. Truesdell had more criminal issues in the years to follow. Since then, Truesdell has spent most of his time on the field playing arena football with limited interest from NFL teams along the way.

Here's the full list of players from Michigan schools on XFL rosters for Week 1 of 2020:

Dallas Renegades

  • John Keenoy, Western Michigan, OG, #52
  • Asantay Brown, Western Michigan, LB, #58
  • Willie Beavers, Western Michigan, OT, #70

DC Defenders

  • Tyree Kinnel, Michigan, S, #29
  • Donnie Ernsberger, Western Michigan, TE, #80

Houston Roughnecks

  • Connor Cook, Michigan State, QB, #18
  • Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Michigan, OL, #76

Los Angeles Wildcats

  • Taiwan Jones, Michigan State, LB, #54

New York Guardians

  • Demetrious Cox, Michigan State, S, #36

St. Louis BattleHawks

  • Keith Mumphery, Michigan State, WR, #17

Seattle Dragons

  • Sergio Bailey, Eastern Michigan, WR, #11
  • Channing Stribling, Michigan, CB, #30
  • Jeremy Clark, Michigan, CB, #34
  • William Campbell, Michigan, G, #69

Tampa Bay Vipers

  • De'Veon Smith, Michigan, RB, #24
  • Ike Spearman, Eastern Michigan, LB, #56
  • Nick Truesdell, Grand Rapids Community College, TE, #85

If you plan to watch, you'll want to review the rules which include several "innovations" including a shorter halftime, a shootout-style overtime and having one official who will solely be responsible for spotting the ball.

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