USA Today, February 10, 1986
As America enters what used to be a 6-month funk after the end of the NFL Season, awaiting the return of Football in September, it seems an appropriate time for those of us who call ourselves football fans to show some gratitude to the USFL for saving us from such a long hibernation. We are only a month away from the return of football as the 4th season of the USFL gears up. Teams are in camp, the limited scrimmage and preseason will begin soon, and those of us who were left wanting more after the Chicago Bear’s thrilling 26-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XX, can get excited about the USFL Champion Philadelphia Stars, or the always dynamic Michigan Panthers, and maybe a Cinderella story like last year’s Jacksonville Bulls. The USFL is ready to liven up spring and engage us in another rousing season of entertaining football.
We enter 1986 with a few changes within the USFL, we have two teams in new cities (Baltimore and New Orleans), some new head coaches in Ray Perkins, Mouse Davis and Vince Tobin, and some players familiar to us in new places, like former Rams QB Vince Ferragamo now in New Jersey, former KC Chiefs defensive disruptor Art Still in Birmingham, or former Raiders standout tight end Todd Christiansen staying in LA but trading Raiders Black for Express Navy. It’s a whole new year, with a lot to be excited about. As we look at what is new in each division, let’s cherish the fact that we have spring football at all, and that the USFL appears in this for the long haul.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
When one division has both teams from the prior year’s Championship, you know there is going to be a dogfight. With the Blitz relocating from Chicago to Baltimore, and joining the Generals, Federals and Stars, this division just became a bipolar beast. We are not sure how New Jersey and Washington will compete, though both made significant strides this offseason, because both Baltimore and Philadelphia look stacked.
PHILADELPHIA STARS (12-4, League Champions)
The Stars return with much of the same qualities as last year, sturdy defense, solid run game and a QB who does not turn the ball over. That QB may be in for a rude awakening this year as the Stars lost both All-USFL linemen (Oates and Eatman) to the NFL in the offseason. They did their best to replace them, signing former Seahawk Blair Bush at center and drafting Vanderbilt’s Will Wolford at tackle. The line may take time to gel, so Chuck Fusina may lean a little more on league rushing leader Kelvin Bryant and his more than capable backup, Johnnie Hector. With Philly also adding Cowboy Everson Walls at corner and drafting some defensive talent in safety Todd Bowles and DE Gary Baldiinger, we think the defense is ready to impose their will on the league.
PREDICTION: 11-5 and another Atlantic Division Title.
BALTIMORE BLITZ (13-3, Western Conference Champions—in Chicago)
The Blitz make the move from the Windy City to the Charm City and they are already leading a charmed life. After 3 years at or near the bottom of attendance, the Blitz have a legitimate shot at leading the league in attendance in their first year in Baltimore. Snubbing their noses at the NFL while also embracing a very good Blitz teams, Marylanders have already purchased over 31,000 season tickets, eclipsing even Jacksonville in that category. And the team they are going to be supporting looks like a very solid contender again. Their only losses this offseason were some bit players, so the core of the Western Conference Champion team is very much intact. As far as additions, the Blitz added two solid NFL vets on defense, with CB Leslie Frazier boosting the secondary and former Bronco DE Rulon Jones adding another scary pass rusher opposite league leader Junior Ah You. That defense is going to be frightening. On offense, it will still be Evans, Spencer, Murphy and stud wideout Jackie Flowers. No real additions there, as the Blitz focused on defensive and O-line depth in the draft. Their only skill addition was drafting U of Maryland’s Stan Gelbaugh at QB, but he will be a solid #3 in the depth chart this year.
PREDICTION: 10-6 and a Wild Card in a very tough division.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS (6-10)
The Federals were a plucky bunch in 1985, but just did not have enough consistency or enough firepower to keep up with the rest of the league. They used the offseason to try to draw closer to teams like the Blitz and Stars. If they are going to finally crest above .500 this year, it will be because of yet another strong defense in the division. Baltimore has the premier pass rush in the league, but Washington is trying to get there too, adding Dexter Manley from the Redskins and drafting another local product, James Madison wrecking ball, Charles Haley. This combination, with solid support inside from rookie Joe Phillips and returnee Bennie Smith at DT. The LB’s and DB’s are solid but not dynamic, though we like the toughness added when the Feds signed former Colt LB Cliff Odom. On offense it will be much the same, hand off to Craig James and Curtis Bledsoe, some timely scrambles from Reggie Collier, and maybe, just maybe the Federals have found a receiver to take some pressure off Joey Walters. Rookie Webster Slaughter has impressed in the opening days of camp. Paired with Walters and last year’s pickup, TE Mark Bavaro, this offense has potential. Despite the tough division, we are going to give Washington 8 wins.
PREDICTION: 8-8, no playoffs, but a lot of respect.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS (3-13)
This is a Generals team that has a lot of talent, a lot of marquee names, and not a lot to show for it. Enter Ray Perkins, former Alabama and NY Giants head man, someone who knows the NY-NJ market, and who knows how to build a defense, which is one thing New Jersey has needed for 3 years. Gary Barbaro is back for one more year, and the Generals drafted for defense, signing LB John Offerdahl of Western Michigan, DE Eric Dorsey of Notre Dame, and another golden-domer in LB Tony Furjanic. But, once again we expect this is a team that will need a solid offensive game each week to compete. Doug Flutie needed help, and the Generals GM tried to oblige, bringing in a safety valve in pass-catching rookie TE Brent Jones. They also did their best to replace the league’s best FB, Maurice Carthon (off to the NFL), by spending an early draft pick on Buckeye FB Keith Byars. Byars is not the blocker that Carthon was, so we may see more 1 back sets, but he is an outstanding runner and pass catcher, so more play action may also be in the cards. The Generals also signed QB Vince Ferragamo, most recently of Buffalo, because after the beating that Doug Flutie took last year, a good backup is essential. A lot of new names, but we just don’t see the Generals leapfrogging too many teams this year to get to a playoff spot.
PREDICTION: 5-11, no playoffs, but maybe another rushing title for Herschel.
SOUTHERN DIVISION
The collapse of the Birmingham Stallions and mediocre outputs by Tampa Bay had the Southern Division looking like the league’s worst last year. We don’t expect a repeat of that as we believe Tampa will rebound, Birmingham is better than their 4 wins last year, and Jacksonville is on the rise. Even Memphis has some new talent to crow about. Competitiveness and parity may keep any team here from reaching 11 or 12 wins, but the tough slog through the regular season could forge a solid playoff run for one of these teams.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS (9-7, Division Champion)
The Bulls in 1985 were a cinderella story that kept on providing happy endings, at least until they fell to Tampa in the first round of the playoffs. With a defense that was at its best mediocre, the Bulls thrilled fans with offensive explosions. They may have to do the same this year, despite spending a lot of draft and free agent capital on defense. The Bulls have brought in a lot of blue chippers to try to mend the defense, including Michigan DE Mike Hammerstein, WV linebacker Fred Smalls, Mississippi State DT Pat Swoopes and Kentucky DB Maurice Douglas. They also reached into the NFL and signed Giants LB Gary Reasons, but this is a lot of new to mold into a solid team. Expect Jacksonville to win by outscoring opponents. For 2 years Doug Williams has thrown for more yards than anyone, but he has also thrown far too many picks for Lindy Infante to be happy. Williams has a new weapon in wideout Hassan Jones, from Florida State, who will likely lineup in the slot with Kemp and Clark outside. Despite a rookie of the year campaign, HB George Adams still needs further touches, which means someone must tell Doug Williams to pass less. Good luck with that.
PREDICTION: 9-7, but only a Wild Card this year.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS (9-7, Wild Card)
The Bandits had an uncharacteristically erratic year in 1985. They looked solid in beating teams like Michigan, but then fell to lesser teams like Memphis. John Reaves missed several games due to injury, and the defense never really gelled into a stalwart squad. So, what does Steve Spurrier do? Well, he signs a QB (Oliver Luck from the Oilers) and a TE (Mike Tice from Seattle) another QB (Mike Norseth, Kansas), another TE (Kevin Starks, Minnesota) and a lot of O-line and D-line. I have heard of playing to your strengths but filling some holes and adding some speed on defense might have been a better option here. We worry that Reaves is no longer an MVP quarterback, and that Tampa’s defense is still not solid enough. PREDICTION: 7-9, 3rd in the division and a wakeup call for Spurrier.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (4-12)
Memphis has all kinds of issues last year, but Reggie White was not one of them. Barely beat out by the Blitz’s Junior Ah You for the sack title, White is the face and the future of the Showboats, but they needed more around him. The good news is that Memphis had very few contracts expire last year, losing only kicker Efran Herrera and FB Moe Davies. They replaced Herrera with former NY Giant Ali Haji-Sheikh and will likely shift to a 1-back offense as no solid FB prospect was signed. What Memphis did sign was a bookend for White in Ram DE Booker Reese, another 1-2 punch as this seems to be a trend in the league this year. In a pass-first league you need a pass rush to succeed. They also signed help for Walter Lewis, grabbing wideout Bobby Joe Edmunds from nearby Arkansas. Is that enough? Well, probably not. We are still waiting for former Sooner wunderkind Marcus DuPree to have a bust-out season, and until he does, we just don’t see the Showboats showing up in the playoffs.
PREDICTION 5-11, 4th in division
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (4-12)
We don’t buy it. The Stallions are too deep and too talented to be a basement dweller. We are predicting the Stallions rise again and win the division because we like this team’s core. Sure, they must decide if it is Cliff Stoudt’s team or if they return to Bob Lane one more time, but with Joe Cribbs at tailback, and with the addition of Louisville burner Ernest Givens to an already solid receiving corps, the offense should blow past last year’s troubles. Birmingham also strengthened a weak spot up front, signing 3 guards after losing Buddy Aydolette to the NFL. Mike Munchak will fill Aydolette’s shoes immediately, but rookies John Ionata and Lloyd Yancey will also rotate into the line. Now, if Birmingham can just recalibrate their defense, once a strong point of the team, they will surprise a lot of teams. Adding former Chief Art Still to the D-Line is a big step in that direction. This is a team capable of winning ugly or winning pretty. We like their potential to snap right back to relevance this year.
PREDICTION: 10-6, and champs of a stunned division.
CENTRAL DIVISION
If you are a Michigan Panther, you are very happy with the way the Chicago ownership scramble ended. Losing the Blitz to another division and gaining the always-underachieiving Breakers is a gift for the Panthers. Sure, both Houston and Pittsburgh have improved, but this is Michigan’s division to win, and we expect they will win it going away.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS (12-4, Wild Card)
Michigan remains one of the most formidable teams in the league. Until the injury to LB John Corker they looked solidly on their way to a second title game. Well, Corker is back and raring to go, and Michigan added a huge piece to help free Corker up to terrorize offenses. Michigan landed former Bengal DT Tim Krumrie to fill space and free Corker up to blast opposing RB’s and rush opposing QB’s. With Krumrie in place and Corker back, expect this defense to again be a top 3 unit. On offense the pieces were already in place with Hebert, Williams and Lacy in the backfield, and the deadly combo of Carter and Holloway wide. Michigan drafted for depth behind these stars, signing Illinois QB Jack Trudeau both as backup to Hebert and as insurance in case the NFL comes calling when Hebert’s contract expires next summer. They added a new TE, Butch Rolle of Michigan State, to replace the departed Mike Cobb, and signed some O-line depth as well. This is a team with options, with the ability to draft for depth, because they have all the big needs filled. No reason to expect anything less than a division title here.
PREDICTION: 13-3, Division Champions.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (8-8, Wild Card in Boston)
A late season flurry got Boston to .500 and a lopsided divisional loss to Philly last year. So, now that they are in a new city (with a much larger fan base, already selling 22,000 season tickets in the Super Dome) what did the Breakers do to break out of a run of mediocrity? The first thing they did was build a support network around struggling QB Tony Eason. They signed QB-whisperer Paul Hackett as their new OC, and they snagged former Buffalo Bill QB Joe Ferguson to be essentially a player-coach on the bench. Ferguson is not going to impact games as a 3rd string QB, but his sage wisdom and hard-earned knowledge of the game is sure to help Eason develop this year. This will help but adding LSU tailback Dalton Hilliard to an already talented backfield (Crump and Jordan) is likely to signal just how New Orleans plans to play. Expect this team to seek a team rushing title with a 3-headed monster of a ground game. If Eason is not asked to bail them out, if they can get leads and grind out the clock, Boston could finish in the playoffs again. They have a solid defense, adding Mike Gann at DE (Falcons), and two new LB’s to assist Marcus Marek in the run game. But, can the Breakers actually break out. We are skeptical at this point.
PREDICTION: 7-9, third in division, no playoff.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS (7-9)
The Run & Shoot was fun to watch, but it just did not protect Jim Kelly enough and all too often led to quick 3-and-outs which tired out the Houston defense. After two 7-9 years, the Gamblers are shifting things up, going with a more traditional offense under new OC Bruce Coslett. Epect a lot more action for halfbacks Steve Howell, Lynn Cain and Todd Fowler. And expect Kelly to have the option to dump the ball off if his speedy receivers are covered after Houston signed TE Jimmie Giles away from the NFL’s Buccaneers. On defense, LB Kiki DeAyala should welcome the arrival of DT Michael Carter from the 49ers, as well as raw rookie DE Clyde Simmons from Western Carolina. The signing of a new stud G-T combo in John Rienstra (Temple) and Jim Juriga (Ilinois) may also put a smile on Jim Kelly’s face and as Kelly goes, so go the Gamblers.
PREDICTION: 9-7 and their first playoff berth.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS (5-11)
The Maulers are headed in the right direction, but fans would love if they could move just a bit faster. The roster improved greatly from 1984 to 1985, and it looks like it has improved again. Pittsburgh was the only USFL team not to lose a player to the NFL this offseason. That is partly an indictment of their talent level, but also of their status as a 2nd year team with a lot of 3-year contracts. A lot will depend on the development of Todd Blackledge under center. He has Mike Rozier, of course, and now Rozier has the option to rest a bit more as the Maulers signed former Bengal Stanford Jennings to share the burden. They also added a solid blocking and receiving TE in Chicago’s Emory Moorhead. In the draft, the Maulers focused on their porous defense, adding three DE’s, with Auburn’s Gerald Williams being the headliner. They also added Division 1-AA monster, Dino Hackett to occupy the MLB slot. These are all good steps, and should keep Pittsburgh in more games, but victories may still be hard to come by this year.
PREDICTION: 5-11, 4th place again.
PACIFIC DIVISION
This division was fun to watch last year, with 3 teams all playing their best football in 3 years. LA ended up winning the crown, but both Arizona and Oakland were also solid playoff contenders. Even Denver got into decent form by season’s end. This year will be much the same as we see this as the most balanced of the league’s four divisions, but not the bad kind of balanced when in 1983 no team could apparently get above .500, the good kind where several could crash the playoff party.
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (11-5, Division Champions)
What a difference a year makes. Not only did LA become a legitimate championship contender last year, but their attendance skyrocketed, in part due to the insurance of longevity which ownership and the NFL lawsuit provided, but also because it was just a much better team to watch play. The defense took a huge leap last year and may be better still this year with the addition of UCLA DT Mark Walen and Alabama DE Larry Roberts. The team lost Danny Rich to the NFL but signed a new LB in UCLA’s Tommy Taylor. On offense, the biggest offseason issue was the loss of TE Ricky Ellis to the NFL’s Eagles, but that was offset by the very cutthroat move of signing Todd Christiansen away from the in-town rival Raiders. LA also added another goalline pounder in Hawaii RB Nuu Faaola. This is a team with all the pieces in place for a deep playoff run again in 1986. We see it happening.
PREDICTION: 11-5 and a 2nd Division Title.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS (10-6)
A late season slump cost the Wranglers the division, and they were quickly bumped from the playoffs in Chicago. But don’t be fooled, this is a solid team. They have a triple threat at wideout with All-USFL Trumaine Johnson, shifty Wamon Buggs, and an emerging star in Louis Lipps. Rick Neuheisel is more than capable of getting them the ball anywhere on the field. Running was not particularly strong last year, so the Wranglers signed two very different backs this offseason, speedy return man and 3rd down back Vai Sikahema and cloud-of-dust pounder Darryl Clack. These two paired with sophomore Owen Gill and FB Mike Cade may give Arizona a team-based rushing attack to balance out the pass game. On defense, the key additions were in the backfield, where former Ram Nolan Cromwell will play CB, and Buffalo’s Martin Bayless comes in to shore up the FS position. Arizona should challenge LA again this year and may even be able to hold on for a full 17 weeks.
PREDICTION: 10-6 and a wild card again, just because they do tend to fade down the stretch.
OAKLAND INVADERS (8-8)
Oakland made great strides after their disastrous 3-13 season in 1984. Coach Dick Vermeil worked some magic with the roster, brought in a reliable leader in Brian Sipe and got the most out of his players. For this year, the key is bringing in more players who can contribute. Oakland lost LB Frank Manumaleuga, first to injury and then to the San Diego Chargers. Fortunately, the LB corps was deep to begin with, and adding rookie Leon White from BYU will help with depth. The other big loss was wideout Gordon Banks, but man, oh, man did Oakland find a way to replace him. Vermeil used his NFL connections to land a true superstar in Miami’s Mark Duper. Duper will be an immediate starter opposite Henry Ellard, forming a dynamic trio with returning TE Raymond Chester. And with another dynamic combo in the backfield with 2 1,000-yard rushers, Arthur Whittington (1984) and Albert Bentley (1985), this is an offense that can keep pace with anyone. We like what we see in Oakland, and I would expect them to give Arizona and LA a run for their money.
PREDICTION: 9-7 and just missing out again.
DENVER GOLD (7-9)
Denver won 9 games in their first year, 8 in their second, 7 in their third, so why not 6 this year? Well, even six may be tough as the Gold have a new head coach, Mouse Davis, and a new philosophy, the Run & Shoot, but do they have the talent to run it? Well, Denver did land several wideouts to try to run the new offense, including Former St. Louis Cardinal J.T. Smith and rookies Bill Brooks (Boston U), Glenn Kozlowski (BYU), and Steve Griffin (Purdue). But they still have a line and a backfield built for power football. Will Mouse Davis stick to his guns on the spread offense or will he mix it up with a power run game? On defense the Gold remain what they have always been, solid but not sensational. They have David Martin back at CB, Putt Choate returning to MLB after a mediocre year outside, Manu Tuiasosopo and rookie Kurt Gouveia rounding out the LB corps, and Laval Short at nose. They could still use a top pass rusher (but who couldn’t?) and it will fall on rookie Vencie Glenn to play center field for the Gold. It is a lot of moving pieces, and a lot of adjustment for the Gold. Even if it works, we think they are a year or more away in this tough division.
PREDICTION: 6-10 but with some flashes as things settle into form late in the year.
USFL CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Well, we have had 6 different teams compete in the USFL Championship in 3 years, so the odds are that 2 new teams will be there. We don't see it. We predict a matchup of the past 2 champions in this one: Michigan 30 Philadelphia 27.
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