It’s football time again. The short span between the NFL’s Super Bowl Extravaganza and the start of the USFL season is almost over. The transfer window is closed, camps are in full force, the league’s preseason schedule kicks off this weekend, and the regular season is only 2 weeks away. It has been quite a run since our last reporting, so before we take a look at our Eastern Conference Preview, let’s recap the last month of signings, near misses, and big name players suiting up for USFL action this year.
We start in Atlanta where there was plenty of drama over the past month. The Fire traded up 1 spot in this year’s USFL draft to select All-American QB Peyton Manning of Tennessee. Manning looked favorably on signing with the Fire, but after being selected #1 by the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, Manning could not pass up the offer from the Colts and Atlanta was out of the running. The Colts responded by signing a former Colt in 1990’s overall #1 NFL Pick, Jeff George. George, who has a ton of talent but has struggled with the Colts and Falcons in the NFL gets to stay in Atlanta but shifts from fall to spring football. The pursuit of Manning, and the signing of George send two clear messages in Atlanta, the time to win is now, and Eric Zeier is not the guy to do it. Zeier, who was the Fire’s first ever draft selection back in 1995, is now likely to have to resign himself to backup duty yet again, after already being outperformed by veteran Cliff Stoudt. Unless Atlanta opts to trade the former UGA standout, he likely will be watching George take the snaps this spring.
Columbus, Ohio is our next stop, where another QB-strapped team also found their starter in the NFL. The Glory went after and obtained the services of Kerry Collins, formerly of the Carolina Panthers. Collins, a Penn State grad, played 3 seasons in Carolina, after eschewing the USFL in the 1995 draft. He still had one year on his contract with Carolina, but they released the QB despite a Pro Bowl season in 1996. He backtracked considerably in 1997 and with the rise of backup Brad Johnson, who took over when Collins was injured, the Panthers opted to move on. Ohio brings Collins to Columbus to take over after Jeff Hostetler was signed by the NFL Raiders this past August.
Memphis got their man, with Coach Mora boosting the run game for the Showboats by signing former Arizona Cardinal and Cincinnati Bengal Garrison Hearst. The former UGA product had his best year in the NFL in 1995, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards. Last season, his only in Cincinnati, saw him dip to 845 yards rushing, with no touchdowns. Coach Mora believes that Hearst still has a lot of gas in the tank and hopes to revive his 1,000 yard form with the Showboats.
Jacksonville beat out Michigan for the services of QB Stoney Case as the backup to Chris Chandler. Both clubs were vying for the former U. of New Mexico product. Case, who backed up Steve Walsh for the Cardinals, gets a chance to do the same in Jacksonville, though likely for a much stronger team than the perennial NFC East basement dwellers.
Finally, we should mention that several big name college stars signed on the dotted line in the past few weeks, giving the USFL a very good record among top 100 prospects, a part of their strategy to recover from the labor issues and subsequent NFL exodus we saw in August. Among the big names signed by Eastern Conference teams we have:
QB Charlie Batch of Eastern Michigan signing with Pittsburgh
HB Curtis Enis of Penn State, now a New Jersey General
CB and Heisman Winner, Charles Woodson of Michigan signing with the Federals
TE Stephen Alexander of Oklahoma, now the newest Ohio Glory teammate
DE Greg Ellis of UNC, boosting the Atlanta Fire defense.
WR Randy Moss and CB Samari Rolle both opting to ink with the Tampa Bay Bandits
OT Kyle Turley of SDSU joins the Orlando Renegades
S Tebucky Jones of Syracuse is now a Showboat
DE Andre Wadsworth of FSU now moves up the coast to play for Baltimore
TEAM PREVIEWS: EASTERN CONFERENCE
A lot has changed in the past year. Between a rash of major retirements and a wave of NFL signings, the USFL will look a lot different this season. The league did well to bring in young talent through the draft, and some key late signings helped some clubs improve their chances, but how much has really changed? Will it once again be Washington and Birmingham atop their divisions? Will Orlando, Philadelphia, Baltimore, or Jacksonville be able to rise up? And will any of last season’s disappointments make good this year. Here is our look at the 12 clubs of the Eastern Conference and where we see them going. We present them in the order of finish from 1997, but expect that to be very different in 1998.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS
(10-5-1, 1ST in Atlantic, League Champion)
DEPARTURES: DE Dexter Manley (NFL), WR Reggie Barlow (FA),
NEW ARRIVALS: FS Bennie Thompson (FA), P Todd Sauerbrun (NFL), CB Charles Woodson (Rook), DE Greg Spires (Rook), TE Alonzo Mayes (Rook) WR/KR Tony Horne (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Signing draftees Woodson and Spires help Washington reload and not rebuild on defense. The loss of Dexter Manley is big, but with Spires now lined up alongside Jerome Brown and Tony Brackens, and with a stunning talent like Woodson in the secondary, this Federals D is still one of the league’s most formidable.
OUTLOOK: Washington’s defense is still the core of the club. Resigning Michael Barrow and adding 2 top draft picks helped a lot to offset the loss of Manley. The team added only rookie TE Tony Brackens to help the offense, so expect it to still be Barry Word and Kordell Stewart leading the run game, with Stewart hopefully progressing as a passer. This team is still the class of the Atlantic Division, though they fought it out with Philly all year. But with big changes for the Stars, we think the odds of the Federals repeating as Division Champs is great, and maybe as league champs as well.
PREDICTION: 12-4, First in Atlantic
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS
(12-4, 1st in Southern, Lost in Conference Finals)
DEPARTURES: LB Kevin Greene (RET), LB Mark Fields (RET), DT Kimo Von Oelhoffen (FA), DE John Copeland (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: DT Mike Wells (FA), CB Jimmy Hitchcock (NFL), DE Dorian Boose (Rook), DT Brandon Whiting (Rook), DT Henry Slay (Rook), HB Kevin McCleod (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: The resigning of not only Brett Favre but Ernest Givens helps keep Birmingham as a top contender. The Stallions were relatively passive in free agency and did not land a truly big name in the draft, but they retained the bulk of their talent and offset some of the defensive losses through the draft.
OUTLOOK: The Stallions will rise and fall on the arm of Brett Favre, but they need to figure out a way to be tougher on defense and use the run game to close games out. In Stephen Davis and Mike Alstott they have a backfield duo who can pound the rock and get those tough yards, the Stallions just need to find ways to make better use of them. This is still an offense that will terrify defensive coordinators, and if the defense can get just a bit better they might be able to go all the way, as everyone thought they would last year before the Federals shut them down in the Conference Title Game.
PREDICTION: 12-4, 1st in Southern
JACKSONVILLE BULLS
(11-5, 2nd in Southern, Lost in Divisional Round)
DEPARTURES: DE John Thierry (NFL), CB Ron Pitts (RET), LB Vaughan Johnson (RET), QB Browning Nagle (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: SS K. Lyle (FA), QB Stoney Case (NFL), DE Kenny Mixon (Rook), CB R.W. McQuarters (Rook), DT Martin Chase (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Hard to say any move was impactful, though the retirement of Vaughaun Johnson certainly leaves a leadership gap on defense. The Bulls were able to resign Jesse Armstead, who may take over as the defensive leader on this squad, but for all the huff and puff about the NFL poaching, the Bulls fared pretty well.
OUTLOOK: The Bulls put together a very solid 1997 campaign but could not overtake the Stallions. As with Birmingham, they focused a lot on resigning those players they could. They lost promising DE John Thierry, but retained LB Jesse Armstead, SS J. Pratt, and kicker Pete Stoyanovich. Their draft was quiet, but productive, adding more heft to their defense to help them deal with the Stallion offense in particular. Is it enough? Hard to say. A lot will come down to how well Chris Chandler can connect with the talented receiving corps of Blades, Owens, McCorvey, Stablein and TE Steve Johnson. And don’t look now, but Orlando and Tampa may give this in-state rival a serious run for their money.
PREDICTION: 9-7, 3rd in Southern.
PHILADELPHIA STARS
(10-6, 2ND in Atlantic, Lost in Divisional Round)
DEPARTURES: QB Chuck Long (NFL), SS Marcus Quinn (RET), LB Frank Stams (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: QB Bobby Hebert (Trade), LB Bryce Paup (FA), WR Germaine Crowell (Rook), S Omar Brown (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: The loss of Long was huge, but the deal Philly swung with Arizona and Oakland that brought Bobby Hebert to town was an epic move. It will take time for Hebert to learn Coach Berry’s system, but we expect Berry to trust Hebert to do more than Long ever did, and Long did a lot. This could be just the boost the Stars need to overtake the Federals.
OUTLOOK: We are optimistic on Philly, just because we know Hebert has more in him than he was able to show in Oakland. That said, the Stars still look a bit shaky in other areas. Their receiving corps is basically Cris Carter and not much else (Troy Brown has potential and TE Eric Green is a good outlet) and the defense, while good 4th in Points Allowed last year, is solid, but not as dominant as we see in Washington. Unless Hebert absolutely lights it up, we see this as another close-but-no-cigar season for the Stars in the Atlantic.
PREDICTION: 11-5, 2nd in Atlantic
ORLANDO RENEGADES
(10-6, 3rd in Southern, Lost in Wild Card Round)
DEPARTURES: J. Juriga (NFL), CB T. Pittman (FA), OT L. Searcy (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: CB Deon Figures (FA), OT P. Gruber (FA), OT K. Turley (Rook), OG Scott Shaw (Rook), FB Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Managing the loss of LT Leon Searcy by not only signing a good rookie in Turley, but snagging Paul Gruber from the Maulers. Gruber could step in at LT right away, giving Turley the chance to see spot action in his first year.
OUTLOOK: Orlando really came on the second half of last season, and we think they are a stronger team this year. Adding Deon Figures to the secondary, and bolstering the line with both vets and rookies was shrewd. The Renegades have offensive talent in QB Scott Mitchell (who is now backed up by another Scott, Zolak), the HB combo of Terry Kirby and Kantroy Barber, and some really good, if underappreciated wideouts in Keenan McCardell, Shawn Jefferson, Reidel Anthony, and Tamarick Vanover. None of these guys is likely to be a 100-reception, 1,500-yard guy, but the ability to spread the ball to multiple receivers drives defenses crazy. On defense the ‘Gades rely a lot on the talents of LB Dante Jones, DT Tracy Rocker, and DE Chris Doleman. Adding Figures to the secondary will make their lives easier. It also means less need for SS LeRoy Butler to double cover, making him available to deal with slot receivers. Orlando is a real threat to the Stallions, and yet, we are not totally sold. We are going to put them at #2 in the Division, but watch out for them.
PREDICTION: 11-5, 2nd in Southern
BALTIMORE BLITZ
(8-8, 3rd in Atlantic)
DEPARTURES: HB Barry Foster (NFL), LB Mike Junkin (NFL), QB Cody Carlson (NFL), WR Bill Brooks (RET), CB Leslie Frazier (RET), DE Robert Porcher (FA), QB Chris Miller (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: QB Trent Green (Trade), QB Sean Salisbury (TRADE), WR Malcom Floyd (FA), DE Andre Wadsworth (Rook), TE Cam Cleeland (Rook), WR Tim Dwight (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Signing top prospect Andre Wadsworth was essential for the Blitz after they lost out on resigning Robert Porcher (now in Arizona). The big, athletic Seminole product will likely start from day one on the right side, but could move around the D-line to help the Blitz contain the conference’s star QBs.
OUTLOOK: Baltimore got hit hard this offseason, losing several major contributors on both sides of the ball. This feels like a team in a rebuild, which is easy to say when they have 2 new QBs, but the decision to let Chris Miller walk was one we all saw coming. Trent Green is an interesting choice to replace him because in many ways he is the same player, just younger and less beat up. We are a bit surprised that Baltimore did not try to get in the Leaf-Manning derby, and we are not sure if Green has what it takes to improve on an 8-8 season. The Blitz could be in for another middle-of-the-pack season after what had been such a strong 1996. This is not that team, and with so many new pieces there are more questions than answers.
PREDICTION: 7-9, 4th in Atlantic
TAMPA BAY BANDITS
(8-8, 4th in Southern)
DEPARTURES: WR Shannon Baker (NFL), K Dean Biasucci (NFL), CB Reggie Brown (RET), CB Alan Grant (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: WR Jeff Query (FA), C Roman Fortin (FA), WR Randy Moss (Rook), CB Samari Rolle (Rook), K Mike Vanderjacgt (Rook), OT Ephraim Salaam (Rook), C Trey Teague (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Honestly, the firing of Jerry Glanville and hire of George Seifert is likely the biggest move of the season, and one that is likely to make Troy Aikman happy. If that is not enough, adding both rookie Randy Moss and veteran Jeff Query to the offense to offset the loss of Shannon Baker is huge for the Bandits.
OUTLOOK: Tampa Bay was a team at war with itself last year. The arrival of a Super Bowl winning coach and one of the best rookie classes in the league may help resolve that. We love that at several key positions the Bandits not only brought in a vet but expended some draft capital as well. Is this enough for the Bandits to jump over Orlando, Jacksonville and even Birmingham? Perhaps not, but maybe 1 or 2 spots higher gets them to a playoff bid.
PREDICTION: 9-7, 3rd in Southern
PITTSBURGH MAULERS
(7-9, 4th in Atlantic)
DEPARTURES: HB Mike Rozier (RET), TE Mike Shaw (RET), WR Louis Lipps (RET), K Rafael Septien (RET), OT Doug Reisenburg (NFL), DT Dan Saleamua (FA), WR Raynard Brown (FA), OT Paul Gruber (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: TE Jay Reimersma (FA), DT Shane Burton (FA), WR Freddie Solomon (FA), WR Andre Rison (NFL), K Scott Blanton (NFL), QB Charlie Batch (Rook), DT Julian Pittman (Rook), SS Shaun Williams (Rook), HB Tavian Banks (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: While the news out of Pittsburgh has largely been about the losses due to retirement and NFL signings, the late acquisition of Andre Rison has raised some eyebrows in the Steel City. Yes, Rison has some legal issues around him, but he is also an unquestionable talent on the field. With both Louis Lipps and Raynard Brown gone, signing Rison to go along with Freddie Solomon and new TE Jay Reimersma will help Pittsburgh start to rebuild.
OUTLOOK: The Maulers’s biggest issue may not be receiver, or even the shift from Mike Rozier to Dorsey Levins, but the loss of two of their top 3 offensive tackles. Paul Gruber leaving for Orlando is a big blow, and one for which the Maulers simply have had no answer. Just how well the offense rebounds from all its losses this offseason will be tough to gauge for several weeks into the season. The defense may be in better shape, having resigned DT Moe Gardner, LB Demetrius DuBose and SS Sam Shade, and with some good additions at DT. Pittsburgh may need to rely on that. No doubt this is a rebuilding year, and with that comes some pain, so we are picking the Maulers to trail the rest of the division this season.
PREDICTION: 5-11, 6th in Atlantic
OHIO GLORY
(7-9, 5th in Atlantic)
DEPARTURES: DE Kevin Brooks (RET), LB John Offerdahl (RET), QB Jeff Hostetler (NFL)
NEW ARRIVALS: HB Keith Woodside (FA), LB Jeff Herrod (FA), C T. Dixon (FA), QB Kerry Collins (NFL), TE Stephen Alexander (Rook), DT Jonathan Brown (Rook), DE Cedric Harden (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Ohio’s big move was one of the last of the free agent period, signing former Carolina Panthers QB Kerry Collins on the last day of the NFL-USFL transfer window. Collins inherits a team with quite a few offensive weapons, including WR Joey Galloway, HB Eddie George, and new rookie TE Stephen Alexander.
OUTLOOK: Ohio spent the draft trying to add strength and aggression to the defense, signing both a top flight DE and DT. They also brought in a shrewd veteran at LB to fill John Offerdahls’ spot, snagging Jeff Herrod from the Breakers. Coach Saban was on the hotseat last season, but a late rally helped him hang on. If Ohio cannot get over .500 and get into the playoffs in this, their 4th season, Saban may again be feeling the heat. We are just not confident the Glory are there yet.
PREDICTION: 7-9, 4th in Atlantic.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS
(6-10, 6th in Atlantic)
DEPARTURES: TE Jeff Spek (RET), HB Bam Morris (NFL), DE Bob Otto (NFL), OT H. Webster (NFL), WR Malcom Floyd (FA), QB Rob Johnson (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: OT Jerome Brown (FA), OT Leon Searcy (FA), TE Jamie Asher (NFL), C Jeremy Newberry (Rook), LB Jeremiah Trotter (Rook), HB Curtis Enis (Rook), C Olin Kreutz (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: As much as moving up for a 2nd pick in the first round of the draft to land Penn State HB Curtis Enis was a huge move, the bigger move might actually be what the Generals did with their offensive line. They lost Harold Webster to the NFL, but signed Leon Searcy, a clear upgrade, as well as Jerome Brown in free agency, while using 2 draft picks on the center position. The Generals want to run the ball, that is Chuck Knox’s forte, and with a younger, stronger, more athletic offensive line, they are giving Curtis Enis what he needs for immediate success.
OUTLOOK: We like the Generals as a rising club. Sure, some see Spence Fischer as a bit of a fluke, but he has enough talent around him, especially if that rebuilt O-line is as good as they seem on paper, to do some damage. Terry Glenn and Wayne Chrebet can get the job done outside, add Mark Chmura inside, and a solid run game and the Generals might just make a run in the division.
PREDICTION: 9-7, 3rd in Atlantic
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS
(5-11, 5th in Southern)
DEPARTURES: LB Eddie Simmons (RET), QB Mike Kelley (RET), FS Bubba McDowell (NFL), OG Dave Cadigan (NFL), LT Bruce Wilkerson (NFL), WR Jeff Query (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: SS A. Walton (FA), QB Rob Johnson (FA), OG Todd Rucci (FA), WR Lawyer Tillman (FA), HB Garrison Hearst (NFL), SS Tebucky Jones (Rook), LB Shawn Barber (Rook), OT Anthony Clement (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: Resigning Reggie White was by far the top priority for the Showboats, and that happened relatively smoothly. Adding a quality HB by signing the NFL’s Garrison Hearst was also a good move.
OUTLOOK: Memphis managed to deal with the losses this offseason and bring in some talent to fill those gaps, but are they a better team than the 5-11 version from 1997? Not really. If anything they seem to have avoided getting worse. Of course a lot depends on the systems which Jim Mora brings to the Boats, and whether or not those will make better use of the talent on this team. Reggie White is not getting any younger, so the defense has to help him out. The offense may be a challenge as young Joe Horn, newly arrived Lawyer Tillman, and veteran Carl Pickens will have to step up to help out Heath Shuler. We see another potentially rough year ahead in Memphis.
PREDICTION: 5-11, 6th in Southern.
ATLANTA FIRE
(4-12, 6th in Southern)
DEPARTURES: QB Cliff Stoudt (RET), G J. Richards (NFL), FS Bennie Thompson (FA), DE Mark Mraz (FA)
NEW ARRIVALS: FS Tim Hauck (FA), QB Jeff George (NFL), DE Greg Ellis (Rook), OG Glenn Roundtree (Rook), QB Moses Moreno (Rook), LB London Fletcher (Rook)
IMPACT MOVE: The late signing of Jeff George totally changes the situation in Atlanta. Instead of trying to build a short-passing game for Eric Zeier, Coach Lewis can lean on the deep ball combined with a run game led by 2nd year HB Tiki Barber. Lake Dawson, Terance Mathis, and Ernie Jones may be all in favor of that shift.
OUTLOOK: Atlanta started last year with a lot of promise, but it faded fast as the losses piled up. The Fire are hoping that having former Colt and Falcon George at the helm brings some excitement and some star quality. The Fire swung for the fences with the trade to get Peyton Manning, but with him headed to the NFL, George and a (once again) retooled defense are going to be the keys to success in Atlanta. We like the signing of DE Greg Ellis to help that defense, and 7th rounder London Fletcher has been very impressive in camp despite not having the tangible numbers that would have moved him earlier in the draft. There is some optimism in Atlanta, but in the South, there is not a lot of room for a plucky team of underdogs to get too far up the standings.
PREDICTION: 6-10, 5th in South.
PREDICTED FINAL STANDINGS & PLAYOFFS
So, looking at the team profiles, here is what we see in the East this year.
ATLANTIC SOUTHERN
Washington-z 12-4 Birmingham-y 12-4
Philadelphia-x 11-5 Orlando-x 11-5
New Jersey 9-7 Jacksonville-x 9-7
Baltimore 7-9 Tampa Bay-x 9-7
Ohio 7-9 Atlanta 6-10
Pittsburgh 5-11 Memphis 5-11
We picked Tampa over New Jersey for the final Wild Card (Remember we have 6 playoff teams per division this season), but it really is a tossup. In the playoffs we see Orlando beating Tampa Bay and Philadelphia edging Jacksonville. But in the end, we think it will still be Washington’s defense against Birmingham’s offense, and we saw that this past year. No need to pick against the current league champions. We are picking Washington to repeat as the Eastern Conference representatives in the Summer Bowl.
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