Midseason and we still have 2 unbeaten teams in the USFL. Is it too early to talk about 14-0 and wonder if it is possible not once but twice? Probably. What we can say is that outside of Boston and Seattle there is a lot of parity and a lot of uncertainty around the league. Memphis is impressive, with their 6th win in a row. Michigan, Houston, and Chicago have the next longest win streaks at only 2 games. Birmingham, Arizona, and St. Louis have the longest losing streaks at 4 games, and we have a whopping 15 of 26 teams sitting with either 4 or 3 wins. So, a lot left to decide as we look to the second half of the season. We start our look at Week 7 with Seattle’s 7th win, a tough win but the Dragons find a way.
OAKLAND 21 SEATTLE 27 overtime
It took overtime, but the Seattle Dragons managed to land their 7th straight win and remain unbeaten despite a very game Oakland squad. The Dragons raced out to a 21-7 lead but had to withstand a major shift in momentum and pull the game out with a game-winning opening drive in the extra period.
Oakland came into this game hoping to limit the success of Corey Dillon, the player they saw as the key to Seattle’s success. However, in doing so (Dillon was limited to 3.5 YPC an 74 yards) they created space for play action, and, more troubling, single coverage for David Boston. Boston would make them pay, scoring all three Seattle TDs in regulation and gaining 166 yards in the process.
The Dragons, not facing Joey Harrington but Ray Lucas, also focused on stopping their opponent’s ground game, with slightly less efficacy, allowing 103 yards to the combined efforts of Ricky Williams (83) and Jerious Norwood (20). They also saw a similar effect, as Plaxico Burress found himself in single coverage much of the game, finishing with 9 receptions for 116 yards.
Oakland opened the game with a scripted first drive, one which produced points as Ray Lucas found TE Lovell Pinkney from the 8 yard line to give the visitors an early 7-0 lead. Seattle responded with the first of Byron Leftwich’s 4 TDs on the day, and the first strike to Boston, a 32-yard corner route that saw the CB out of position and Boston able to make the catch uncontested.
Seattle, shutting down Oakland’s offense for most of the first half, moved into the lead in the 2nd quarter when Leftwich hit Boston again, this time from 25 yards out, on what was really a 15 yard out route that got turned upfield and into the endzone. The Dragons went into the half ahead, but with Oakland making things difficult. That difficulty continued throughout the third quarter, when both defenses seemed to take the upper hand. Both teams combined for 6 punts in the third quarter alone.
When the 4th quarter began, Leftwich was able to find Boston a third time and the Dragon lead jumped to 14 points, but Oakland was still fighting. The Invaders added 3 on a Joe Nedney field goal at the 7-minute mark, and then got the big play they needed all day. Leftwich tried to squeeze a pass in to Jeramy Stevens, but Oakland LB Roosevelt Colvin anticipated the pass, stepped in front of Stevens and returned the pick 42 yards for the score. A shovel pass to a motioning TE Joel Dreesen on the 2-point PAT attempt was successful and the Invaders were within 3.
Oakland’s D would again come up big, shutting down the Dragons on three consecutive plays, thanks in part to the 6th sack of Leftwich on the day, this one a Justin Smith edge rush on 3rd and 8. Oakland got the ball back just outside the 2-minute mark, and drove the ball all the way to the Seattle 8-yard line. The Dragon D stiffened inside the 10 and when a 3rd and goal throw to Greg Jennings missed high, Coach Green settled for the game-tying field goal instead of a very risky 4th and goal call from the 8.
Seattle would win the coin toss to start overtime and opted to take the ball. Oakland would never gain possession again. Seattle used a Darren Sproles screen, two Dillon runs, and a nice deep ball (26 yards) to former Blitz wideout Darnerien McCants to get the ball deep into Invader territory. Not willing to settle for a field goal, Seattle drove down to the 3-yard line, and when Leftwich hit Stevans on a rub route, they got the walk-off score and their 7th win in 7 attempts. A tough loss for the Invaders, who showed that their early 0-3 start was not a true reflection of the team’s capabilities. The Seattle win brings them to 7-0 and gives them a 3-game lead on the field, with the rest of the Pacific Division all sitting at 4-3 and wondering about Wild Card positioning.
LOS ANGELES 23 ARIZONA 10
The Wranglers are holding out hope that Jake Plummer can return in Week 8 as they fall yet again and backup Jim Sorgi, given the start over Andrew Walter, struggles, throwing 2 picks and completing only 11 of 31 pass attempts. LA capitalized on both picks, gaining 10 points from the two turnovers. In a huge day for Dez White, the slot receiver caught a 93-yard TD, and finished the day with 131 receiving yards. Maurice Jones-Drew and DeShaun Foster combined for 39 carries as LA just ground down the Wranglers in this one.
NEW JERSEY 16 WASHINGTON 22
The Federals, and QB Henry Burris, showed signs of life this week, ending New Jersey’s win streak at 3 games. Deuce McCallister was his ever-reliable self, rushing for 105 and a score, and wideout Mike Williams had a good day, catching 7 balls for 84 yards. For New Jersey, Terry Glenn kept the game close with a 3rd quarter TD, but the Feds scored the final 13 points of the game to take the home win and tighten up the Northeast behind Boston.
PHILADELPHIA 27 TAMPA BAY 13
The Stars got a big win on the road as they easily dominated backup Koy Detmer and the Bandits. Ahman Green’s 124 yard, 1 TD day and a nice 40-yard TD from Amani Toomer were the highlights for the Stars. The defense picked off Detmer twice and sacked him 3 times as it was clear that Tampa Bay’s usual offense was simply not going to make an appearance without Daunte Culpepper.
LAS VEGAS 14 NASHVILLE 15
Nashville and Las Vegas played a real slugfest in Adelphia Stadium. After falling behind 14-9 thanks to a Marshawn Lynch and a Matthew Hatchette TD, the Knights clawed back into the game thanks in large part to a blown coverage by the Thunder that turned a short pass into a long TD for Derrick Mason. Nashville scored the game’s final 12 points (2 kicks and the TD with a missed 2-pointer) as the Knights improved to 4-2-1 and send Las Vegas into a 3-way tie for second place in the Pacific.
PITTSBURGH 13 DENVER 19
The Maulers’ D played well, and Pittsburgh had the upper hand after 3, holding a 13-9 lead, but the Gold got a huge defensive TD on a Jamar Fletcher 51-yard pick six, and never gave Pittsburgh a chance to reverse their fortunes. Ladell Betts was banged up and knocked out of the game early and Brandon Jacobs simply could not keep Pittsburgh’s run game going. Denver had much better luck with Benson and Prentice combining for 132 yards on the ground as the Gold moved to 4-3.
BOSTON 28 JACKSONVILLE 25
A really good, really tight game between two division leaders, but the Cannons again found a way to win and move to 7-0 at the halfway point. Jacksonville had them on the ropes thanks to TDs from Rashaun Woods and Donald Hayes in the 4th quarter, but, trailing 25-21, Boston found a way with 1:14 left when backup Adrian McPherson, playing for a dinged-up Drew Bledsoe, connected with who else? Chad Ochocinco, for the game winner.
ATLANTA 21 ORLANDO 17
The Fire tough out their 2nd win of the year thanks to two fourth quarter TDs from rookie QB Tyler Thigpen. Atlanta went up 14-10 when Thigpen hit Marcus Robinson from 39 yards out, but after a Drew Brees to Michael Jenkins TD toss of 51 yards, Thigpen needed one more drive. He got it and with 1:53 left to play Atlanta went up for good when Thigpen hit TE Jim Kleinsasser for the game winner. Brees needed a TD, but the Atlanta D was up to the task, swatting away the final Hail Mary to preserve the win.
NEW ORLEANS 3 BALTIMORE 26
A really bad day for the Breakers as Baltimore rattled off the game’s first 23 points before a lone David Green field goal gave New Orleans any points. Baltimore’s D held New Orleans to a paltry 140 total yards, while the Blitz managed 428 against a shaky Breaker defense. Ron Dayne and Correll Buckhalter combined for 143 yards on the ground and Big Ben threw for another 276 and 2 scores as the Blitz moved into contention at 3-3-1.
MICHIGAN 37 ST. LOUIS 20
The Panthers looked to be falling into a trap game in St. Louis but pulled out the win with a defiant 13-point 4th quarter. TE Benji Joppru was the hero, scoring twice in the second half for the Panthers, who struggled to get the ball to either outside receiver and completed passes to only 3 receivers all day. St. louis had a good game from their backs, Rhodes and Bush combining for 123 yards and a score.
HOUSTON 27 TEXAS 7
The Gamblers appeared to have regained some swagger in this Texas Tussle, scoring 27 points unanswered before the Outlaws got a late garbage-time score to get on the board. Matt Hasselbeck went 12 of 17 for 177 yards and 2 scored, but once again it was the ability to get Kevin Faulk on the outside that helped Houston dominate. Faulk would finish the game with 107 yards rushing on only 13 carries, a 7.2 YPC average.
OHIO 20 CHICAGO 37
Questions about Ohio’s offense return to the fray, as Kerry Collins was sacked 5 times by the Machine, including 2 from potential Comeback Player of the Year Anthony Weaver. Brady Quinn had a strong game for Chicago as well, going 18 of 24 for 208 yards and 3 scores, helped quite a bit by Michael Turner’s 112-yard day. Eddie George did not fare as well, averaging only 2.1 yards per carry on his way to 50 yards on 24 carries.
MEMPHIS 31 BIRMINGHAM 24
The Sunday Night game that saw Brett Favre return to Birmingham in Memphis colors was as exciting as it was tense. Favre heard a round of boos when he took the field, but they could not silence his arm, which went 17 of 24 for 394 yards and 3 scores. That is one way to return with authority. Birmingham kept it close, thanks to 329 yards from Jason Campbell and 92 on the ground from Shaun Alexander but a late Memphis drive, capped off by a 1-yard Theron Wilson plunge over the end line gave Memphis their 6th win in 7 games and dropped Birmingham to an underwhelming 2-5.
Is 14-0 Possible for Seattle and Boston?
We have only reached the halfway point in the season but fans across the USFL are buzzing about the possibility of one, or perhaps both 7-0 clubs going undefeated. There is a long way between now and a perfect season, but the dominant first halves by both clubs have fans speculating about each club’s potential to match the 2002 Ohio Glory and pull off a perfect season. Both clubs have already had a few close calls, but have managed to pull out victories each week. Can they continue to do this? And who is best positioned to stop them?
Boston has done it largely on offense, averaging just under 29 points per game, and putting up the best pass offense in the league. Their defense is better than last year, but sits at the median, 14th in the league in both scoring and yards allowed. Looking at their schedule, there are some games to worry about. The next two weeks could be vital, especially if Drew Bledsoe is unable to go. They face the tenacious Oakland Invaders in Week 8, with Adrian McPherson expected to start, and then have a road game in Philadelphia, where the Stars have been very good this year. They will meet Philly a 2nd time in Week 12 before finishing the season with road games in Washington and New Jersey. Any one of those games could be a dogfight, and three dogfights in a row could be enough to wear down the Cannons.
For Seattle, the game everyone is pointing to is that Week 14 finale against Memphis. The Showboats are 6-1 and Brett Favre has the club believing in themselves. Before the Dragons get to that game they will have to get past some other tough matchups, including next week when they travel to Las Vegas and their aggressive defense. The Dragons actually play their next 6 games against teams with 4-3 records at the halfway point, including at Vegas, at Oakland, and at LA, all very tough divisional matchups on the road. So, before we jump to the Memphis game, let’s not forget how much season is left for the Dragons.
It does feel early to speak about undefeated seasons. Let’s get to Week 10 before we take that talk too seriously. Upsets happen every week in the USFL, so we would not be shocked to see either of these teams stumble over the next 7 weeks.
Midseason Award Races
Not surprisingly, at the midway point of the season we take a look at the major awards for the league and start to assess just who is in the running for recognition as this season’s best. Let’s take our best guess at each of the 5 major awards, who we would give the award to today and who could sneak up in the second seven weeks of the season to claim it.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Right now this feels like a 2-horse race, with the 2 QBs from the 2 undefeated teams well ahead of the pack. Drew Bledsoe and Byron Leftwich are leading dynamic offenses and putting up strong numbers. Both have 18 touchdowns in only 7 games and both are on their way to well over 3,000 yards. Bledsoe looks like he could miss a game or two with an injury, so Leftwich could get an edge here. In order for one of these two players not to get the MVP trophy, they would have to fall apart down the stretch. Honestly, beyond them, we really don’t see a lot of contenders.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
It is a very real possibility that whichever QB does not win MVP will win OPOTY, but working from the assumption that the voters want to differentiate the QB position from others, they might look at some possible position players as well. This could be a receiver like David Boston, who already has 886 yards and 10 TDs for the Dragons. At HB our vote would be for Ahman Green, who has turned it up this year and has Phlladelphia feeling a playoff run in their future. T. J. Duckett has slightly better numbers, but Texas is not having the same success as the Stars when it comes to the win-loss column, and that tends to impact voting quite significantly.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
This week’s Pick-6 helped put Roosevelt Colvin’s efforts on the map. In addition to his scoring play, he has 52 tackles, 5 sacks, a 2nd pick, a blocked field goal and 2 fumble recoveries. That is the kind of all-around success that voters will notice, especially if Oakland can make a run. Others who could be in on the conversation include Chicago DE Anthony Weaver, who currently ranks 3rd in sacks, but who is seen as a major comeback story after missing nearly all of the 2006 season due to injury. Houston’s Kavika Pitttman is leading all pass rushers with 11 sacks, which automatically makes him a contender. And let’s throw one more Dragon into the mix as LB Godfrey Miles has 4 forced fumbles, a pick, 5 sacks, and 43 tackles in his efforts to keep Seattle unbeaten.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Rookie of the year could be a tight race this season. Marshawn Lynch is on pace for 1,000 yards. Brady Quinn could lead Chicago back to the postseason. Robert Meachem has proven to be a valuable weapon in Nashville, and for as much as we love what Brett Favre is doing in Memphis, we have to give kudos as well to rookie LB Patrick Willis, who is helping the Showboat defense improve significantly from last year. If we had to pick, we likely would go with Lynch at this point, but it could come down to which of the two frontrunner teams makes the playoffs, Chicago or Las Vegas.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Coach of the Year looks like a clear win for Memphis first year coach Jim Haslett. The former DC has the Showboats at 6-1, well ahead of schedule for a major rebound from a 3-11 season in 2006. Memphis has not had a winning record since their Summer Bowl appearance in 2002, so a 10+ win season for the Showboats all but guarantees this trophy goes to the internal hire that Memphis ownership went with as Jim Mora Sr. resigned last July.
Another week, another IR placement. New Jersey LB Bobby Howard is the latest to join the one USFL list no one wants to be mentioned on. A fractured tibia is the culprit for Howard, who, in his 9th season with New Jersey, will end up on the list for the 3rd time, after having his rookie 1999 season and the 2002 season also significantly impacted by injuries.
Others who avoided the IR, but who will be out for a considerable period include Oakland CB Billy Austin (6-8 weeks but possibly back for the season finale), another Invader, OT Kwame Harris (also 6-8 weeks), and Birmingham center Chukki Okobi, expected out 2-4 weeks.
The good news around the league is that several of the dinged-up quarterbacks could return this week, including Jake Plummer, David Garrard, Daunte Culpepper, and Kerry Collins, all listed as Probable this week. Drew Bledsoe is doubtful, but could be a game-time decision after suffering a jammed Toe in Week 7. If he cannot go, Adrian McPherson will get the start over NFL vet Jamie Martin.
Others who could be back on the field this week include STL tackle Larry Triplett, Orlando DT Ian Scott, NJ DE Tamba Hali, Birmingham WR James Thrash, Atlanta guard Rex Hadnot, Ohio CB DeShea Townsend, and LA SS Troy Polamalu.
Midseason Report
As we look at the first half of the 2007 USFL season we are surprised by several developments, impressed by others, and confused by some. Our preseason picks, while not totally thrown out the window, are looking a bit of a mess. Our expectations for darkhorse teams now look a bit silly, and our predictions a bit outdate. So, we offer you, as our midseason report, this recalibration of where we are and what we think the future holds, with comments on the surprises in each division, and what we think could be on tap in the second half of the season.
Biggest Surprise: Philadelphia’s strong first half is likely our biggest surprise. Had New Jersey continued to flounder after their 0-3 start, we would list them, but their bounceback puts them right about where we thought they would be at midseason. We did not expect the Stars to be quite as good as they have shown. They have a real shot at bouncing back from 2006 and making the playoffs.
Breakout Star: Stars TE Dallas Clark may not be the most prolific receiver in the league, but he makes the most out of his chances. Clark has only 11 receptions in 7 games, but 4 of them are touchdowns, making him a major red zone concern for teams facing the Stars.
Biggest Surprise: The slow start of the Renegades was a bit of a surprise, but the struggles of Daunte Culpepper are even more perplexing. We anticipated Brees would need to time to adjust to a new system in Orlando, and yet, after 7 weeks, Brees has nearly 300 yards more through the air than Culpepper, and 9 more touchdowns. Culpepper, with all the talent around him, has only 6 TDs all season, which cannot be making Randy Moss happy at all.
Breakout Star: He is no newcomer, but Willis McGahee is in another gear this season. He is, for the first time in a long time, among the league rushing leaders with 653 yards at the half-way point, on pace for his best season ever. His 10 rushing TDs also lead the league. He is averaging 23 carries per game, which is 4 more than last year and by far the highest total of his career. It appears that with Culpepper struggling, Coach Spurrier is relying more heavily on his elusive halfback to make up the difference in production.
Biggest Surprise: This is really a tossup between the strong first half put together by Memphis and the complete disaster of a stretch for New Orleans. After last year’s surprising success, we all anticipated that New Orleans would celebrate their return to the Big Easy by dominating the Southern Division, but, rather than show up big, the Breakers have looked like a tired, dispirited team. One win in their first seven is certainly not what anyone in New Orleans expected of the Breakers this year. The same could be said in reverse for Memphis. Yes, landing Brett Favre was huge, but this Memphis squad is proving more tenacious and more dangerous than anyone could have anticipated. Cadillac Williams has a legit shot at 1,000 yards, David Martin has been a great addition, and, now as a true #2, Lee Evans has helped himself to 5 touchdowns in only 7 weeks. All in all a very successful reinvention in the works for the Showboats.
Breakout Star: LB Hunter Hillenmeyer is coming into his own for the Knights. He currently trails only Urlacher and Harrison with 62 tackles and he is clearly in command for the newly reimagined Nashville defense. The Knights currently rank 3rd in the league, allowing only 15 points per game, and they have been among the best against the pass, in large part due to QB pressure, but also due to effective zone schemes led by their MLB in space. He may not be mentioned in the same breath as Urlacher, Kevin Mitchell, or James Harrison quite yet, but it is clear that Hillenmeyer is a player on the rise.
Biggest Surprise: As much as we want to praise Chicago’s solid first half, the biggest mystery here is what has happened to Ohio’s offense. The Glory rank only 7th in points, well below where we have gotten used to seeing them. They are 11th in both passing yards and rushing, again, well below expectations, and 3-time MVP Kerry Collins is currently the 10th best QB in the league according to QB Ratings, belowBrian Griese, Josh McCown, and just barely ahead of rookie Brady Quinn. Something is not clicking in Columbus, and in a tough division like the Central, Ohio had better figure out how to repair it, and quickly.
Breakout Star: Taylor Jacobs had a very good first year with the Skyhawks in 2006, and from the looks of it, he is not done yet. The one truly positive story coming out of a pretty rough 2007 for St. Louis has been the speedy receiver. Jacobs currently ranks behind only David Boston with 650 yards receiving, on pace for 1,300. He also sits third in receptions (behind only Matthew Hatchette and Keenan McCardell). Now, if St. Louis could start turning some of those receptions into scores (Jacobs has only 1 on the year), then St. Louis may be on to something.
Biggest Surprise: Arizona’s total collapse is all we talk about in the Southwest, and with good reason. This was a team that was an early favorite for a Summer Bowl appearance. And yet, even before Jake Plummer went down with an injury, things were not going well in Glendale. The defense has again collapsed (26th in yards allowed, 23rd in scoring). The run game is pathetic (53 yards per game, dead last in the league), and Coach Fassel is now very quickly on the hot seat after a 10-win season and a playoff run in 2006.
Breakout Star: We have been waiting a while to say this, but it appears that the combo of Kavika Pittmann and Osi Umenyiura is now officially an edge duo. Umenyiura is having his best season as a pass rusher, and is on pace to break through the double-digit barrier that he has previously been unable to cross. With 6 sacks in 17 games, Umenyiura has actually made life tougher for offensive coordinators, and, at the same time, make his linemate, Kavika Pittmann, even more dangerous, as now the double teams have to be balanced with a sense of caution about the other side of the line.
Biggest Surprise: As much as Seattle was picked to be a good squad, possibly a playoff contender, we did not see a 7-0 start coming from this group. The Dragons are Top 10 in both offense and defense (scoring and yardage categories) and sit at 1st in points per game. Pretty rare air. Byron Leftwich is a serious MVP candidate, David Boston likewise for Offensive POTY. Godfrey Miles is looking like an All-USFL linebacker again, and Paris Lenon is getting his hands on the ball, snagging 4 picks in 7 games. This is a team doing everything right, and that has helped them build up a 3 game lead on a pretty good set of division foes.
Breakout Star: While we all love Marshawn Lynch’s “Beast Mode” persona, the true breakout star in Las Vegas is Jerry Glanville’s aggressive and stifling defense. The Thunder are allowing a measly 9.1 points per game and have held opponents under 10 points in 6 of 7 games. They are #1 in scoring defense, #2 in yards allowed, #2 in passing yards and 3rd in rushing yards. If this club had any kind of consistent offense, they would be rolling their way through the year instead of stuck at 4-3.
Glanville has done this with a complex defensive scheme, built on deception and anticipation. He has an athletic and violent LB corps led by the trio of Joey Porter, A.J. Hawk, and Shawn Barber. In Will Allen and Antoine Winfield he has two legitimate one-on-one corners, and then you add the wall of flesh that is the combo of Haloti Ngata and Norman hand at DT and you have one heck of a tough D to crack. It may not be one player making a name for himself, but the Thunder defense is quickly becoming the talk of the town.
Early QB’s of the USFL
Last week we focused on the amazing stable of backs that the USFL had in its early years. In doing so we referenced the fact that the USFL has always made its name on the dynamic passing game. If that is the case, it seems only fair that we should focus a bit of attention on the passers who helped put the USFL on the map. There are some who we all know by name, and all recognize as among the best the league has ever produced. Names like Kelly, Flutie, Hebert, and Fusina. And those USFL greats certainly deserve the attention, celebrity, and status they have earned, but what about the others, the players who helped build the league, and in so doing also helped put themselves on the map. Today we want to recognize five quarterbacks from the 1980’s who perhaps are not as often remembered or not as recognizable, but who also helped put their stamp on the league back when star power was needed to put butts in seats and eyes on screens. Here are our 5 unsung heroes of the USFL QB’s of the 1980’s.
Cliff Stoudt (BIR 83-94): We have Stoudt 5th on the list, because of all the players on our list, he is the one who still has something of a cult following, especially in Birmingham, where fans talk about him and Brett Favre in the same breath. Stoudt played 12 seasons with the Stallions, from 1983-1994, and while his last two seasons in Birmingham were as a backup to hotshot newbie Brett Favre, Stoudt’s legacy is secure in B’Ham. As the starter for the Stallions through the entire decade of the 1980’s, Stoudt guided the club to the playoffs 4 times, including an appearance in the 1984 USFL Championship. He would not win a title until 1993, when Brett Favre was the starter for all but 2 games, but Stoudt is still revered as a guiding figure in Stallion history, and still holds the club record for career completion % at 68.8, just about the only place where Favre has not topped his early numbers.
Reggie Collier (BIR 83, WSH 84-86, ORL 87-94): The Southern Miss product started out in Birmingham as well, but after one year he found himself in Washington, where he immediately became the starter after the Feds had rotated through QB’s in 1983. Starting in that 1984 season, Collier would throw for over 3,000 yards in 11 straight seasons three with the Feds and 8 with the Renegades. In 1990 he would be named the Offensive Player of the Year, and a year later he would lead the Renegades to the Summer Bowl. Collier’s #10 jersey is still one of the most common to spot at Renegade games even today.
Bob Gagliano (DEN 84-90, BAL 91): After 3 seasons barely hanging on to the 3rd QB position with the NFL Chiefs, Bog Gagliano was signed by the thrifty Denver Gold and quickly became one of their premier players. Neither a physical specimen nor a coach on the field, Gagliano was known for guts and determination. Playing in the often unpredictable Denver weather, and with a team often put together on a shoestring budget, Gagliano still helped lead Denver to the playoffs 5 times, including two appearances in the USFL Championship in the 1980’s. With Gag’s “the Goose” at the helm, Denver had only one losing season in the 1980’s.
Alan Risher (ARZ 83-84, PIT 86-96): As a rookie out of LSU, Alan Risher somehow found himself in Phoenix, with the Wranglers. By the end of camp he found himself the starter for the new franchise. Risher would play in 14 games as a rookie ,throwing for over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns, but in 1984 he was caught up in the Blitz-Wrangler franchise swap and soon found himself in Coach George Allen’s doghouse, stuck behind veteran Greg Landry. He would be traded to the expansion Pittsburgh Maulers at the end of the 1985 season, only to suffer a season-ending injury before the regular season even began.
Risher would have a fantastic comeback in 1986, winning the starting job for the Maulers. By 1987 he was back to playing every week, throwing again for over 3,000 yards. He would finish out the 1980’s as the undisputed main man for the Maulers, and won a ring with the club in 1995, his final full season with the team. Known as a scrambler and a gunslinger with elusiveness that made him hard to sack, he remains Pittsburgh’s career leader in pass attempts, completions, TDs and yards.
Doug Williams (JAX 84-86, OKL 87, TEX 88-89): Doug Williams came to the USFL in the flurry of big QB signings in 1984. An NFL starter with Tampa Bay, but frustrated by the stingy Buccaneer franchise, Williams, along with fellow veteran Brian Sipe and rookies Jim Kelly, Steve Young, and Rick Neuheisel, jumped to the USFL. Williams made the cross-state jump to the Jacksonville Bulls, and immediately became a superstar for the league. In his first two years in Jacksonville, he would throw for over 9,000 yards, tossing 30 TDs in 1984 and 34 in ’85. In his second season he helped the Bulls make the playoffs, and repeated that feat in 1996. But, issues with ownership in Jacksonville led to Williams making the jump to an expansion club in 1987.
At first Williams believed he would be playing ball in sunny San Diego, but stadium issues there forced a relocation for the franchise and Williams suffered through a 1987 season in Tulsa, where it rained at the first 5 home games for the Oklahoma Outlaws. One year later, with a reshuffle of two 1987 expansion clubs, Williams, along with Brian Bosworth, moved on to the newly formed Texas Outlaws, where he would play for 2 seasons. In 1989 he would return to the NFL, playing for the Washington Redskins, but for fans of the USFL, Williams will always be remembered as the strong-armed QB who helped two different expansion teams get rolling. Williams still holds season record with both Jacksonville and Texas, including the Passing TD record for the Bulls and the Yardage record for the Outlaws.
Rick Neuheisel: The Star-Crossed Star
Rick Neuheisel has to have one of the most convoluted stories of any QB in USFL history. A highly-touted signee in 1984 out of UCLA, Neuheisel was expected to be something of a golden boy. A blond-haired West Coast guy who signed with the Arizona Wranglers before the franchise swap with Chicago. He was to compete with Alan Risher for the starting job as a Wrangler, but once the swap occurred, and cantankerous head coach George Allen brought in NFL veteran Greg Landry, Neuheisels’ opportunities were limited. He spent most of the 1984 seaosn on the bench along with Risher.
His fortunes seemed to change when both Allen and Landry retired after the 1984 season. Neuheisel quickly caught the eye of new Wrangler coach Frank Kush, and would become the full-time starter for the Wranglers in 1985, with Risher off to Pittsburgh. Neuheisel flourished in Kush’s offense, throwing for 4,100 yards and 32 touchdowns in 1985 as Arizona, giving the Wranglers their first winning season. But, once again, just as fortune seemed to be smiling on the QB, fate turned again. Neuheisel and the Wranglers appeared to be having another strong season in 1986, with Neuheisel throwing 22 touchdowns and only 3 picks in his first 10 games. But in that 10th game, Neuheisel would suffer the first of several injuries that eventually drove him from the game. He would not play another game for the Wranglers, finishing the year on IR as Arizona fell to 8-8. In the offseason he would not have his contract renewed and would end up in Texas as a backup to Doug Williams. He would play in 6 games for the Outlaws, but injuries again would haunt him throughout his 4th season. It would be his last as a player.
Doctors advised the QB that further damage to his shoulder could be life-altering, limiting his movement and use of the arm. The UCLA grad opted to step away from the field, but not the game. He returned to his Alma Mater as a grad assistant, and quickly moved into several coaching positions. In 1995, only 8 years after stepping off the field as a quarterback, Neuheisel was back in the USFL, this time on the sideline as the youngest coach in the league. He was given control of the expansion 1995 LA Express, the second team in the league to hold that identity. Leading an expansion club, and in a tough sports market like LA, proved to be more than the young coach could handle. In three seasons he managed a record of only 13 wins and 35 losses and was released from his contract after the 1997 season.
Neuheisel would continue to coach, focusing on offense at the University of Colorado, the University of Washington, then back in the USFL with the Atlanta Fire and Jacksonville Bulls. In 2006 he made the return to being a head coach, now back at UCLA as their new main man. Rumors still swirl that the former Wrangler and Outlaw will return to the USFL once again, but for now he seems very happy back in LA and back in Bruin blue and gold.
(IRL: Neuheisel’s USFL career was limited to two turbulent seasons with the Gunslingers. He would have short stints with San Diego and Tampa Bay in the NFL, but then return to coaching as the UCLA QB Coach in 1988. Stints at Colorado, Washington, the NFL Ravens, and UCLA would follow. He did a lot of broadcasting in the 2010’s before returning to coaching briefly in 2019 with the ill-fated Alliance of American Football’s Arizona Hotshots.)
Week eight kicks off the second half of the season, and the intensity will pick up, particularly for those teams just barely hanging on, or barely under .500 and trying to keep their postseason hopes alive as long as they can. Looking at the week, we have a few really key divisional games, and a pretty darned good Sunday Nighter to look forward to. It all kicks off with a rematch of Summer Bowl 2006, made more interesting by New Jersey’s resurgence over the past 4 weeks.
FRI @ 8PM New Jersey (3-4) @ Los Angeles (4-3) NBC
SAT @ 12pm Oakland (4-3) @ Boston (7-0) ABC
SAT @ 12pm Pittsburgh (3-4) @ St. Louis (1-6) FOX
SAT @ 12pm Ohio (4-3) @ Washington (3-4) FOX
SAT @ 4pm Denver (4-3) @ Houston (3-4) ABC
SAT @ 4pm Chicago (4-3) @ Michigan (4-3) FOX
SAT @ 8pm Jacksonville (4-3) @ Tampa Bay (3-4) ESPN
SUN @ 12pm Atlanta (2-5) @ Birmingham (2-5) ABC
SUN @ 12pm Baltimore (3-3-1) @ Philadelphia (5-2) ABC
SUN @ 12pm Orlando (2-5) @ New Orleans (1-6) FOX
SUN @ 4pm Arizona (1-6) @ Texas (2-5) ABC
SUN @ 4pm Seattle (7-0) @ Las Vegas (4-3) FOX
SUN @ 8pm Nashville (4-2-1) @ Memphis (6-1) ESPN