The pressure is on, the season on the line, teams battling for their shot to make the postseason, and teams trying to win themselves a home game, or a week to rest. A lot on the line in almost every game, and yet we know that only 12 of the 26 USFL clubs will make it to the postseason, so there is a lot of disappointment to deal with as well. That is the way of the game, heartbreak, pain, and regret or victory, joy, and satisfaction. The fans feel it, the coaches feel it, the cities themselves can feel it. And you know the players feel it. It's late season football, and it is all right here in Week 12 of the 2007 USFL Season.
SEATTLE 23 LOS ANGELES 19 OVERTIME
There were several games we could have chosen as exciting matches, but none had the impact that this one would. An LA win and they would be right back in the thick of the playoff hunt, still alive even for the division title. But, with a Seattle victory the Pacific crown would be theirs and LA would drop back to the pack in the division and likely have to win out in Week 13 and 14 to make the playoffs. With the game set to take place in Los Angeles, with Oakland and Las Vegas facing off the following day, and with a big crowd anticipated to face the Dragons, this one had all the hallmarks of a late season classic.
To be honest, the game started off incredibly slowly. The first touchdown would not arrive until the 4th quarter, but what a quarter that was, with back and forth scores leading to overtime, where we also saw two scores in a league rarity. Both teams began the game rather cautiously, trying to get the run game started. LA had found a legitimate lead back in Maurice Jones-Drew, and they intended to use him to keep the ball out of the hands of MVP candidate Byron Leftwich. Seattle, for their part, were also aiming to get the ground game revved up to keep Jevon Kearse and Keneche Udeze off of Leftwich. The two defenses were ready, and not a lot of action took place in the first quarter, which saw 4 punts and 1 field goal as most of the drives were quite short. Only a 34-yard punt return from Charles Rogers got LA close enough to attempt a field goal, and they put up the first points with a Steve Christie 45-yarder.
In the second quarter the passing games started to open up a bit for both teams, with Leftwich targeting his favorite battery mates, David Boston and Jeramy Stephens, while Seneca Wallace spread the ball around, though certainly with more emphasis on the outside targets, Keyshawn Johnson and Tory Holt. And yet, despite a bit more offensive firepower, neither team could find the end zone. The Express would get two more Christie field goals while Seattle managed only one kick from Dave Rayner. It would be LA up by six (9-3) at the half. Definitely not the game that most fans at Farmers Insurance Field expected.
If the first half was disappointing from an offensive standpoint, the third quarter was even more brutal. No points scored and only 2 first downs achieved in the period as both defenses were blowing up plays and frustrating the OCs at every turn. There were no turnovers in the game but 14 combined punts between the two teams is a good indication that the offenses were struggling.
The 4th opened with a decent Seattle drive, punctuated by a wrecking ball 14-yard run by Corey Dillon, his longest of the day, and ending with a Rayner field goal to make it a 3-point game. But Seattle was not done. Finally, after nearly 80 minutes of play, the game saw its first touchdown as Byron Leftwich escaped a blitz and found TE Jeramy Stephens on a seam route. Stephens took the ball to the house for a 45-yard touchdown and suddenly Seattle was in the driver’s seat, leading 13-9.
That shock seemed to awaken something in the LA offense, as Seneca Wallace and the Express got serious on the next drive and took the ball from their own 19 yard line all the way into the Dragon end zone. Of Jones-Drew’s 94 yards on the day, 32 came on this drive as he carried the ball 7 times. Wallace, who completed only 9 passes all game, completed two big ones on the drive, one to Keyshawn for 20 and then the lead-changer to TE L.J. Smith. Los Angeles was back on top by 3 points with just over 3 minutes to play.
So it was back to Seattle to try to win the game or at least force overtime. Leftwich guided the patient Dragon offense down the field, and with just 7 ticks left on the clock, Dave Rayner kicked the tying field goal to send the game to extra time. Seattle had a chance to win in regulation, but on the 3rd down play just before the field goal, a TD was called back on a holding call, nullifying a Visante Shiancoe TD catch.
So the game would go to an extra period. LA won the toss and immediately asked for the ball. They did not want to give Seattle a chance to build off their late game momentum. The Express managed to move the ball well initially, but when Wallace missed Tory Holt on a 3rd and 9 throw, they had to send out Dave Rayner. A kick would give LA the lead, but not end the game. Rayner connected and the LA defense would be called on to shut down Seattle and preserve the win on the next possession.
But here is the thing. You don’t get to 10-1 without being a very good team, and very good teams don’t let pressure get to them. When they know the game is on the line, they find a way. That is what Seattle did in their sudden death possession. They started off slowly, running the ball, unconcerned about time, but very cognizant of the need to keep converting and earning first downs. They made it to the LA 49-yardline and then they got the play no one, even their own offensive players, could have expected. Leftwich called a short pass play, designed to bring David Boston over the middle, and leave Corey Dillon out wide on a swing if needed. It was needed as LA blanketed Boston, but completely missed Dillon going out to the flat. Leftwich swung the ball to the big back and he started rumbling downfield.
Linebacker Lofa Tatupu was the first to engage Dillon, but he had a bad angle and all he could deliver was a glancing blow that caused a bit of a stutter, but did not send the Seattle back to the ground or out of bounds. Dillon then put a move on CB Charles Rogers, delivering a partial stiff arm while juking back inside of the corner. It was now a footrace, and while safety Darnell Bing is fast, his angle was not a good one and Dillon is no slowpoke either, so this race, and the game, was won by the Dragon halfback as he raced to the end zone for six.
The Express had played a very good game but had come up short. The Pacific Division belonged to Seattle and LA would now have to scrap it out with the Thunder and the Invaders for a possible Wild Card. After falling to the Invaders, Seattle had reset themselves and gotten back to winning ways. They would finish the weekend not only with a division crown, but a guarantee of home field throughout the postseason. The playoffs in the West would be running through the Emerald City this year.
PHILADELPHIA 10 BOSTON 17
A surprisingly defensive game at Alumni Stadium as neither team could really get their offenses in full gear. Chad Ochocinco’s 4th quarter TD proves to be the decider in a close game between two contenders. Both Ahman Green and Tiki Barber were held in check in this one as the defenses allowed a combined 5 of 27 on third down conversions.
HOUSTON 20 NEW JERSEY 23
An upset in the Meadowlands sends Houston to .500 as New Jersey gets a pretty impressive first start from rookie QB Kevin Kolb. Kolb only threw for 172 yards against that tough Houston defense, but threw two TDs and no picks, which is pretty good for a rookie’s first game. Curtis Enis and James Jackson helped the cause with a combined 153 yards rushing split almost evenly between them.
MICHIGAN 18 PITTSBURGH 15
Another game where the defenses came to play. Michigan trailed for most of the game, but a late Griese to Hines Ward TD put them on top with 1:36 left to play. Griese survived 6 Mauler sacks, including 2 from Dameaion Jeffries to help Michigan improve to 7-5.
BALTIMORE 20 WASHINGTON 10
Baltimore avenges an early season loss to the Feds and remains very much in the Wild Card hunt by scoring 10 unanswered points in the 4th to break a 10-10 deadlock. The key play was a beautifully executed screen that saw Correll Buckhalter scamper for 19 yards to give the Blitz the lead. Ron Dayne also contributed 91 yards and a score in the Blitz’s rivalry win.
DENVER 19 ARIZONA 0
An absolute debacle of a game for the Wranglers, putting Coach Fassel’s job very much at risk. Arizona had a grand total of 136 yards of offense and Jake Plummer completed only 8 passes as the Denver defense dominated. Plummer was sacked 7 times in this one and the Wranglers could only muster 48 yards rushing. Denver’s offense continued to struggle, now with backup Derreck Anderson starting under center, but the D certainly made their presence known in this one.
MEMPHIS 22 TEXAS 17
The Showboats got 131 combined yards from Cadillac Williams and Maurice Smith to outlast the Outlaws. The Memphis D did what they all knew they had to, containing T. J. Duckett, who finished the game with only 48 yards rushing and a 1.8 YPC average. Brett Favre connected with Robert Ferguson and TE David Martin for scores as Memphis moves to 9-3.
ATLANTA 31 JACKSONVILLE 38
Jacksonville holds home court and barely gets past a feisty fire team. Antowain Smith and Travis Minor combine for 141 yards and 3 scores, outdueling Atlanta’s Terrell Davis and Rod Smart, who also scored 3 times. A 21-0 run between the third and fourth quarter helped Jacksonville pull out to a 14 point lead that held up despite Atlanta’s late surge.
OHIO 24 NEW ORLEANS 3
The Glory had no trouble with a clearly dispirited and unmotivated Breaker squad, outgaining the Breakers 386-188. Could this type of performance mean trouble for last year’s Coach of the Year, Mike Nolan? Eli Manning was again mediocre at best while Kerry Collins reconnected with his main target, Joey Galloway, connecting on 6 passes for 123 yards and a score as the Glory roll.
BIRMINGHAM 14 NASHVILLE 30
Nashville continues to impress with its inventiveness as Jay Cutler remains out. Up 13-0 when Craig Whelihan torked an ankle, they don’t miss a beat with Rick Mirer coming off the bench. Mirer connects with Justin Peele for a score and Nashville receiver Ahmad Merrit catches 5 for 125 as the offense shortened the game and the D stifled Jason Campbell and the Stallions.
OAKLAND 13 LAS VEGAS 16
The Invaders had high hopes for a road win here, but that Las Vegas defense proved too tough at home. Despite giving up 370 yards of offense, Las Vegas shut down several Invader drives with key stops and Mike Vanderjagt got the shot he needed at the end of the game to drive home the winning kick. Unheralded WR John Broussard caught 6 for 103 as Oakland simply did not have much tape on the young pass catcher.
CHICAGO 47 ST. LOUIS 9
Any thoughts that Rob Ryan could turn his interim gig as Head Coach of the Skyhawks into a permanent position were certainly scuttled with the performance this week. Ryan’s defense allowed 433 yards of offense to the Machine as Michael Turner just had himself a field day, rushing for 186 yards. Brady Quinn threw for 3 scores and eventually gave way to backup Tony Banks in this complete blowout.
ORLANDO 37 TAMPA BAY 24
The Sunday Nighter was not as close as this score seems to indicate. Orlando raced out to a 20-0 lead and was happy to trade scores late as they maintained a lead throughout. Drew Brees threw for 4 scores and Sedric Irvin rushed for 92 yards as Orlando had the Bandits’ number. Three Tampa turnovers certainly did not help, but it was clear that Koy Detmer was overwhelmed in this game as Orlando’s pass rush was relentless, scoring 6 sacks and forcing 2 picks.
Breakout Stars
Twelve weeks into the 14-week USFL season and while there are a lot of familiar names atop the league’s statistical rankings, we have seen some new faces among the stars this year. We have chosen five players who have stepped up this year to garner much deserved attention. These are our candidates for the break out players of 2007.
WR Donald Hayes (JAX)
We are highlighting 2 Bulls receivers as break out players, which may seem odd, but this year is one where we are seeing the team finally diversify the passing game beyond Rashaun Woods. Woods remains the #1 receiver with 110 targets, but right behind him is Donald Hayes, who has turned his 75 targets into 56 catches and 9 touchdowns. With teams double covering Woods, having a 2nd option is vital and Hayes is turning into that option. He is averagine 15.7 yards per catch, 3 more per catch than Woods, and he is very likely going to join Woods as a 1,000 yard receiver with 2 more solid weeks.
TE Jason Whitten (JAX)
Prior to coming to Jacksonville, Whitten’s best year with Pittsburgh was a 26 reception season in 2005. This year with the Bulls he already has 56 catches and has become one of Jake Delhomme’s favorite targets. More and more it is Whitten being targeted on that crucial 3rd down play, and more and more folks in Duval County are getting used to cheering when he converts the play.
HB Rod Smart (ATL)
We all remember Rod Smart from his years in Denver, where he once toyed with 1,000 yards for the Gold. In Atlanta his role has been to back up Terrell Davis, and he remains the #2 back, but with over 500 yards rushing and an impressive 8 rushing TDs Smart has taken on something of a reputation as a finisher for the Fire. More and more we are seeing Davis tote the rock between the 20’s and Smart brought in as a change of pace in the red zone. His passcatching abilities and his quick cuts make him dangerous as a red zone weapon, and that is helping Atlanta stay competitive in a very tight Southeast Division.
DE Justin Smith (OAK)
Oakland has seen their defense improve this year, and are among league leaders in QB pressure, and a big piece of that lies with 7 year vet Justin Smith. The former LA Express draftee has been pretty good for pretty long, but is on pace to set a personal mark for the season, with 11 sacks so far. Combined with linemate Israel Idonije, Smith has become a threat for opposing QB’s and has helped Oakland stay in contention for a Wild Card.
LB DeMeco Ryans (BIR)
The second year linebacker out of Alabama is having himself a year for the Stallion defense. He has 91 tackles after 12 games, including 21 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. Yes, the Stallions currently rank dead last in Points Allowed and Yards, which would seem to indicate that they are pretty horrible, but do not put that on Ryans, who appears to be the only playmaker on that side of the ball.
Defensive Rookies Making a Difference
Last week we wrote about how Marshawn Lynch is running away (literally) with the Rookie of the Year award, and he is, but that is not to say that there are not other rookies making a splash. We could certainly highlight Brady Quinn’s success with the Chicago Machine, but quarterbacks already get too much attention. So, we thought we would highlight three rookies on the defensive side of the ball who are making an impact this year.
Our first is one most folks thought would be an immediate impact player, Philadelphia MLB Paul Posluszny. The Penn Stater was a key target for the Stars in the T-Draft and he has proven to be all they could have hoped for. He leads the Stars’ defense with 67 tackles, and is proving to be a boon for Philadelphia’s Top 5 pass defense, swapping out blitzes for deep Cover 2 responsibilities each week. Not as flashy as The Boz, the Poz is building up his own following among Philly fans, who love his lunchpail attitude and no holds barred style.
Another high draft choice is our second defensive rookie standout. When Nashville signed SS LaRon Landry out of LSU they found themselves a tackling machine and a player not afraid to mix it up. Landry is second only to Hunter Hillenmeyer with 87 tackles on the season. Often creeping up towards the line, the safety has been as important to the Knights’ run defense as their pass coverage. Along with Huntermeyer and DT Shaun Rogers, they form the spine of a very tough D, the 4th ranked in the league in points allowed.
Finally, we want to point out the season that Memphis Showboat LB Patrick Willis is having. We are all so dazzled by the Showboat’s sudden rise, and focusing so much attention on Brett Favre’s return to the league that we may have missed the fact that the Showboat D is now a Top 10 unit, allowing only 18.2 points per game and keeping foes under 90 yards rushing per game. Willis is a huge part of that success. He is the speed merchant in one of the best LB corps in the league, lined up with Hannibal Navies and MLB Kirk Morison and his role is pursuit. With 71 tackles, 2 picks, 2 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss, it is almost as common to see the rookie out of TCU in the opposition’s backfield as anywhere. His outside pressure has been helping others, like veteran DE Julius Peppers get single blocking and get to the QB, but he is most adept at busting up outside run plays before the back can turn the corner.
Three players worth watching as their careers mature and their teams rely on them more and more. Three outstanding rookies who we should keep an eye on in these final weeks as well.
Only two weeks left and we have only 5 playoff spots locked up. This may end up being the tightest playoff hunt in a decade, so get those tiebreaker scenarios ready. Here is what we know as of today. Seattle has locked up the Pacific title and the #1 seed in the West with their 11-1 record. No shock there. Boston has won the Northeast thanks to their win this week over 2nd place Philly. Memphis and Philadelphia are guaranteed playoff spots, though the Showboats have not yet been able to shake the Nashville Knights and claim the Southern title. Nashville clinched themselves at least a Wild Card this week, but they still hope to catch the Showboats, though a 1.5 game deficit with 2 to play seems a tall task.
Out West no other team has a guaranteed spot. Even 9-3 Ohio could still be bumped by one of several 7-5 clubs if they stumble these past two weeks. In the Southwest, we have Denver and Houston battling at 6-6 for the division title, secure in understanding that the 2nd place finisher will be sitting at home. Chicago at 8-4 controls their own destiny and has a shot to catch Ohio, while Las Vegas, Oakland, LA and Michigan, all at 7-5 are essentially fighting over 2 Wild Card spots.
Eliminated this week were New Jersey and Tampa Bay, meaning that 6 teams are out (St. Louis, New Orleans, Arizona and Texas were already out of contention), leaving 20 teams fighting over 12 spots. That should make for some drama in weeks 13 and 14 to be sure.
Two weeks left in the season and teams are going to be focusing on health as much as they can. Those out of playoff contention are likely to test out some of their younger talent, as we saw this week with Kevin Kolb getting the start for the Generals, while those locked into playoff positions might begin to rest starters. Even those in the hunt for a playoff spot may strategize to rest players more than in earlier weeks, as any injury now is almost certainly going to impact the playoff run or the playoffs themselves.
With that said, here are the developments from Week 12 that could impact the final weeks of the season or the playoff fortunes of USFL Clubs.
BIR: RT Jeff Backus is done for the year with a ruptured disc. Fortunately there does not appear to be any permanent nerve damage, but it was a scary injury to be sure. Charles Molina will take over at RT.
BOS: A big blow for the Boston D as end Hugh Douglas is out for the rest of the year, including the playoffs, after tearing his hamstring. With Casey Hampton expected out for 1-2 weeks, this leaves the D-line of the Cannons in a tough patch. Expect Brent Hawkins to rotate with Andrew Windham at LE while Jason Babin takes on the main pass-rush duties.
DEN: Good news for the Gold as Matt Leinart is expected to start this week and next. With the Gold needing 2 wins to take the SW Division, this is a key return for them.
LA: Linebacker Akin Ayodele is out for the foreseeable future with a hip injury. Expect his spot in the LB corps to be replaced by Eric Hill, with Steven Tulloch brought up from the Practice Squad for depth.
MEM: Cadillac Williams is doubtful this week with a broken thumb. He may well be rested until the playoffs, since the Showboats have their spot all but locked up.
NSH: Jay Cutler is still at least a week away. That is what Nashville is saying. With the Knights already locked into a playoff spot, they may well wait until the playoffs to bring him back to action. Rumor is, however, that Rick Mirer, and not Craig Whelihan, may get the start this week.
NJ: Tackle Leander Jordan is out for the year with a hip injury. He will be replaced by Marshal Yanda.
OAK: Joey Harrington is expected back this week. Not a minute too soon for an Oakland club hoping to make a late run at a Wild Card.
PHI: The Stars are also expecting their QB1 to be back, with Kurt Warner practicing in full with the starters this week.
SEA: WR Darnerien McCants will likely miss the entire playoffs after suffering a collar bone break this past week. Expect Rashied Davis to move to the #2 position, keeping Troy Walters in the slot.
STL: Luke McCown suffered a concussion in last week’s win, and this will likely lead to rookie Troy Smith from Ohio State getting the start for the final two weeks of a long and troubled Skyhawks season.
TBY: SS Bryan Scott is expected to miss this week, and could be out next week as well. QB Daunte Culpepper has been cleared to return to play after a mysterious 2 week absence.
TEX: Jeff George will not return to action this week after suffering a neck injury in Week 12’s game. This makes it easier, we assume for the team to test out other options, though they have not stated whether it will be Chris Simms or Dan Orlovsky under center in the next two weeks.
League Mixes Up Expansion Draft System in Owners’ Vote
With both 2008 expansion teams now filling in their coaching and management rooms with new hires, and the USFL offseason drawing closer and closer, the last piece of the puzzle was for both teams to know what the plan would be for them to stock their rosters. We already knew that both clubs would be permitted to participate in the full Free Agency period starting in just about 5 weeks, and that both would also be able to sign players during the NFL-USFL Transfer Window. We also knew that one club would be picking first in the USFL College Draft and the other 3rd, alternating each round, just as we saw in 2006, but the question of the leaguewide Expansion Draft was still up in the air.
That question is now answered, as the league has announced the structure for this October’s Expansion Draft has been revealed. Having just passed through an expansion process in 2006, it seems that lessons from that year have been turned into changes to the system for this year’s process.
The first change is that each of the current 26 USFL franchises will have a little more wiggle room than in 2006. Rather than protecting 12 players from potential “poaching” from the expansion club, each of the current teams will have 3 additional protected players, a total of 15 per team. Were that the only change then we still could expect several teams to still be picked more heavily than others. As we saw in 2006, there were teams who had no players chosen by Atlanta or St. Louis while others lost the maximum of 5 veterans from their rosters. The newly approved 2008 expansion process will ensure that this type of imbalance is impossible.
In addition to the 3-player expansion of each team’s protected list, it was decided to seek an equitable balance of player departures by creating a system that ensured equal pain across the league. Rather than an open draft format, the Portland and Charlotte franchises will each be permitted to choose 1 player each from every USFL team, with only 4 final round picks adding a 2nd player from select teams. Essentially, the way it will work is that Charlotte will be allowed to have first choice of any unprotected player from 13 clubs, and Portland from the remaining 13 clubs. Each club will then have the 2nd choice of player from each team as well. This will set up the first 26 players on each roster, while each existing USFL team is guaranteed to lose only 2 players (and exactly 2, no team skipped over).
The owners agreed to eliminate the process wherein a team could add a new player to their protected list when one is picked. Essentially, they can protect 15 players from the start, and are guaranteed to lose 2. The final 4 picks of the draft are more open, with 8 teams losing a 3rd player. Charlotte and Portland will alternate picks, but once one of the other 26 teams has lost a 3rd player, their entire roster is then protected and neither expansion club can choose another of their players.
What this will mean is that both Portland’s and Charlotte’s rosters will have 1 player from each current USFL team, with 4 more players coming from the 4 remaining teams. Thirty spots filled, with the remaining 23 roster spots (and any camp bodies) coming from the College Draft, the USFL Free Agent list and any NFL or CFL transfers they can sign. For the existing clubs it means that the damage of the expansion draft will be maxed out at 3 roster spots, while for the expansion clubs, it means a new strategy must be developed to run their drafts. After all, the salary cap will be another factor, meaning that each team cannot simply pick the best player available from 13 clubs and the 2nd best from 13 clubs.
Charlotte and Portland must look at position needs as well as cost. As we saw in 2006, expect a mix of perhaps a handful of veteran leaders and potential All-USFL players (though few are likely to be available) along with a smattering of young, developing talent and a solid pool of bench or depth players to round out the rosters and keep the salaries in line with the cap.
One final note to the rules, these Expansion picks cannot be traded, nor can deals be made with the existing 26 teams to bypass any given unprotected player in exchange for other personnel or draft capital. The teams get 30 picks, they must pick players from each club plus 4 extra selections, and they may not trade these players away to another club at any point prior to the Collegiate Draft, limiting any backroom deals that could otherwise occur.
We will, of course, report on the 60 picks of the Expansion Draft, as well as the impact on each club, the best prospects for the two new USFL franchises, and any developments related to free agency or the College Draft, as part of our offseason coverage.
USFL’s Greatest Coaches
As we take a look back over the 25-season history of the USFL it is undeniable that there are players who are deeply associated with the spring league that appeared in 1983 and has grown into one of the most popular sports in the USA. But the same is true for some of the USFL’s greatest head coaches. In this week’s look back over the USFL’s quarter century, we focus on those coaches.
Deciding which coaches should be referenced for this article was no small task. We started by conducting a survey of the win-loss records of all USFL coaches who spent at least 5 seasons with one team. What did we find out? Well, we found out that some of the coaches with the best win percentages were not the coaches with the most wins, or even those with multiple titles. So, before we focus in on 4 highly-regarded coaches from the past of the USFL, a quick dive into the numbers.
Most Wins in USFL History
This category is largely about longevity, but, of course, longevity is profoundly tied to winning. A coach cannot last long if his teams don’t produce wins, so while it is not a perfect indicator of coaching greatness, a large win count certainly shows that owners were willing to trust a coach over time, sometimes multiple owners. Here is the current Top 5 Coaches with the most wins in USFL history (We exclude all 2007 results for active coaches).
5--Galen Hall (JAX 89-94, 99-05); 105-93-0, 0 Titles.
Hall helped build Jacksonville into a contender, and after a 5-year hiatus, was asked to do the same for the expansion LA Express.
4--Jack Pardee (HOU 84-89, TEX 95-00): 106-85-1, 1 League Title
Pardee created the Run & Shoot with Mouse Davis and built up what would become the Houston Gambler Dynasty of the late 80s and early 90s. Wooed away by the NFL, he would return to the USFL and the state of Texas with the Outlaws in 1995.
3—Steve Spurrier (TBY 83-93, 04-07): 130-89-0, 1 League Title
Winner of the first league title, Spurrier is synonymous with the Bandit franchise. He guided the team for 11 seasons before moving to the U. of Florida, only to return recently for a second round with the team.
2—Lindy Infante (Jax 84-88, BAL 92-03): 134-128, 0 Titles
Infante is an interesting case in that he coached in the USFL for 17 seasons, 12 with the Blitz, without ever winning, or even appearing in a Summer Bowl. He helped develop the Jacksonville expansion club, and was solid in Baltimore, but could never get over the hump and lead his club to the promised land.
1—Jim Mora Sr (PHI 83-89, OAK 96-97, MEM 98-06): 3 League Titles
Perhaps the coach most associated with the USFL, and for good reason. His leadership brough two early league titles to the Stars, making them one of the league’s flagship franchises. After a 6 season stint in the NFL, he was lured back to the USFL by the Oakland Invaders, who apparently had no patience for him to create a winner. After back to back 5-11 seasons, they cut Mora go and Memphis jumped on the coach, signing him right away. He would reward their faith in him with the club’s first league title.
Winning Percentage
A very impressive group of coaches, including one in the USFL Hall of Fame. But, when we look at winning percentage, none of these 5 men appear on the list, which just seems odd. Here are the current Top 5 coaches (with at least 5 seasons with one team) to lead USFL teams.
5—Dick Jauron (DEN 98-Present): 86-48-0, .642 winning percentage.
Denver’s main man, and the first to bring a title to the Mile High City may be criticized for a lack of exciting offense, but his style of ball control and solid D is certainly getting results.
4—John Fox (ATL/BOS 03-07): 37-19-0, .661 winning percentage
One of the newer hires on the list, Fox has only been with the USFL since 2003, but when he took over the Atlanta Fire in their last year before relocating to Boston, no one could have imagined that he would help shape them into a perennial contender.
3—Bill Parcells (NJ 01-06): 57-29-0, .663 winning percentage
No shock to find the Big Tuna on this list. He came to the USFL after winning two Super Bowls with the NY Giants and building a winner in New England. With New Jersey he produced two titles in 3 years before retiring this past offseason.
2—Bill Arnsbarger (NOR 88-93): 64-32-0, .667 winning percentage
Still a figure who gets mixed reactions in the Big Easy. There is no denying that his teams were solid, making the playoffs every year except his last, but the problem is always the same, they would fold in the playoffs, losing in either the divisional or conference title round every year.
1—Al Luginbill (OHIO 99-07): 83-35-0, .703 winning percentage
We should not be surprised that the one man to lead a team to a perfect season in the USFL would be among the league’s all time winning percentage leaders. Luginbill took the 1995 expansion Glory squad and turned them into one of the most dominant teams of the 2000’s, winning back to back titles in 2002-2003, and he may not be done yet.
Our Picks For The Top 5 USFL Coaches
OK, so there you have two ways to measure success, so how do we honor USFL Coaches of the past? We decided to mix these two criteria, toss in titles, and a bit of personality, to help us decide who our Top 5 Legendary Coaches of the USFL’s First 25 Seasons would be. Get ready to debate the results, we know we did.
Our fifth head coach on our list is one who did not make either of the lists above, but one who created one of the league’s iconic teams during the 1990’s. We nominate Ron Erhardt as the fifth most important head coach of the USFL’s history. Erhardt led the Birmingham Stallions from 1992-2002, eleven seasons of up and down fortunes, but also eleven seasons of some of the most entertaining football the league has ever seen. His wide open offense, led by Brett Favre, came to define a decade of USFL football. Almost making the run game obsolete, Erhardt was willing to toss the ball early and often, and doing so helped him build up a record of 103-70-0 (.592 %) and win a title with the Stallions. Just missing the Top 5 for wins, but with a very solid winning percentage over more than 10 years, Erhardt makes our list not just because his teams won, but because he helped transition the league from old school football to the wide open game that we enjoy today.
We cannot celebrate Ron Erhardt’s offensive innovativeness without then recognizing the Run & Shoot, which brings us to our #4 USFL Coaching Legend, Jack Pardee. What makes Pardee so interesting is that it was not just about the Run & Shoot, a style that clearly depended heavily on the slightly off-kilter mind of Mouse Davis, but that Pardee was also a defensive innovator. His defenses in Houston were equally as noteworthy as the offenses led by Kelly and Thomas. He did not have the same success developing either in his second stint with the Texas Outlaws, but he still managed to leave San Antonio with a winning record, which few can say.
Third on our list, and another innovator. Steve Spurrier helped to define the style for the entire league when he and owner John Bassett tapped into a national desire for a higher risk, higher reward style of play with Bandit Ball. Characterized by fast pace and greater aggressiveness on both sides of the ball than fans were used to seeing from the stodgy NFL style, Bandit Ball helped define the novelty of the USFL and build its appeal to fans who were eager to see teams go for the long ball, the long odds, and the risky play. Along with Bassett, Spurrier has a bust in the USFL section on the Pro Hall of Fame, but he also came back to the Bandits in 2004, where he hopes to bring a 3rd title to the squad that he helped to create.
In our #2 spot is a coach who has neither the highest winning percentage nor the most wins in league history, but whose 2 league titles and flair for aggressive defense made him a legend in a city desperate for a winner. Jim Stanley and his Michigan Panthers revived football in Detroit after decades of sub-par play by the NFL Lions. With players like David Greenwood, Ronnie Paggett and John Corker on defense, the Panthers were a nightmare to play each week. Add to that the explosiveness of the Bobby Hebert led offense, and you had an early dynasty in the league, with the Panthers winning 2 of the first 4 titles. Stanley would retire in 1993, after 11 seasons with the Panthers, 102 wins and two USFL Championship Trophies. He would be a first ballot USFL Hall of Famer as a coach.
That only leaves one coach left, and can there really be any doubt? The only coach to win 3 titles, and to win titles with 2 different teams, Jim Mora Sr. is about as legendary as a USFL coach can be. Over the course of 24 seasons, he would be roaming the USFL sidelines for 18 of those years, working with 3 different clubs, and helping to define what would become the USFL. His Stars teams, along with Stanley’s Panthers, would dominate the early league. While others like Spurrier or Pardee would be known as innovators, Mora was the consummate strategist and motivator. His teams rarely had star-studded rosters or high-paid NFL signings, but were among the most disciplined teams each and every year. He was also willing to bend his style to his personnel. The ball-control, run-first style of the Fusina-Bryant years in Philadelphia, are a long cry from the deep ball, spread it out style of his Memphis Showboat teams. In both cases, the common denominator was that both clubs always showed up on game day focused, prepared, and willing to go the extra mile to get the win. Jim Mora, despite the countless meams of his famous “Playoffs?” postgame rant with Oakland, or his successful but troubled years in the NFL, will always be seen as the architect of winners in the USFL.
We wish we had room to mention so many others, from Sam Rutigliano to Ted Marchibroda, Rollie Dotsch to Vince Tobin, the story of USFL coaching is as diverse and as debate-worthy as that of its players, but perhaps we will return to some of the other coaches deserving of mention in a later article some day.
Jim Smith: A USFL Success Story
So many players in the early USFL were either NFL castoffs, rookies, or college stars who never made it to the NFL. For many it was a chance to move from the bench to the starting lineup, form obscurity to the spotlight, and from financial insecurity to a significantly higher tax bracket. Wideout Jim Smith certainly falls into the latter category.
Smith was a 3rd round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1977, and he spent 5 years with the Team of the 70’s, but largely sitting and watching Swann and Stallworth each week. In an era before 3-wideout sets were common, and with two future NFL Hall of Famers ahead of him on the depth chart, Smith had a few moments, but was largely unused by the Steelers. When the USFL came along, it offered the Michigan product a chance to regain the spotlight he had seen in Ann Arbor. Birmingham Head Coach Rollie Dotsch, himself coming over to the USFL from the Steelers, knew what Smith could offer, and convinced Stallion ownership to do something few expected.
Smith was offered a contract for 3 years to join the Stallions in 1983, a contract that promised him a salary higher than any starting wideout in the NFL, including Swann and Stallworth. It was a crazy deal for a player that was talented, but hardly a Herschel Walker or Jim Kelly name. Smith jumped at the chance, not only to dramatically increase his savings account, but to also be a starter, a #1 target. He would jump into that roll with both feet.
Smith would put together three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons for the Stallions, including a 10-touchdown year in 1985. He caught 108 passes in ’854, and 106 in ’85. Along with Cliff Stoudt and Joe Cribbs, Smith would become an icon in Alabama sports and a face for franchise. While not possessing the sheer speed of an Eric Truvillion, or the acrobatics of Jo-Jo Townsell, Smith was the consummate pro, running crisp routes, shaking off corners, and making the tough catch when it mattered most. He would never win All-USFL accolades or win a title with Birmingham, but between 1983 and his retirement in 1988, Smith would do what seemed so unlikely in his years in Pittsburgh. He would be a star, a face recognized around town and talked about at Monday morning water coolers. He would get the chance to move into the spotlight in a community that appreciated his effort and his skills. Not every player can be an All-league talent, but the USFL allowed more and more players to realize the potential they had, to make a name for themselves, and to play the game they loved for a lot more cash than they could have ever earned with a pre-Free Agency NFL as the only option.
(IRL—Smith was a backup for the Steeler greats at wideout, with 113 total NFL receptions in 6 NFL season with the Steelers and 1 post-USFL season with the Raiders. His best years were the three in Birmingham, where he led the Stallions in receiving in all 3 years, leading the league with 1,481 yards in 1984. He finished his career with Birmingham in 1985 by catching 20 touchdowns that year. Smith did win 2 Super Bowls in Pittsburgh, and none with the Stallions, but he is remembered in Birmingham for his great career there. After football he got into the automobile industry, and in 2015 was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame, a graduate of Eisenhower HS.)
Two weeks left, two chances to make a push, to have a shot at the postseason or to secure the best possible playoff spot. Yes, some teams will now start resting starters, others, however, will be putting in playoff effort performances trying to ensure they get where they want to be. Expect some blowouts, but expect some true classics these two weeks. Let’s see what Week 13 has in store for us.
FRI @ 8PM Houston (6-6) @ Arizona (2-10) NBC
SAT @ 12PM New Jersey (4-8) @ St. Louis (1-11) ABC
SAT @ 12PM Birmingham (5-7) @ Memphis (9-3) ABC
SAT @ 12PM Orlando (7-5) @ Atlanta (5-7) FOX
SAT @ 4PM Las Vegas (7-5) @ Ohio (9-3) ABC
SAT @ 4PM Seattle (11-1) @ Michigan (7-5) FOX
SAT @ 8PM Boston (10-2) @ Washington (4-8) ESPN
SUN @ 12PM Pittsburgh (5-7) @ Jacksonville (6-6) ABC
SUN @ 12PM Baltimore (5-6-1) @ Tampa Bay (4-8) FOX
SUN @ 12PM Philadelphia (9-4) @ Nashville (7-5-1) FOX
SUN @ 4PM Texas (4-8) @ Denver (6-6) ABC
SUN @ 4PM New Orleans (1-11) @ Chicago (8-4) FOX
SUN @ 8PM Los Angeles (7-5) @ Oakland (7-5) ESPN