Undefeated is a tough thing to pull off. It has only been done once in the USFL, and that one time holds up again as the Houston Gamblers are shocked at home by a plucky and determined Birmingham Stallions squad. We will go in depth on that game, look at the big road win for the Thunder that punched their playoff ticket, and review all the scores of the week, a week that saw 4 more teams drop out of the playoff race, but a lot of races still very much in fierce competition. We will also preview the 2018 draft class as seniors (and a few juniors) gear up for the upcoming college season and take a look at the newly announced 2018 USFL Hall of Fame Class. A big week, a lot to cover, let’s get right to it.
Teams Streaking in Two Very Different Directions
While the big story of the week is clearly the loss at home by the Gamblers, since that is our Game of the Week, it will get the depth of coverage it merits. So, we start our report with another important story, the streaking teams that are either rocketing their way into playoff contention or spiraling into disaster.
We start with the rockets, Baltimore, New Orleans, and, yes, the Tampa Bay Bandits. Baltimore’s rise has already been discussed, but with their win this week, they have all but erased the 5-game slide that had them fall from 2nd in the NE Division down to 4th. Well, with a win over New Jersey as their 4th in a row, they now find themselves right in the mix, sharing a 7-6 record with the Generals and solidly in the Wild Card hunt behind division winner Philadelphia. Baltimore’s rebound has been a whole-team effort, with the offense averaging over 30 points per game over the streak and the defense keeping their first 3 opponents under 20 points (including their 23-0 shutout win over Pittsburgh). This week, New Jersey cracked 20 but still could not overtake the red-hot Blitz.
New Orleans is another team that seemed to be floundering, falling to 5-5 and well behind the Gamblers in the Southern Division, but they have now ripped off 3 consecutive wins, including 2 divisional wins to bolster their playoff chances. Now 8-5, it seems like the Breakers are now in full swing towards the playoffs, with one of the stories of the year, Jordy Nelson’s pursuit of the receiving yard record, serving as motivation for the Breakers now that the Division Title is not going to happen.
And yes, the Tampa Bay Bandits have now won 3 in a row and are actually in range of the postseason at 5-8. It is a longshot, but with recent wins over both Atlanta and Orlando (as well as Washington), the Bandits have a chance, and a solid 3-3 division record. That they can still hope to make a move in the division is quite a surprise after their very rough 1-7 start, but this past month they have apparently found their footing. With 2 divisional games on tap (at Jacksonville and home to Charlotte) they can make a run, but that closing game against Houston could be tough, assuming the Gamblers don’t rest their starters. If the Gamblers do, then we could see Tampa go from 1-7 to 8-8, which would be a major accomplishment for Coach June Jones.
Things are not so rosy in Atlanta, where the Fire have dropped from 5-5 and playoff contention to 5-8 and a rough road ahead. Losses to the Monarchs and Bandits have hurt their divisional standing. The good news? They have back-to-back 4-win teams on their schedule before a final game in Ohio. They, like Tampa, could be 8-8 when all is said and done, but will that be enough to make the post-season?
Oakland’s woes are well-documented. Down to their 3rd option at QB and now with Christian McCaffrey dinged up, Oakland has lost 4 in a row and failed to score more than 10 points in 3 of those games. With a brutal road game in Philadelphia this week, Oakland could be on the outside looking in very quickly. Fans seem to have already checked out, with sales for the two final home games looking pretty bleak, and the team itself could well be looking at 2018 with players hoping to boost their value before free agency or to secure a job for next year.
If Oakland’s situation is bleak, Orlando’s is even darker. The Renegades are sitting on a 5-game losing streak, one that has seen them drop from the top of the division practically to the bottom. Their last 3 games have been particularly humiliating, suffering a 23-0 shutout to the Blitz, before suffering a 17-point loss to division rival Charlotte and a close, but ultimately frustrating loss in Tampa Bay. It does not get easier for Orlando as they must travel to Birmingham to face the Stallions just a week after Birmingham knocked off unbeaten Houston, and deal with Michigan in Week 15. Yes, the Russell Wilson injury is a huge reason for the collapse, but the fact that Orlando has not been able to find strategies to work around his absence has been very telling, and not in a good way.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 27 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 21
We did not see this coming at all, and that is what is so fun about pro football. Birmingham was a bickering team with their star player demanding a trade and the head coach essentially getting him abused at the end of last week’s game by forcing the star player to take hit after hit at the end of the game. Maybe the message sank in. Maybe the anger the Stallions had been inflicting on each other found a more viable direction, or maybe they just caught Houston being too cocky and too confident. Whatever the reason, Birmingham’s upset win in Houston is one of the biggest surprises of the year.
Houston came into the game undefeated, practically untouched, but as with so many things in the USFL, the margin between victory and defeat can be very thin, and even thinner if one of your star players cannot go. The Gamblers had been rolling because QB Colt McCoy had stepped in after the retirement of Matt Hasselbeck and immediately started putting up MVP numbers. His ease of adjustment to the role of starter and the ability of Coach Phillips to use his talents to their maximum has been one of the stories of the year, so, when McCoy went to the turf with a friendly-fire injury after only 3 plays, it was a huge shockwave to the Gamblers.
McCoy was pivoting to hand the ball off to Carlos Hyde when his own guard stepped back a bit too far and stepped squarely on the QB’s ankle. Hyde got the ball, but McCoy crumpled to the ground and had to be helped off. The verdict, discovered later, was not an ankle injury as assumed, but a hyper-extended knee (visible when we reexamined the footage). McCoy will likely miss the next two Gambler games, and he was done for the remainder of the Stallion game.
Losing their starting QB was certainly a huge blow for the Gamblers, but it should not have immediately impacted the defense, and yet it seems to have done just that. With the score 0-0 when McCoy went down, Coach Phillips tried to engage his defense, letting them know that they would need to step up, and that pressure was apparently too much for them. Birmingham scored on 3 consecutive drives, a Hartley field goal, followed by a 12-play drive where Danny Woodhead added 7 and then another long drive that saw Cam Newton find Amari Cooper for 7. Suddenly, late in the 2nd, it was 17-0 Birmingham, and the Gamblers needed to rally, something they simply had not needed to respond to in their 12-0 run.
To their credit, Houston did put points on the board before the half. Landry Jones, in for McCoy, led the Gamblers on a 9-play 2-minute drill that concluded with him finding McCoy’s favorite target, TE Vernon Davis, for the TE’s 12th touchdown of the season. Jones would play most of the game, with Jeff Driskoll taking only a few snaps midway through the third when Jones took a finger to the eye. He would complete 11 of 24 for 199 yards and 2 scores, but he struggled to convert 3rd downs, with only 2 of 10 successful.
Meanwhile, Cam Newton, who was still fuming all week about his teams and his protection, had reason to fume, as he was sacked 7 times by the Gamblers. And yet, during the game he did not lash out at his coach or his teammates, he simply did his job. Newton went 16 of 27 for 218 and 2 scores, also rushing for 44 yards, though it should be noted that 8 of his 11 rushing attempts were clearly unplanned scrambles, not the sacrificial QB runs that Coach Ellard had called at the tail end of last week’s game.
Birmingham got the ball first to start the 3rd and they quickly bumped the advantage back up to 17, with Newton hitting Dontrelle Inman with a very nice post pattern, producing a 29-yard TD strike. Houston tried to rally, with Carlos Hyde scoring on a goalline plunge, and Jones finding rookie JuJu Smith Schuster for a score to bring the game within 3 at 24-27, but all that 3rd quarter action was followed by Birmingham shutting down Jones and the Gamblers in the 4th. In the final period, Houston managed only 2 first downs and never crossed the 50. Birmingham used the run (110 yards between Woodhead and Newton) and short passes to keep possession and Houston just seemed unable to get them off the field. They would only put up another 3 points, in part due to a TD toss to Cooper being called back for offensive holding and a missed field goal from Hartley, but the game was solidly in Birmingham’s control.
Houston drops their first game, understandable when you realize their star QB missed all but 3 plays, and Birmingham wins their 2nd in a row to get into the Wild Card conversation at 6-7. So once again the Ohio Glory can rest easy, their 2002 record run to an undefeated season sitting alone (with the NFL Dolphins of 1973) as the pinnacle of perfection in the sport. Houston, already locked into a top 2 seed (with the bye that entails) drops below Philadelphia on tie-breakers but is certainly in the mix for the top seed. They stay home next week for another divisional game, this time Memphis, who are also 6-7) while Birmingham will try to keep their issues under wraps and their anger focused on the opposition when they host the slumping Orlando Renegades in Protective Stadium next week.
OHIO 16 CHICAGO 10
Chicago took a 10-6 lead into the half, but the second half was all Ohio as Rashad Jennings and Robbie Gould helped the Glory pull out the 16-10 win and improve to 7-6. Christian Hackenberg went 24 of 35 for 232 and the Ohio defense held Matt Forte to 52 yards as Ohio improved their playoff positioning with the win.
POTG: Ohio LB Daniel Ellerbe: 6 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR
OAKLAND 6 LOS ANGELES 10
No weather issues, just two teams unable to do much on offense. Yes, Reggie Bush rushed for 100 yards on only 13 carries, but LA could only get one TD on the day and Oakland could not even do that with Bob Volek at QB. A real snoozer, but LA gets the W they need to move about .500 and stay in the Wild Card hunt as Oakland loses their 4th in a row.
POTG: LA cornerback Stephon Gilmore: 5 Tck, 6 PDef, 1 Int
PITTSBURGH 0 MEMPHIS 23
The few fans still hanging on to Kevin Hogan as the Mauler QB could not be happy after watching this game. Memphis just dominated the game, limiting Pittsburgh to 158 total yards. Anthony Allen again came up big on the ground, rushing for 122 and a score as Memphis dominated time of possession: 36 minutes to 23.
POTG: Showboat HB Anthony Allen: 34 Att, 122 Yds, 1 TD
PHILADELPHIA 33 WASHINGTON 17
The Stars again handle Washington with ease, with Matt Gutierrez throwing for 338 and the defense holding Washington to a sad 19 total yards rushing. A pick six, and a Derrick Henry TD run helped the Stars pull away for the 16-point win.
POTG: Philadelphia WR Randall Cobb: 3 Rec, 136 Yds, 1 TD
MICHIGAN 27 ST. LOUIS 21
Michigan moves to 10-3 thanks to a solid defensive game and a good day from Kirk Cousins. LeVeon bell only mustered 38 yards against the Skyhawk defense, but Cousins threw for 265. Kyle Boller got the start for the Skyhawks and looked better than expected as he shook the rust off, going 23 of 33 for 211.
POTG: Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 24/30, 265 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int
DALLAS 24 OKLAHOMA 31
A solid game from Johnny Manziel, throwing for 3 scores, but once again the new Smashmouth Outlaws proved they can dominate the game on the ground. Marshawn Lynch rushed the ball 28 times for 179 yards and a score. Jahvid Best added another 13 carries for 54 yards, which meant that Joe Flacco was again protected, going 16 of 23 for 162 and 2 scores. Dallas made it close late, but Oklahoma held on to move to 6-7 and keep their once-faint playoff hopes alive.
POTG: Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 28 Att, 179 Yds, 1 TD
SAN DIEGO 20 DENVER 17 OVERTIME
Denver sent the game to overtime with a late Greg Zeurlein kick, but in the extra period the Thunder got the win with their own kicker, Jeff Reed, as he ended the game with a walk off 47-yarder. Ryan Williams had a big game with 115 yards and a score, while for Denver DeMarco Murray scored twice in this entertaining game.
POTG: Thunder HB Ryan Williams: 15 Att, 115 Yds, 1 TD
NEW JERSEY 23 BALTIMORE 30
The Generals stumble again as Baltimore makes it 4 wins in a row. Big Ben throws for 3 scores and the Baltimore D holds Maurice Jones-Drew to only 1.9 yards per carry as they dominate the line of scrimmage. Baltimore now ties New Jersey at 7-6 but is clearly the hotter of the two teams in the NE Division.
POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 9/23, 189 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
ORLANDO 13 TAMPA BAY 16
The Bandits win their third in a row as they down the spiraling Renegades. No Tebow sighting for Orlando, as Brandon Allen got the start, going 23 of 40 for 185 in his first outing. Rex Burkhead again was the catalyst for the Bandits, rushing for 112 and a score.
POTG: Tampa Bay DE Tank Carradine: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
JACKSONVILLE 3 NEW ORLEANS 26
Jacksonville started C. J. Beathard against the Breakers, but it did not rattle the Breaker D, who held the Bull QB to only 113 yards passing. Drew Brees did a touch better, throwing for 304 and 2 scores, including another strong day for Jordy Nelson with 139 yards and a score as he closes in on Truvillion’s mark.
POTG: Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 6 Rec, 139 Yds, 1 TD
SEATTLE 20 LAS VEGAS 23 OVERTIME
Another good overtime game as the Dragons and Vipers both battle for that 7th win. The Vipers come out on top as Brett Maher connects on the game winner in overtime. Las Vegas trailed 20-7 after a Joseph Addai TD run in the early part of the 4th but got a late TD from Doug Baldwin and two Maher field goals to force overtime. By then all the momentum was with the Vipers as Seattle now has dropped 2 in a row. Manning gets POTG despite 4 picks, thanks to his 4th quarter heroics.
POTG: Viper QB Eli Manning: 29/47, 238 Yds, 2 TD, 4 Int
PORTLAND 0 ARIZONA 35
We thought this one could get ugly and it sure did. Portland could do nothing against the Wrangler D, with Mariota sacked 4 times, while David Carr went wild for 4 scores and 309 yards before Ryan Nassib came in late in the game. It was all Arizona all day as KaDeem Carey, slowly taking on the lead back role, rushed 17 times for 75 yards and a score as well.
POTG: Wrangler QB David Carr: 15/20, 309 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
ATLANTA 21 CHARLOTTE 27
It might have been the Fire’s last shot at a playoff spot, but Charlotte got the win as Aaron Murray was knocked out of the game early and Brad Gradkowski was rusty, throwing 2 picks. Mitchell Trubisky looked very much in command, completing 23 of 30 passes for 190 yards and 3 scores. Hakeem Nicks was again his favorite target with 6 receptions and 2 scores.
POTG: Charlotte QB Mitch Trubisky: 23/30, 190 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int
Two Shutouts in One Week as Team Disparity on Display
Shutouts have been about as rare in the USFL as snow games in July, but for some reason 2017 appears to be the Year of the Shutout. With two shutout wins this week, Memphis’s 23-0 win over the Maulers and Arizona’s 35-0 demolition of Portland we have the first week in league history with 2 shutouts in the same week. Add to that the Fire’s 20-0 shut out of Tampa Bay in Week 5 and Baltimore’s 23-0 win over the Renegades in Week 11 and you have 4 shutouts in the season’s first 13 weeks, which is already double the highest total in any past season.
So, what is the issue? Is there an issue? Or is it just a quirk of fate. Well, the obvious common denominator is bad QB play. Whether it is teams working with backups, like Kevin Hogan in Pittsburgh, E. J. Manuel in Tampa Bay, or Brandon Allen in Orlando, or just poor offensive game planning, we are seeing a lot of games where the losing team does not even muster 10 points, often only getting a minimal TD or even a lone field goal on the board. In that situation it is no doubt that we would see more shutouts. No one wants to see it, well, except if it is your rival and you just blow them away, but between QB injuries and what clearly seems like a disparity among the “haves” and “have nots” when it comes to star power, this cannot be seen as an abnormality, it is going to happen.
Lynch Has Another Big Week for Outlaws
As if last week’s 181-yard performance in Seattle was not proof enough that Oklahoma has found something in their new smashmouth offensive gameplan, Lynch following that with a 179-yard obliteration of Dallas seems to drive home the message that the Outlaws have figured out their best option when it comes to attacking opposing defenses. Lynch averaged an impressive 6.4 yards per carry against the Renegades, following his 6.7 yards per carry in Seattle. Not many teams are going to lose games when their lead back is getting 25 or more carries and averaging over 6 yards per touch. In only 2 weeks Lynch has risen from 14th to 7th on the league’s rushing list, and at 922 he is now almost certainly going to get that 1,000-yard season he aims for. He may even top his 2016 total of 1,260 with three games to gain 328 yards to equal that career best. Seems clear that Oklahoma is going to use their big back as much and to as great an effect as they can. If they can run the table these last 3 weeks, they will finish at 9-7 and could well be looking at a Wild Card berth, something that seemed to be eluding them and their sack-prone QB Joe Flacco just a few weeks ago.
Trubisky Taking the Throne in Charlotte
His game is not always as polished as you would like, and his 16 picks this season are certainly something to improve upon, but it seems clear that with the Monarchs sitting at 8-5 and the offense averaging nearly 23 points per game that the club feels they have found their franchise QB. Trubisky has improved throughout the year, is garnering praise from the coaches for his learning curve, and from his peers for his leadership on the field and in the locker room.
With a legitimate shot at the Rookie of the Year trophy, likely in competition with two Houston Gamblers, WR JuJu Smith-Shuster and SS Budda Baker, Trubisky seems to have turned uncertainty into confidence and helped Monarch fans take the offseason departure of Brandon Wheedon as a positive, not a crisis of leadership. Both Wheedon and Trubisky have had a propensity for throwing picks, which has some questioning the play calling and possible “tells” built into Coach Mora’s offense, but the flashes of real potential, and the developing team trust in Trubisky has been showing in recent weeks.
It was on full display this week as the Monarchs knocked off Atlanta 27-21. Trubisky on a key third down was forced to call a time-out after two players went into motion without time to set. That was a veteran save of what would have been an illegal procedure penalty, but what was more telling was watching Trubisky highlight the mistake to both Adrian Peterson and D. J. Hacket, two veterans who would not normally take much critique from a rookie, but who accepted their role in the screw up and showed no hesitation in agreeing with Trubisky’s on-field correction. That alone is a good sign that Trubisky is on the right path with the Monarchs, a good sign for the future since Charlotte has the QB on a pretty cap-friendly 5-year deal, so room to grow as he led the Monarchs towards a possible division title in his rookie year.
Boller, Beathard, and Brandon Allen Get Starts
Not every team has a QB situation as promising as Charlotte. Three teams this week opted to start using the final month of the season to test out just what they have. St. Louis gave the start to veteran journeyman Kyle Boller, apparently unhappy with the lack of production they received from Blaine Gabbert over the past few weeks. In Jacksonville Robert Griffin III was again dinged up, in what is becoming a bad trend for him, and C. J. Beathard was back under center. And in Orlando, in what seems a desperation move, the Renegades gave untested Brandon Allen the start over the ineffective Connor Shaw. Having recently signed former Heisman winner Tim Tebow, Allen’s tenure as the starter may also be very short. Tebow would represent the 4th different starter in 2018 for the Renegades if he got the nod in any of the team’s final 3 games.
While Orlando came into the season with a solid QB situation with Russell Wilson the clear starting candidate and rising star, their season epitomizes how fragile a team can be and how vital a quality backup can be for a team that otherwise looked like a possible playoff contender. Without Wilson, Orlando has floundered, losing 5 in a row, and the turnstile at QB is certainly not what anyone in the organization wanted to see. For St. Louis a similar situation existed after the injury to Josh Freeman, though they may have started the year in a worse situation, since there were already concerns that 2018 Josh Freeman was not the same as 2012 Josh Freeman.
In Jacksonville, questions about Robert Griffin’s effectiveness and his health have never really been silenced. He came to the Bulls after a pretty serious injury while playing in the NFL, and he has yet to show that with his freestyle scrambling he can stay off the injury list. Having a quality backup would seem essential for the Bulls and yet they went into the season not only with a rookie as their number two, but a rookie whose classic drop back pocket-passer style is the exact opposite of Griffin’s, forcing the team to jerk back and forth between two very different styles of play depending on Griffin’s health. All in all, of the three teams, Jacksonville may be in the toughest spot, with St. Louis also asking some tough questions and Orlando likely happy to have Wilson back next year but hoping that someone can prove that they deserve the backup spot.
The San Diego Thunder locked up their 2nd consecutive playoff appearance this week as the 10-2 Thunder are closing in on the division title, leading LA by 3 games with 3 to play, a win or an Express loss locks it up for the Thunder, who last won a division back in 2012 in Las Vegas. They join the Wranglers, Stars, and Gamblers, all of whom have their division titles in hand. Michigan can join them this week with a win and a loss by the Ohio Glory. Charlotte may need a bit more time. Charlotte can also lock up a 6th straight playoff appearance with a win over the Thunder this week, giving them the SE Division Title for the 3rd time in 5 years (always in odd years.)
On the downside, four more teams saw their slim playoff hopes slide away as Chicago, St. Louis, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh now join the Portland Stags and Washington Federals on the wrong side of the playoff standings. Week 14 could add several teams to that list, with a pool of 5-8 teams hanging on for dear life while hoping that 7-6 Ohio, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and New Jersey all have major downturns over the final 3 weeks. A drop to 5-9 pretty much ends any hopes for the 5-8 clubs still on the fringe of consideration.
OUT
DE Mallicah Goodman OKL Broken Leg IR
CB Dre Kirkpatrick MGN Back 4-6 Weeks
G Dan Santucci MEM Arm 2-4 Weeks
LB Devon Kennard TBY Quad 2-4 Weeks
WR Marquise Goodwin OKL Arm 1-2 Weeks
TE Ben Watson DAL Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
SS Joseph Beall ARZ Thigh 1-2 Weeks
QB Colt McCoy HOU Knee 1-2 Weeks
WR Denarius Moore LV Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
DT Aaron Donald PIT ACL 1-2 Weeks
TE Kellen Davis WSH Concussion 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
OT Reid Fragel OHI Concussion
CB Cedric Griffin POR Concussion
OT David Sharpe ORL Pinched Nerve
QUESTIONABLE
LB Travis Goethel ARZ Migraines
WR Justin Blackmon OHI Jaw
WR Donnie Avery NOR Arm
DE Victor Abiami CHI Groin
CB Richard Sherman SEA Thigh
Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Named
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 has been announced and it is a group with a unique distinction. For the first time in the history of the Hall a player will be inducted by two different leagues in a joint enshrinement. As we announced back in March, former NFL and USFL quarterback Kurt Warner will be inducted representing both leagues and officially honored by both leagues. Warner spent the first half of his career in the NFL, where his rise from obscurity to Super Bowl Champion and league MVP was the stuff of legends. After an amazing 7-year run with the NFL Rams, Warner jumped leagues, coming to the USFL in 2005, signing with the Philadelphia Stars. Warner would spend the next 7 years as the starter in Philadelphia. With the Stars, Warner finished with a QBR over 90 in every season, including 4 consecutive years with a rating over 100. He would throw for over 22,000 yards and 155 touchdowns, and he would lead the Stars to the playoffs in 6 of 7 years, including a Summer Bowl appearance in 2010. Warner’s pair of distinct 7-year careers, one in each league, likely would not have been able to garner him a HOF nod individually, but with the two leagues agreeing to the joint nomination, Warner was a a shoe in and a quick first ballot winner for ensrhrinement.
Warner will be joined by 4 additional Open Nominees and a fifth nominee from the Legacy Commission, which selects players overlooked during their 5 standard years of eligibility. Joining Warner in the Class of 2017 are some names that we know all USFL fans know well.
Joey Galloway, WR (Ohio 1995-2010, Tampa Bay 2011-2012)
Perhaps the greatest USFL receiver of his generation, Galloway was the main weapon for fellow Hall of Famer Kerry Collins, helping the Glory to become the first (and still only) team to win back to back league titles, and to be the only USFL squad to go a complete season undefeated (2002). The former Buckeye then went on to win a 3rd title in Tampa Bay. He retired with over 24,000 yards and 197 career touchdowns.
Charles Woodson, CB (Washington 1992-2007, Atlanta 2008-2012)
In his incredible 21-season career, Woodson was not just an icon of longevity, but of quality DB play. He retired in 2012 with over 1,200 tackles, 53 picks, and an amazing 15 defensive touchdowns. A six-time All-USFL nominee, Woodson was a dynamic player who could turn any missed throw into a major disaster for an offense.
Tory Holt, WR (Los Angeles 1999-2007, Baltimore 2008-2012)
A speedy and dangerous receiver, Tory Holt was the lead target for the Express from the minute he joined the league, and in Baltimore became one of the most feared deep ball receivers in the game. He retired in 2012 with over 15,000 yards and 125 career touchdowns.
Mike Gandy, OT (Orlando 2001-2003, Memphis 2004-2011)
Gandy was the consummate bodyguard for his QBs, allowing only 33 sacks his entire career. He was a 4-time All-USFL selection and helped his clubs win 2 titles, Orlando winning in his rookie season and Memphis in 2007. This year was Gandy’s 2nd year of eligibility.
Alan Risher, QB (Arizona 1983-1984, Pittsburgh 1986-1996)
The Legacy Nominee for 2018 is a familiar face to USFL fans, particularly in the Steel City, where he was the starter for 11 seasons, leading the Maulers to the playoffs 7 times, including two Summer Bowls and the league title in 1995. Risher came to the USFL as a rookie out of LSU in the first year of the league’s existence, starting 14 games for the Arizona Wranglers in that inaugural year. Injuries cost him the 1984 season and he spent 1985 out of football. He returned to the league, healthy and ready to play in 1986, signing with Pittsburgh. He would start the final 8 games that season and would be the starter through 1995. He amassed 239 touchdowns and 34,524 yards in the league over his career and was named All-USFL twice, including during the Maulers’ 1995 title season.
So, there you have it, the Class of 2017, an historic class, and one that is certain to bring a lot of Mauler and Glory fans to Canton to celebrate their two heroes as they are enshrined this October.
2018 College Draft Class is QB Rich
With players reporting to campuses across the country, the nation is already gearing up for the 2017 NCAA football season, which means that USFL fans, especially in those cities whose clubs are already looking to the future, are thinking about the draft. January’s USFL Collegiate Drafts may be more than 6 months away, and a full college season will be played between now and then, but the 2018 Draft Class is already looking like one that could be historic. By most accounts, including those of our in-house draft experts, there are no fewer than 7 quarterbacks who could find themselves with first-round grades if they have productive seasons this fall. That means a feeding frenzy akin to a piranha attack is likely to occur in January and February as the USFL and NFL battles to sign as many potential franchise QBs as possible. So, just who may be the “meat” at the center of this feeding frenzy? Here are the 7 names being discussed, along with their USFL territorial rights.
Sam Darnold (USC): Los Angeles Express
The Trojan’s starter in 2016, Darnold threw for over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. That got our attention. He is viewed as the most pro-ready QB to come out in recent years and demonstrates a fluid motion, quick analysis of plays, and ability to make all the throws. The Express are pretty settled at QB with Sam Bradford, but could opt to go younger with Darnold if they feel he can step in immediately.
Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma): Oklahoma Outlaws
Do the Outlaws jump on the Mayfield bandwagon, potentially parting ways with former MVP Joe Flacco? We don’t see it happening, especially as Mayfield’s style is more gunslinger than game manager. The talent is there, the ability to make big plays, but also a degree of erratic output. We cannot picture the Outlaws giving up on Flacco to take that risk, so almost certainly they are looking to find a taker who is willing to give up big draft capital to obtain the Outlaws’ first T-Draft pick and take their shot at signing the exciting, if somewhat inconsistent Mayfield.
Josh Allen (Wyoming)
He is big, mobile, has a gun for an arm, and a “homespun” charm, and what is more, he is a true free agent. No USFL club has Wyoming as a protected school, which means that the Cowboys’ QB is going to the Open Draft. There are concerns about Allen’s accuracy, and about the leap up from the Mountain West to the pros, but physically, Josh Allen has a lot to offer, and teams at the top of the draft order will certainly give him a long look.
Josh Rosen (UCLA): San Diego Thunder
The Thunder have been very happy with Joe Webb, and they also have Christian Ponder under contract, so we could see them trading away a T-Draft pick to a team with a less-settled QB room. What scouts like about Rosen is his calm demeanor and analytical approach to the QB position. He is not the most physically gifted QB in the draft class, but he has good accuracy and anticipation with his throws, drawing comparisons to players like Drew Brees and Kirk Cousins, not bad company at all.
Lamar Jackson (Louisville): Philadelphia Stars
A true wildcard, the 2016 Heisman Winner as a Junior, Jackson is a true dual threat, compared often to Robert Griffin or Cam Newton for his ability to use his legs to absolutely destroy a defensive game plan. He has a cannon for an arm but needs to work on his accuracy and route reading. The Stars are getting a great season out of Matt Gutierrez, so once again this may be a situation where the club that holds the T-Draft rights is not feeling the need to draft for the QB position and is open to a trade.
Mason Rudolph (OK State): Oklahoma Outlaws
The Outlaws have that rare situation of having 2 top tier QBs available to them. Rudolph is perhaps considered a step below the names already listed and could drop to the 2nd round in the Open Draft, assuming he does not absolutely light things up in his final season at OK State. If viewed as a 2nd rounder, then we might see the Outlaws do much as Houston did with Colt McCoy, sign Rudolph, have him learn from Joe Flacco for a year or two and then step in when Flacco retires. That seems like a plan that Outlaw fans would get behind.
Kyle Lauletta (Richmond)
Another true free agent, Lauletta will get a lot of attention from USFL clubs that do not have a Top 5 pick in the Open Draft. The level of competition at Richmond has not been that of most of the other QBs listed, but Lauletta has shown some skills and some potential for growth. The best fit for him may be a club that has an aging veteran starter and wants someone to develop into the next QB for the club, rather than a team that is looking for immediate help.
So, seven QBs will get a lot of attention this season, ahead of the USFL and NFL drafts, but this is not a QB-only draft, there is some serious talent on the board and in the wings and a team that is not overly concerned about the QB position could find themselves a real gem all across the roster. Here are 10 players we think should be early picks or T-Draft targets.
HB Saquon Barkley (Penn State): Philadelphia Stars
There is no way that Barkley gets out of the first round in either the USFL or NFL Draft. But with Philadelphia over the moon with “King” Henry as their lead back, the best chance to land Barkley may be for a team to negotiate a deal with Philly to get into the T-Draft. With both Barkley and Lamar Jackson in Philly’s protected pool, the Stars could clean up by trading away those T-Draft picks.
CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State): Ohio Glory
You know Coach Coughlin is scouting Ward hard. The consensus number one corner in the draft, and right there in Columbus with the Glory next door, we expect that the Glory will not only protect Ward in the T-Draft but spend some quality time wooing the corner ahead of the NFL draft.
DE Bradley Chubb (NC State): Charlotte Monarchs
It is a question of cap space for the Monarchs. They would love to add Chubb on the opposite side from Chandler Jones, but they have more pressing needs, so we may well see Charlotte either trade away the pick or let Chubb go to the open draft. If he does, he will clearly be the first edge rusher taken.
OG Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame): Chicago Machine
Considered the most pro-ready and can’t miss prospect in the draft, Nelson is a Week 1 starter for whoever picks him. That is likely to be Chicago, using their T-Draft prerogative. They can go for more immediate areas of need with the Open Draft and in free agency, but landing a solid 10-year starter at guard would be a good move for the Machine.
LB Roquan Smith (Georgia): Atlanta Fire
Coach Arians has already commented on how much he loves Smith’s game, his explosiveness, aggressiveness, and nose for the ball. We could easily see Atlanta wooing Smith, selecting him in the T-Draft, and lining him up along with Luke Kuechley and Patrick Willis to form perhaps the most physically gifted LB trio in the league.
S Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): Birmingham Stallions
It seems like every year the Stallions have a rich pool of Bama and Auburn players to pick from. But, considering the issues the Stallions have on defense, bypassing Fitzpatrick would be an absolute blunder. He is exactly the kind of presence this club needs on the back end of that defense.
DT Vita Vea (Washington): Seattle Dragons
The Dragons have to see Vea as an upgrade at DT, though Broderick Bunkley has had a good 2nd half to the season. Vea is a space-eating, run-stuffing big man in the middle. He won’ t necessarily get to the QB, but somehow, some way, that halfback is getting stuffed by Vea on the inside run, and that is a nice thing to have.
DE Marcus Davenport (UTSA)
We love when there are real talents at schools that are not protected, because it adds excitement to the Open Draft. Unless some of the QBs escape the T-Draft unselected (which seems unlikely), we see Davenport as a possible Top 5 pick in the USFL Open Draft, and that can help a USFL sign him, because he likely slips into the mid-teens in the NFL’s Draft, which does not have the Territorial rounds the USFL has. When picks are higher draft choices in the USFL Open Draft than the NFL Draft, they often lean towards the spring league and the higher initial paycheck.
LB Tremaine Edmunds (Va Tech): Washington Federals
Physically gifted, but perhaps a bit too dependent on instincts rather than disciplined positioning and assignments, Edmunds does need some coaching up, but since Washington does not yet have a head coach for next year, whether he is picked by the Feds and chooses to come to Washington may well depend on just who the Federals tab to be their new head coach.
S Derwin James (FSU): Tampa Bay Bandits
James is a playmaker, pure and simple. He will make the big hit to shake a ball loose or take inside position to snatch a ball away from a receiver. He is an intimidator and a disciplined defender. With Will Allen likely nearing the end of his career, we could see Tampa Bay go for James and possibly trade away Allen to get some value. Not a bad move for a team that needs more “pop” in their defense.
So, there you go, 17 players who will be big stories come January. Expect a lot of movement on the T-Draft trading block, because there is a lot of talent on the table, including at the most coveted position of all, and in many cases the team with a key prospect’s rights may well be in a mood to trade those rights for the right price. Should be a wild build up to the draft.
Week 14 looks a lot like a palette cleanser, with only 4 divisional games on the slate. Yes, all the games, divisional or not, have stakes at this point of the season, but it does feel odd to have so few intra-divisional matchups so close to the season finale. That said, it is a fun weekend, with lots of inter-divisional showdowns that will impact playoff position, starting on Friday night when two 7-6 clubs face off in the Meadowlands. Both New Jersey and LA have a lot on the line, and neither can afford to drop to 7-7, not with the Wild Card race so tight in both conferences.
On Saturday, we are looking forward to the Charlotte-San Diego clash, two teams with a lot to prove as most of the attention this season has gone to the 1-loss Gamblers, Stars, and Wranglers. We are also looking at that Memphis-Houston night game. The Showboats took down unbeaten Philadelphia. Can they take down the Gamblers as well, or is Houston ready for them?
On Sunday, we have some teams who cannot afford to lose going head to head, including Orlando visiting Birmingham, with the Renegades desperate to do anything to snap their 5-game slide. Birmignham can reach .500 and be right in the mix for a Wild Card if they can use some home cooking to make Orlando’s slide hit 6 games. We have two 7-6 teams meeting in Ohio when the Vipers come to play the Glory in a game that could determine which of the two is in the Wild Card playoff and which is watching from home. New Orleans hosts the Wranglers in a “prove it” game for all those who think that the Breakers are just not in the same league as the USFL elites. And, a weird one to watch, but one that could be very important come January, the 3-win Skyhawks are at the 2-win Stags. Does Portland play for the draft pick or do they go for win number three. Fans are split on this, but you know the players in Portland want that W.
FRI 7PM ET Los Angeles (7-6) @ New Jersey (7-6) ABC
FRI 9PM ET Denver (7-5-1) @ Dallas (5-8) ESPN/EFN
SAT 12PM ET Oakland (5-8) @ Philadelphia (12-1) ABC
SAT 12PM ET Baltimore (7-6) @ Pittsburgh (5-9-1) FOX
SAT 4PM ET Oklahoma (6-7) @ Michigan (10-3) ABC
SAT 4PM ET Charlotte (8-5) @ San Diego (10-3) FOX
SAT 7PM ET Tampa Bay (5-8) @ Jacksonville (4-9) NBC
SAT 9PM ET Memphis (6-7) @ Houston (12-1) ESPN/EFN
SUN 12PM ET Orlando (5-8) @ Birmingham (6-7) ABC
SUN 12PM ET Las Vegas (7-6) @ Ohio (7-6) FOX Regional
SUN 12PM ET Chicago (4-9) @ Atlanta (5-8) FOX Regional
SUN 4PM ET Washington (2-11) @ Seattle (6-7) ABC
SUN 4PM ET St. Louis (3-10) @ Portland (2-11) FOX
SUN 8PM ET Arizona (12-1) @ New Orleans (8-5) ESPN/EFN
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