2020 USFL Conference Championships Recap

It will be a battle of one seeds once again as the Tampa Bay Bandits and the Michigan Panthers prove they are the class of each conference and snag their golden ticket to Summer Bowl 2020. It will be quite a clash of styles as Coach McDermott’s defensive-minded squad, and the LeVeon Bell run game of the Panthers matches up against the high-flying offense of Dak Prescott and the Bandits. We will give you the 411 on how each team cleared the last hurdle to the league title game and earned their way back to the big game. We will also finish our list of the biggest USFL offseason questions, update you on some coaching searches, and reveal the big winners from this year’s somewhat bizarre Virtual Gala. It was not the star-studded event we are all used to, at least not in Charlotte, but a series of pre-taped vignettes with live commentary from ESPN hosts, but at the end of the day we had all five major USFL awards presented as well as the 2020 All-USFL team. But we kick it all off with our run down of the 5 biggest questions facing the league this offseason.

The Ten Biggest USFL Offseason Questions (Part 2)

We have run down questions 10-6, starting with Birmingham’s strategy for the T-Draft, talking through the best defenders available in free agency, the question of first-year coaches, and the quarterbacks most likely to find a new home. So, what are the 5 burning questions that topped those issues? Well, here they are, the five biggest offseason questions to be answered this winter.

5- Is Calais Campbell Ready to Ride into the Sunset?

Campbell’s deal with Arizona is wrapping up, with him officially becoming a free agent as of Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. The Wranglers seem very nonchalant about his lack of a deal, so does that mean they know something we don’t? Do they feel confident that he will re-sign with them, or do they know he is about to announce his retirement? After leading the league in sacks both years in Arizona, it seems unlikely they are just cool with him going on the market, so either he has told them that his playing days are through, or they feel very good about a deal that just has not been inked yet.

4- Who Will Land Former Skyhawk HB Eddie Lacy in Free Agency?

He is without a doubt the best back in free agency, all apologies to New England’s Kerwynn Williams, and he may be the top prospect overall. Lacy is only 27, and while an injury cost him nearly 10 starts this year, he still had over 500 yards, averaging nearly 100 per game. If his abdominal tear is fully healed, as it appeared to be late in the season, we cannot imagine that he won’t get a 3–4-year deal to become someone’s new lead back. So, just who is in the running for the big bruising back? Here are 5 teams we think will be in the market in a big way.

JACKSONVILLE

The Bulls traded away Matt Jones, and we don’t see Devin Singletary as a 3-down back, so there is certainly interest in a back like Lacy who can move the chains and help Jacksonville grind out wins in all those close games they always seem to be caught up in.

DALLAS

Yes, Samaje Perine had some good games this year, but he only crossed 100 yards once and 80 yards twice more. Imagine how much easier Justin Herbert’s life would be if he could get 1,200 yards out of his back. The addition of Lacy could move Dallas into a real battle for the SW Division title and could make them a very tough team to match up against.

ORLANDO

Ty Montgomery and Knile Davis combined for 1,200 yards, and both averaged over 4.3 YPG, so why are we pitching them as an option? Well, because neither Montgomery nor Davis is a solid inside runner. Orlando turned to FB Jay Ballard and even Russell Wilson far too often on 3^rd and short. They need a pounder to get those key yards. Maybe they go that route in the draft, but if they want a proven option, Lacy makes sense.

NEW ENGLAND

We know the Steamrollers are hoping to re-sign Kerwynn Williams, who had 934 yards for them this year, averaging 4.1 per carry. And, with Matt Forte apparently poised to announce a retirement, maybe they are happy if they can retain Williams, but we think that there is a good chance they cannot convince the back to return to Boston, in which case, adding Lacy would be a very positive step for a team that did quite well in their first year at 6-10.

NEW JERSEY

The moment Maurice Jones-Drew, the league runner up in yardage the past 3 years, and the centerpiece of the Generals’ offense, announced his retirement, New Jersey shot to the top of the Eddie Lacy fan club. Expect New Jersey to go hard after Lacy. They need a back who can force teams to stack the box, otherwise their passing game is toast. Lacy is a great fit, not as good in the passing game as MJD, but few are. What he could provide is a run game that opposing defenses have to respect with 8- or 9-man boxes, and that will make Nick Foles and OBJ very happy.

3- What Will February’s NFL-USFL Transfer Window Look Like?

There are rumors that both the NFL and USFL are interested in moving up the window to January, even before the Super Bowl is played, but that feels very unlikely. More probable is that there will be new rules put in place to allow teams to negotiate ahead of the window, with deals only becoming official once it opens. The NFL is worried that by February there will be almost no USFL free agents left to choose from, while the USFL is hoping to have rosters pretty solidly in place before camps open in February, something that could be a real issue if USFL free agents hold out to give the NFL time to counter offer what other USFL teams have proposed. What we could see is a wild scramble for talent in both directions, and neither league is happy about that prospect.

2- How Will Jacksonville Handle the Trevor Lawrence Derby?

This was a huge subject of debate within our bullpen. Just what should the Bulls do at QB? They have Teddy Bridgewater under contract through 2024, and he did just put up a 3,000-yard season with a very solid 87.4 QB Rating. But on the other hand, many are calling Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence a generational QB and the best prospect since Andrew Luck. So, does Jacksonville make a deal, what could be a very lucrative deal, to sell the rights to their first T-Draft selection, possibly gaining multiple 1^st round picks in the Open Draft, but also possibly alienating fans who want to see Lawrence in Garnet and Orange? Or, alternatively, do they select Lawrence for themselves and then find a new home for Bridgewater?

Going the rookie QB route means giving up on a player who has outperformed all expectations. It means giving up the sure thing for a potential superstar who could also be a potential bust. There would be no shortage of takers for Bridgewater, but even with his credentials, Jacksonville might get more in trade if they deal away the rights to Lawrence. There is certainly an upside either way. We know what most fans want, they want a shot to see Lawrence as a Bull, but what if that also requires another 2–3-year development curve. Will fans and ownership be patient with head coach Winston Moss, or would he be placed on the hot seat as soon as he drafts the Clemson QB. The conservative play would be to stick with Bridgewater and get as much value as they can for their T-Draft pick. But conservative may not be what the Bulls need, especially after being declared the most “futile” franchise in the league right here on This is the USFL.

1- Will We Be Back to Normal by March?

You knew this had to be the big question. We have played an entire USFL season without fans in the stands, and while that is very unlikely for 2021, could we still see hub structures in place in March? What about capacity caps? There is hope that a vaccine is on the way, but will it arrive in time for the league to feel comfortable playing games and having full travel plans to 30 cities across the nation. Will all 30 locations allow full attendance? Would a vaccine require proof of vaccination? What if players refuse? What if fans refuse? How would the league even begin to regulate who is approved to enter the stadium and who is not?

So many questions, and so much of it is in the air until we know what the medical and social realities are in Spring 2021. The hope, of course, is that Covid-19 will be out of our lives, but that feels very unrealistic. More likely is a winter relapse of higher infection rates and potentially a second major wave of hospitalizations that even a new vaccine would not remove. We all have to wait and see. We know the league can play a season under tough circumstances, they have just done that, but we also know that fans want their teams in their home cities, and they want to be in the stadium, so, just how does that happen?

ARIZONA WRANGLERS 21  MICHIGAN PANTHERS 24

Both Arizona and Michigan came into this game with a mindset of shortening the game, minimizing their opponent’s possessions and controlling the tempo. So it is not surprising that we ended up with a game where neither team earned more than 31 minutes of possession and where the stats lined up pretty evenly. Both teams were able to rely on their run games, with Arizona’s combo of Ka’Deem Carey and Isaiah Crowell racking up 106 yards on 26 carries while LeVeon Bell had 83 on 24 carries, with a nice change of pace with Alexander Mattison gaining 65 yards on only 7 carries (40 on one play.). But, while Kirk Cousins was an efficient 14 of 23 for 141 yards and a touchdown, Arizona’s Tom Savage struggled, completing only 9 of 34 attempts, with 2 TDs and 2 picks. Savage connected with only 3 receivers on the day, DeMarcus Robinson (4 for 125 and 1 score), Brandon Aiyuk (3 for 123) and Carlos Rogers (2 for 13 with a TD). Not a single completion to a back or a tight end. Meanwhile the lead receiver for Michigan was not Cody Latimer, who was held without a catch on the day, but LeVeon Bell, with 4 receptions. Arizona blanketed Latimer all day, challenging Cousins to look elsewhere, and he did, with 6 other receivers catching passes, including a TD to little used TE Ladarius Green.

The slow-paced game took quite a bit of time to get going, with only a lone Michigan field goal on the board after 1 quarter and a modest 7-6 Arizona lead at the half. The Wranglers got on the board thanks to a 44-yard Savage to Robinson pass as the Wrangler QB escaped a pretty nasty pass rush, allowing Robinson to shed his coverage and make the play.

The scoring picked up in the 3^rd quarter, spurred by a 12-play drive on Michigan’s opening possession, a drive ignited by a 19-yard completion to Kevin Kraft on a 3^rd and 9 and finished with LeVeon Bell’s 6-yard TD scamper. The Panthers went for 2, got it, and led 14-7. But, Arizona proved resilient and evened the score on the next possession, with Isaiah Crowell carrying the ball 3 times for 18 yards and Ka’Deem Carey getting 22 yards on 4 carries, including the 5-yard TD run that knotted the game up at 14 apiece.

Michigan would get back on the board in the final minute of the 3^rd quarter, with Cousins first hitting Martellus Bennett over the middle for what could have been a 9-yard gain, but turned into a 37-yard romp after the big tight end stiff armed FS Nate Allen. 3 plays later it was Cousins to Green for the score and Michigan took a 21-14 lead into the final quarter.

The Panthers got two back to back plays midway through the final period to build a 10-point lead. The first was a pick of Tom Savage, with DT Caruan Reed tipping the Arizona QB’s pass and MLB Odell Thurman coming away with the ball. On the very next play, backup HB Alexander Mattison broke through the Arizona defense and rumbled 40 yards to the Arizona 24 before finally getting tackled. Michigan could not punch the ball in, but a 36-yard kick from Chase McLaughlin gave them a 2-score lead with only 5:25 left to play.

Arizona would mount a good drive to get the score back down the 3 points, picking up 3 first downs thanks to a combination of the run game and an encroachment call on 3^rd and 3. Savage added his second TD pass of the game, a short 2-yard slant to Rogers, and with 2:23 left to play, the Wranglers opted to kick the ball deep and depend on their defense. But, while the defense had played well against Kirk Cousins and the passing game, they had struggled to contain the running backs, and what we saw on the final possession was Michigan’s ability to grind out first downs (3 of them) to end the game with the ball in their hands. The Panthers held the ball, wound down the clock, and took the W and the pass to Charlotte to appear in the Summer Bowl, returning after a 2-year absence and hoping to nab a 5^th title to tie Houston as the all-time USFL Championship leader.

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HOUSTON GAMBLERS 31  TAMPA BAY BANDITS 58

If the Western Final was about ball control and clock management, the Eastern Championship was all about quick strikes and offensive fireworks. Tampa Bay was so dominant in the first half that the national TV numbers took a nosedive at the half, with only about 40% of the viewers who started the game sticking around. They missed some good second half play from Houston, but far too little to overcome the hole they found themselves in after Tampa Bay put up 37 points before Houston finally got on the board with 9 seconds left in the first half.

The first half looked like a one-team show, with Tampa Bay scoring on 6 of their 7 possessions. Drive after drive the Bandits made big plays and simply ripped through the Houston defense. First it was a 25-yard TD toss from Prescott to Grant to open the scoring, then a 27-yarder to Bryant to produce a 13-0 lead after 1 quarter. The second quarter saw the passing game get the ball down field for back-to-back red zone touchdown runs, first a 4-yarder from Matt Breida and then another 4-yarder from Dalvin Cook. When Dez Bryant caught his second TD of the day, this time from 30 yards out, the game was well out of hand. A Butker field goal in the final minute of the half gave Tampa Bay a 37-0 lead, and even huge 75-yard McCoy to Reynolds bomb in the final minute could not help Michigan feel that they were in the game.

In just the first half alone, Dak Prescott threw for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns. Dalvin Cook had 77 of his eventual 154 yards, and Dez Bryant had 3 catches for 102 yards. He would end the game with 4 for 122, Grant would have 3 for 112, and 8 different receivers would see the ball over the course of the game. The final stats were astounding, 623 total yards, including 422 through the air (even backup B. J. Daniels went 3 for 3 for 51 yards and a touchdown.) Michigan would battle back in the second half, with Colt McCoy connecting with Denzel Mims, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Josh Reynolds again, but it was just not enough.

The game went from 37-7 at the half to 44-21 after 3 quarters and 58-31 by the game’s conclusion. The Bandits never giving Michigan a chance to get within 20 until the final minute of play. Despite taking their foot off the pedal, Tampa Bay still added 21 points in the 2^nd half, with Dalvin Cook, Matt Breida and Darnell Mooney each scoring. Houston never stopped trying, but while their offense found some success against a relaxed Bandit D, the defense never found answers to Tampa Bay’s assault.

The Bandits claimed victory, celebrating their first trip back to the Summer Bowl since their 2011 league title. Houston, who entered the playoffs as a 6 seed, left wondering if they were witnessing the end of an era, an era that saw them appear in the last 3 Summer Bowls, winning a title in 2018. They still have a solid core, but it does feel that this game was an indicator that they are no longer a dominant force in the East.

Bandit Offensive Stars Shine Bright in Title Game

There is no way to deny it, the Bandits’ offense was absolutely dominant in the Eastern Finals. And it was the big stars who came up big. That included Dak Prescott, who finished the game with 371 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. It also included Dalvin Cook’s 2-touchdown, 154-yard outing, as well as 100-yard games from both Bryant and Grant out wide. Even TE Ryan Izzo had himself a game, catching 5 balls for 93 yards, including a nice 38-yard catch and run that included just a bit of bowling-ball action as he ran through defenders.

The way Tampa Bay carved up a pretty solid Houston defense has to make Michigan worry about their matchup in Summer Bowl 2020. The Bandits have just so many weapons that it is hard to see how even the Panthers’ D can contain them for 60 minutes. If Cook can get rolling, then the defenders cant overload against the pass, which means Bryant or Cook can find coverages to beat and get deep balls to flip the field. It will be a huge challenge, and if the Bandits can also rely on others to play a part, whether it is HB Matt Breida, slot receiver Deebo Samuel, or tight ends Jordan Cameron and Ryan Izzo, well we may end up seeing another blowout victory for the 15-1 Champions of the East.

Savage Struggles but Campbell & Klien Keep Arizona Close

When your QB goes 9 of 34 and throws 2 picks, you are going to need some help on defense to keep the game close, and that is what Arizona got from its best defensive players. Calais Campbell, the 2020 DPOTY and league sack champion for the 12^th straight season, had a typical Campbell game, disrupting the Michigan line and recording 6 tackles and 2 sacks. Linebacker A. J. Klien also played well, with 2 sacks of his own, along with 7 tackles and a forced fumble. But perhaps the biggest game of all was from unheralded linebacker Mykal Walker, who finished the game with 11 tackles, 4 for loss, and a sack. It was a solid outing for the Wrangler defense, with all the pressure on, but with the offense unable to hold up its end, Arizona just could not hold off the Panthers forever, and despite their solid play, they left the stadium without a game left to play.

Latimer a Non-Factor in Title Game

One of the more shocking stats from this weekend’s Arizona-Michigan conference title game was the stat line for Cody Latimer, the lead receiver for the Panthers. Latimer had one target, no catches, and was only on the field for 22 snaps. On Monday we learned why. Latimer suffered a calf strain on the very first play of the game, attempting to block for LeVeon Bell. He had his ankle retaped, played most of the game, with limited snaps, but was largely a decoy because he simply could not reach a top speed with his calf as it was.

It turned out that Michigan did not need him in order to get the W, but they certainly will this week. Latimer is listed as “probable” for the game, but there is concern that he may not be at full potential, or, even worse, that the calf injury could be worsened if he pushes himself in the Summer Bowl, leading to further injury and the loss of one of Kirk Cousins’ primary weapons in the most important matchup of the year. If Latimer is 100%, then he almost certainly will be a focal point in Michigan’s attack, but if he is unable to go at full speed, that could be a very tough blow to the Panthers’ chances against an explosive Bandit squad.

The Latimer injury is the one being watched closely, but we should also be looking at the injury to Tampa Bay CB Ken Webster. Without him in the game, the Panthers could have success getting secondary receivers like Donavan Peoples-Jones or Kevin Kraft mixed into their gameplan.

MGN:  WR C. Ridley (Out), OT D. Dotson (P), WR C. Latimer (P)

TBY:   CB R. Cockrell (Out), LB P. Brown (D), CB K. Webster (P)

Ohio Closing in on Gruden

It is looking a lot like a full 180 from the Ohio Glory as they seem more and more focused on former Atlanta Fire and Washington Redskin head coach Jay Gruden as their man for the open position. It would be hard to name a coach less like former Glory head man Tom Coughlin than Gruden. The affable, jovial, and light-hearted “players’ coach”, Gruden, is a very different take on the position than the often gruff, always dour, and usually tight-lipped Coughlin. And the differences don’t end at personality. Coughlin was a defensive-minded, grind the ball out, old school coach who would love to win games 13-10 and who believed that discipline was the key to victory. Gruden is an offensive innovator, a coach who believes in passing to open up the run, not the other way around, and who wants his players to feel relaxed and enjoy the game as a motivator to want to win games. 

Former Fire & Redskin HC Jay Gruden

Nothing is official yet, but Ohio seems very close to both signing and announcing Gruden as their guy. What does that mean for the Glory team we will see take the field in 2021? Well, for one thing, expect far fewer 2-TE or 2-back formations on offense. Instead we could see a lot of 3- and 4-receiver sets and an offense where both the halfback and quarterback are running with only 5 linemen in front of them. Why did we say the QB would be running? Well, pretty much everyone and their cousin knows that the Glory are pushing hard to ensure that Ohio State star QB Justin Fields is ready to sign on the dotted line as soon as the Glory pick him with their 1^st territorial pick. The pocket presence of Christian Hackenberg is out (he is already being shipped around as trade fodder) and the Glory are ready to embrace Fields as the next big thing both coming out of and staying in Columbus. Hiring an offensive-minded coach like Gruden, especially one who has worked with mobile QBs in the past, seems a clear indicator that the Glory are ready to move on from smashmouth to spread and from conservative to experimental as they try to regain their status within the league and return to being a playoff team.

Vipers Visit with Greg Landry

Another team that might be closing in on their next head coach is Las Vegas. Only 3 weeks after letting former USFL quarterback Rick Neuheisel go, it appears the Vipers are ready to try their luck with another former USFL quarterback in Greg Landry. Landry, the veteran NFL QB who started with the Chicago Blitz and finished his career with Arizona, has visited the Vipers’ facilities in Henderson, Nevada twice in the past 3 weeks and appears to be the frontrunner to take on the Vipers’ head coaching position. 

Former Outlaw HC Greg Landry

Of course, no one is hiring Landry based on his 4-year USFL career under center. He was head coach of the Texas Outlaws from 2010 through 2018, released from duties 1 year into their new life in Oklahoma. During that 9-season stint, Landry had the Outlaws in the USFL playoffs five times, including three division titles (2011, 2012, and 2014) and a trip to the Summer Bowl, the only one in Outlaw history, in 2014. Many believe that he was forced out by the new Oklahoma Outlaw ownership less because of his record with the team than because they saw an opportunity to bring in OU coaching legend Bob Stoops.

Known for a balanced pro-style attack that featured Joe Flacco and Marshawn Lynch in Texas, paired with a 4-3 defense that depended on strong front line pressure, the Outlaws were a solid club for much of Landry’s tenure. In Las Vegas he would have some of the pieces he would need to replicate that style, including a pretty solid pocket passing QB in Matt McGloin and a defense led by DE Matthew Judon, LBs Nick Perry and Nate Irving, and SS Eric Berry. The biggest need for the Vipers continues to be at HB, where a trade for Matt Jones did not improve what was one of the league’s worst rushing attacks. A speed receiver to pair with Aaron Dobson, offensive line upgrades, and more bulk on the D-line are also priorities.

2020 USFL Award Winners & All-USFL Team Named

No gala this year, thanks to Covid-19, but we did have a virtual “celebration” of the USFL 2020 season this week, with appearances by legendary players and coaches, as well as several celebrity fans, all via video and presented on the ESPN Football Network and streaming on ESPN.com. But, despite the odd feel of a fully virtual presentation ceremony, the awards for 2020’s best and brightest were announced, and the winners recognized. Here are your 2020 USFL Award Winners and the 2020 All-USFL team as we prepare for Summer Bowl 2020.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Tampa Bay Bandit QB Dak Prescott

Prescott wins back to back MVP awards thanks to a stellar 15-1 season for the Bandits and some outstanding numbers. The Bandit QB finished the regular season with 4,237 yards, 37 touchdowns and only 7 picks. Of course, he is adding to those totals with a strong playoff performance, guiding the Bandits back to the Summer Bowl for the first time since 2011. He beat out New Orleans’s Geno Smith, garnering over 75% of the ballots for the award. 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Michigan HB LeVeon Bell

For the third year in a row, and the 4^th in the past 5 years, the USFL has honored LeVeon Bell with the OPOTY. That is an amazing run, one which parallels his run of league rushing titles. His 1,529 yards this season marks his third consecutive year above the 1,500-yard threshold, and, like Prescott, he has continued to shine in the postseason, setting up a battle in Summer Bowl 2020 between the MVP and the OPOTY. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Arizona DE Calais Campbell

It almost feels unnecessary to try to picture anyone else winning this award each year. Campbell is the dominant player of this generation, having won the league’s sack title now 12 years in a row. Hard to believe that he actually started the year slowly, missing 2 games and falling 5 sacks behind Orlando’s Montez Sweat. But that was the reality 5 weeks into the season, but in the end he not only caught, but surpassed Sweat, finishing 2020 with 26 sacks, 4 more than his replacement in Orlando.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Dallas QB Justin Herbert

The former Oregon Duck watched and learned over the season’s first six weeks, but once he was called upon to start in Week 7, Herbert switched from student to master, putting up amazing numbers over the season’s final 10 weeks and helping the Roughnecks finally cross .500 as a team and make their first playoff appearance since the club moved from Boston. Herbert finished the year with 21 touchdowns (again, in only 10 games) and 2,716 games, and with him at QB the Roughnecks developed into one of the league’s best passing attacks. A lot of folks in Big D are eager to see what he can do in a full sophomore season. 

COACH OF THE YEAR: Atlanta’s Jaime Elizondo

Turn a team from 4-11-1 to to 13-3 in one season and you fully deserve this award. Elizondo, who spent only 1 year as the OC for the Bandits before being taken on by Atlanta, proved once again just what he is able to do with an offense. After helping turn Tampa Bay into an offensive Juggernaut by importing schemes from his days in the CFL, Elizondo was given the reins of an underperforming Atlanta Fire squad and immediately got results, producing an offense that averaged over 30 points per game and turning the combination of Aaron Murray, Nick Chubb, and A. J. Green into one of the best “triplet” groups in the league.

ALL-USFL TEAM

The All-USFL Team features the 44 players who stood out in 2020 and were voted by a panel of writers, coaches, and team captains across the USFL to be honored. But, since there are always a few names that seem deserving and don’t get their spot, we are going to add five more names as our unofficial “Also damned good” members of the roster.

QB: Dak Prescott (TBY), Geno Smith (NOR), Cam Newton (BIR

Two obvious choices and a player who was individually a rock star despite playing on a 3-13 Stallion Squad. Despite being somehow (amazingly) unable to turn his individual quality into team wins, Newton had a phenomenal year, passing for 4,250 yards and 31 touchdowns while also running for 562 yards and 6 more scores. Coach Haley had better figure out a way to build around him, because the Stallions are absolutely wasting his amazing talents.

HB: LeVeon Bell (MGN), Maurice Jones-Drew (NJ), Knowshon Moreno (SEA)

MJD gets his 5^th All-USFL nod in his final season, putting up 1,349 to finish second behind Bell. Moreno helped guide the Dragons to a playoff berth and had his best season as a Dragon with 1,240 yards and 12 TDs in 2020.

FB: Khari Blasingame (CHA)

If you don’t know his name, we are not stunned, but ask Latavius Murray and Nyheim Hines what they think about their fullback and they will praise him all day long. He helped them combine for over 1,700 yards rushing. As a rusher he had only 6 carries all season (1TD) but as a receiver, with 42 receptions, he proved he could do more than clear a path for the Monarch tailbacks. Keep an eye on him as part of the passing game in 2021.

TE: Jordan Cameron (TBY), Coby Fleener (NOR)

No shocker that the two MVP candidate quarterbacks both had All-USFL tight ends. Both Cameron and Fleener are outstanding receivers, too big for a safety to cover, too fast for a linebacker. Between the two of them they had 1,900 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.

WR: Jordy Nelson (NOR), Sammy Watkins (DAL), Devin Funchess (MEM), Dez Bryant (DAL),

Brandin Cooks (POR)

Two new faces in the WR group recognize two breakout stars as Memphis’s Devin Funchess had a huge second season with 102 catches, 1,547 yards and 10 TDs as half of an absolutely devastating 1-2 punch with Robert Woods (Woods had 113 catches, 1,324 yards and 15 touchdowns, the league’s first two-100-catch-receiver combo ever). Meanwhile, with the immediate impact of Justin Herbert, former Buffalo Bill Sammy Watkins had a revival with 96 catches for 1,644 yards and 11 touchdowns. Expect more from him as Herbert continues to develop into an elite USFL QB.

OT: Willie Colon (NOR), Brandon Scherff (ARZ), Tytus Howard (DAL)

The ageless wonder, Willie Colon, gets his 3^rd All-USFL honor at 36, and seems ready for more. Scherff is a beast and certainly the best friend of David Carr and the Wrangler HBS, while Tytus Howard came on this year, with an amazing 117 pancakes and only 1 sack allowed in 992 snaps. Think about that, that is an 11.7 % pancake rate and only a 0.1% sack rate, just amazing numbers for the 2^nd year LT.

OG: Jon Asamoah (HOU), Dru Samia (ARZ), Cole Madison (POR)

Asamoah earns All-USFL honors for the 4^th consecutive year (5^th in 6 years) as the recognized paragon of the position. He is joined by two first timers, Arizona’s Dru Samia (2^nd year player) and 3^rd year RG Cole Madison of Portland.

C: Frank Ragnow (TBY), Shaq Mason (HOU)

Two veteran pivots who know how to run their lines and protect their QBs. For Ragnow, this is his 2^nd All-USFL honor, for Mason his 6^th.

DE: Calais Campbell (ARZ), Montez Sweat (ORL), Shaquile Riddick (PIT)

Can we just take a moment here to recognize the amazing tradition of edge rushers the Orlando Renegades have. First it was Chris Doleman, who terrorized offensive coordinators and quarterbacks for 14 years to the tune of 198 career sacks. Doleman retires and they get Campbell, recognized as the greatest sack artist in USFL history, still playing at 35, with a ludicrous 353 career sacks, and when he goes to Arizona they draft Montez Sweat, who in his first two years has 39 sacks and 2 All-USFL seasons. That is a crazy legacy of greatness for one team.

DT: Aaron Donald (NE), Chris Jones (LA), Dan Williams (MEM)

In one group we have the total package in Donald, a penetration and sack-securing DT in Jones, and a true space-eater in Williams, three very different styles, but three dominant D-linemen by any measure.

LB: Sean Lee (JAX), Aldon Smith (NJ), Keith Rivers (LA), Uchena Nwosu (LA), Luke Kuechley (ATL), and Khalil Mack (SEA)

If you want to know the secret to LA’s shut down defense, look no further than the cobo of Rivers and Nwosu. Now put those two behind Chris Jones and in front of Stephon Gilmore and there is no secret why the Express are so tough to score on. And lets give a special shout out to Sean Lee, who recorded his 6^th consecutive 100-tackle seasons, with many of those outstanding years on some pretty horrible Jacksonville Bulls teams. Let’s hope he gets a chance to play some playoff football at some point in his stellar career.

CB: Jalen Ramsey (TBY), Rasul Douglas (PIT), Josh Norman (CHI), Tye Smith (SD

Tampa Bay has 6^th All-USFL nominees, the best of any team in the league (New Orleans has 4, then Arizona, LA, Memphis and Portland with 3 each). Ramsey is the classic shut-down corner, and he is not shy about telling you how good he is. Douglas came on strong this year for a much-improved Mauler D, and Josh Norman continues to be a team leader on a very solid Machine D. And while a lot went wrong in San Diego this year, Tye Smith continued to be a shining star even in a dark night of a season.

S: Marqueston Huff (OAK), Derwin James (TBY), Earl Thomas (ATL), Rudy Ford (POR)

Three very familiar names, including Tampa Bay’s centerfielder and Atlanta’s “Hammer” on defense, but Rudy Ford is a player too few around the country know, but trust us, offensive coordinators know about the 4^th year safety who had 70 tackles and 6 picks for the Stags.

ST: Kicker Lewis Ward (MEM) and Punter Jesse Slade

Ward not only led the league with 147 points this year, but also kicked a league-best 62-yarder. Slade, who had more punt attempts than any other punter in the league (sorry San Diego), not only racked up yards, but also put 37 punts inside the 20, which is about the only thing that went right for the Thunder defense all year long.

OUR 5 “SHOULDA BEEN” All-USFL Nominees

WR Aaron Dobson (LV): We get it, being a possession receiver is not glamorous, and being one on a team that won only 3 games makes it even harder to be recognized, but when you have 138 receptions, you deserve a nod. The undisputed master of the mid-range route, and one of the toughest players to cover, Dobson may not be reeling in 60-yard bombs, but he is exactly what every team craves on 3^rd and 8.

TE Kyle Rudolph (SEA): With the rise of the TE as a receiving option in the USFL, it seems a shame that there are only 2 All-USFL spots. And while we certainly see Cameron and Fleener as deserving of honors, Rudolph also deserves some kudos. He tied with two others to lead all TE’s with 75 receptions, and his 7 touchdowns were a big reason Brett Hundley had the kind of year he did.

OT Taylor Lewan (JAX): Hard to get an All-USFL nod at Right Tackle on a team with a losing record, but if you want to road grate someone, just piledrive a defender into the ground, you cannot go much better than Lewan, who had a league-best 129 pancakes and dominated as a pulling tackle in the Bulls’ run game (despite their lack of a true bell cow back.)

LB Gabe Miller (SAN): The Gunslinger D had 2 linebackers with more than 100 tackles this year, which is a sign of a D that needs a better D-line, but takes nothing away from the outstanding skills of Miller, who was consistently solid with Jacksonville and Charlotte before getting the chance to be “the man” for the expansion Gunslingers. He racked up his first 100 tackle season (25 behind the line of scrimmage) but also added 5 sacks.

K Younghoe Koo (HOU): We absolutely acknowledge that Lewis Ward should be the All-USFL kicker as the league leader in points, but we have to recognize what Koo did this year. He never missed. Not once. He went 32 of 32 on field goals, and 41 of 42 on PATs. But, you ask, doesn’t that mean he missed a PAT? No, he didn’t. The holder fumbled the snap, pulled the ball away and tried to run, but since Koo went through the motion, they are somehow calling that a missed PAT instead of a failed 2-point try. Blame the stats guy, but in our book, he went a perfect 73 for 73 when his foot contacted the ball. That is quite a season!

SUMMER BOWL PREVIEW

Ten Players Who Could Determine the USFL Title

As much as any league title depends on a mix of preparation, talent, scheme, and motivation, it relies very much on the players themselves. Big name players making big plays in big moments. Lesser-known players stepping up to make a name for themselves. There is certainly no lack of talent on the two teams set to battle on Saturday, but who will come up big? Who will step up to the moment? We picked 5 players from each team who we think are the keys to their team coming out on top. Do you agree? Did we miss an obvious one? Did we gauge these two teams correctly or did something get by us.

Michigan HB LeVeon Bell

Let’s start with the obvious. If Bell can find early success, if he can rack up yards and force Tampa Bay to commit to stopping the run, well, that just helps Michigan in so many ways. Success for Bell means fewer snaps for Dak Prescott, more time with the ball for Michigan, and possibly more big drives that lead to 7 points, something the Panthers certainly expect to need. If we see Bell over 100 yards before the 4^th quarter starts, that could tell us that the Panthers have Tampa Bay where they want and then expect a lot of touches in the 4^th to end the game in short order.

Tampa Bay WR Dez Bryant

Michigan has outstanding corners in Dre Kirkpatrick and KeiVarae Russell. We expect Kirkpatrick to be the primary in defending Dez Bryant, but if Bryant proves he can get free of Kirkpatrick, it could be a long and tough night for the Panther defense. Bryant excels at the big play, whether a deep ball brought down in stride or an inside route that turns upfield quickly. If you see Bryant getting the ball early, it could mean that the Bandits get the game to be a shootout, exactly what Michigan wants to avoid.

Michigan QB Kirk Cousins

The rap on Cousins is that he folds in big games. Seems an odd thing to say for a QB who has taken his team to a league title, but that loss last year in the Divisionals, when Michigan was 14-2 and bowed out right away, still has Panther fans antsy about their QB when the pressure is on. What Michigan needs to see from Cousins is not just his usual high completion rate (often over 70%) but a more aggressive attack on the Bandit secondary. Settling for dump down passes may keep the completion rate high, but it won’t keep drives going.

Tampa Bay HB Davlin Cook

We saw what happened when Cook got rolling in this year’s playoff run. The Bandit back had 154 yards and 2 scores against Houston this week and that balance, with Cook slashing through the Gambler defense, made Tampa Bay nearly impossible to defend. Michigan wants to remove as many weapons from Tampa Bay’s arsenal as they can, but while they focus on the receivers, can Cook make them pay on the ground?

MICHIGAN TE Martellus Bennett

Our first “less obvious” pick, Bennett is absolutely essential to the Panther offense, in no small part because Tampa Bay will try to remove Cody Latimer from the equation. If Latimer is covered, the next best option is often Bennett, ahead of any of the other wideouts on the Panther roster. He is Kirk Cousins’ security blanket and a dangerous man with the ball in his hands.

TAMPA BAY RT Brennan Williams

The Bandits will almost certainly shift their line coverage on pass plays to help Levi Brown deal with Justin Tuck on the left side, so that means Williams could be on an island against Dee Ford. And while Tuck is viewed as the better edge rusher, with 19 sacks this year, Ford is a very tough second option, recording 13 of his own this year. If Williams can handle the assignment, Prescott will have time and that is bad for Michigan. But if Williams struggles, then the Bandits have to keep receivers or backs in to help out, which reduces their ability to go deep.

MICHIGAN LB Devin Bush

We know that Odell Thurman and Sean Porter will be in position and that their role will be containment, but Bush is the wild card, the fastest of the three and the linebacker most often asked to take on the tough assignment of covering either a slot receiver or a back out of the backfield. With Dalvin Cook, Deebo Samuel, Jordan Cameron, and the underrated Ryan Izzo all options for Prescott, that will put a lot of pressure on Bush to read plays quickly and make the right adjustments.

TAMPA BAY SS Derwin James

When you are facing LeVeon Bell, the key is to not only contain the outside run, but to fill gaps in the line against the inside run. The player most likely to be hovering in the box, ready to do either, is James. He is a big hitter, and he is very good against the run, but he will be tested by a Panther team that has more run variations than anyone. If he gets caught inside at the wrong time Bell could take off. Go outside too quickly and a cutback puts him out of position. It will be James shadowing Bell all game, and if he can succeed, he can truly impact Michigan’s ability to keep the ball in their hands.

MICHIGAN WR Donavan Peoples-Jones

We are adding DPJ to this list for two reasons. First, we expect to see a lot of him on punt and kick returns, and if he can help Michigan get short field possessions, that could go a long way to them keeping pace with the Bandits. But, perhaps more importantly, Cousins will need another option if the Bandits succeed in limiting Cody Latimer. Peoples-Jones is the next best option outside, and he could see a lot of man coverage. Even if only on a pair of plays, if he can get deep and force the Bandits to respect that, then the rest of the field could be in play in ways it is not when Latimer is the only option.

TAMPA BAY CB Jalen Ramsey

We know Cousins is going to test Ramsey, despite the corner’s 7 picks this year. He has to, because he has to keep Cody Latimer in the game. If Ramsey can ballhawk, disrupt Latimer’s game, and maybe even snag a pick, that could be huge in a game where every possession comes with pressure to score. We don’t expect a defensive battle, but there will be moments where one defense or the other makes a play that turns the tide, and Ramsey has that potential on any ball thrown his way.

Picks From Across the League

We all have our theories about this game, but we also have not played against either of these teams, so why not ask those who have. We spoke with 4 USFL stars who have faced off against one of the two Summer Bowl squads, and we got more or less what we expected, a heavy dose of “the guys we played were tough”.

Chicago Head Coach Lovie Smith

Chicago played the Panthers three times this year, losing the final two meetings, including the Divisional playoff 2 weeks ago. So, what does Coach Smith think about the Panthers?

“They can be a nightmare on both sides of the ball.” Said the Chicago coach. “You have to respect LeVeon Bell, but not so much that Cousins’s life is easy in the pocket.” Started Smith, adding “And when you are on offense, you have to take what they give you. Don’t force it because they will be there to make you pay.”.  

For a final score, what did Lovie think we would see? “I know Tampa Bay is a good team, but I have to go with Michigan in a higher scoring game than they are used to, but less than Tampa expects. 27-24 Michigan.”

Atlanta QB Aaron Murray

The Fire also faced their divisional opponent three times, losing for the 2^nd time in the Divisional Round as well. So, we asked QB Aaron Murray to sum up what makes Tampa Bay so tough. His response:

“Everyone thinks it is all about their offense, which, no doubt, is scary, but their defense does not get enough credit.” He added: “They have a 3-man rotation at DE where each of the three are as nasty as the other two, and they don’t get tired.”

And about their offense, Murray said “This is not a team that needs 10 plays and a red zone trip to get points, they can burn you from anywhere on the field and on any down.” His pick for the game is pretty clear. He chose Tampa Bay to score 30 or more and win by 10 or more.

Arizona DE Calais Campbell

The 12-time sack leader of the USFL faced off against Michigan this week, and while he had 6 tackles and 2 sacks, he still felt that Michigan did about as good a job against him as any team has in recent years.

“It is frustrating” he said, “because you look at Cousins and he is not a mobile guy, but when you get to him the ball is usually not there anymore.”

What does he think about the matchup? He said, “I have lots of friends on Orlando still and they all say that Tampa Bay is for real, and with 15 wins they have to be.”

But finally decides “I know they can put points up, but Michigan can too, especially if Bell busts out. I am picking the Panthers to surprise everyone by holding the Bandits down and putting up more points than they did against us.”

Houston HB Carlos Hyde

Hyde averaged 5 yards per carry against Tampa Bay but watched helplessly as the Bandits put up 58 points, scoring 37 before Houston ever got on the board.

“They are scary good on offense” he said, adding “It’s the speed, from Cook, Breida, Grant, and Bryant.”

He commented that he does not remember ever seeing a team with so much speed on offense, even his own team, which is no slouch. When asked about the final score, he did not hesitate, “They could score 50 again, no question. I respect Michigan, but this Bandit team is just so dangerous.”

Our Analysis & Prediction

Look, you already know we are horrible at this. We overthink things, tinker with minutiae on the stat board, undervalue emotion and overvalue past results. But, even with all that, we think we have the right answer this time. We are looking at a Michigan team that wants to shorten the game, allow fewer Tampa Bay possessions, and run right up the middle with Bell. We have a Bandits team that wants to look deep first, then drop down if needed. They too can run the ball, though they tend to spread the field more to give Cook room to slash into the secondary. So, where is the advantage?

This is the USFL. If it were the NFL we would say the advantage goes to the team that runs the ball and plays good defense. But we have learned over 38 years that in the USFL the team that can air it out, that has too many targets to cover, and that can use the run to force edge rushers to keep containment lanes instead of beelining to the QB is the team that likely wins.

That team, and also a 1-loss team, is the Tampa Bay Bandits. We think Dre Kirkpatrick will have his hands full with Dez Bryant, but that means TE Cameron Jordan, speedster Ryan Grant, rookie slot receiver Deebo Samuel, and HB Dalvin Cook, a very dangerous dual threat back, will likely have 1 man to beat. We love the Panther D, but this feels like a bridge too far. Their best chance is if Dee Ford and Justin Tuck can get to Prescott without any blitzing linebackers, but Tampa Bay has defended against some pretty good edge rushers and Prescott put up huge numbers. So, we don’t see it happening.

We also want to remind everyone that the Bandits allowed only 15 points per game, 2^nd best in the entire league. This is not a team that can only win shootouts. They held 11 of their 16 regular season opponents under 20 points, with 5 teams held below 10. That is a solid defense, so this is a team that can win a 45-42 game, or a 15-13 game, but more often than not wins a 35-13 game.

So, yes, we are going with the Bandits. We think Michigan holds them in check (by their standards) but that Tampa Bay just keeps edging up the scoreboard until they get the win and the trophy. Our prediction on a final score: Bandits 31 Panthers 20