USA Today, Aug. 3, 1983
The USFL Championship was held only 3 weeks ago and yet, several significant offseason stories have occurred within the USFL in that short time. We summarize the top stories of the past month here as the USFL prepares for a second season in March of 1984
New Jersey Generals Sold
Considered one of the flagship franchises of the league, and with its biggest star, RB Hershel Walker, the New Jersey Generals disappointed many this year, finishing a mediocre 7-9 and out of playoff contention. One of those disappointed was owner J. Walter Duncan. While most USFL owners anticipated significant losses for the league's first few seasons, it appears Duncan either underestimated the potential losses in a large market like NY-NJ, or simply decided that the league was not going where he hoped it would. This week Duncan sold the franchise to a new ownership group led by young NY real estate developer Donald J. Trump. Trump announced that the Generals would be overhauled and made into a winner immediately. He fired coach and minority owner (under Duncan) Chuck Fairbanks and almost immediately hired the recently let-go NY Jets coach Walt Michaels to lead the Generals. With solid ticket sales in 1983 and a superstar in Walker, it seems New Jersey is poised for big things under this new leadership.
USFL Owners Decide to Swap Franchises
In one of the more bizarre stories of the short-lived USFL, Ted Dietrich, owner of the Chicago Blitz and Jim Joseph, owner of the Arizona Wranglers, have agreed to swap franchises. While the team names, stadium contracts and equipment will remain with each city, most of the players, coaching staffs, and personnel of the two teams will relocate from Chicago to Arizona or vice versa. While a few players will remain with each city, most, including Ohio State RB Tim Spencer or WR Jackie Flowers will be playing in a new city next year. Coach George Allen of the Blitz is expected to stay on as the new Arizona Wranglers coach, while former Wranglers Coach George Shively has been let go, and the new Blitz will be seeking to replace Shively with an experienced head coach in the next few weeks.
Head Coach carousel for USFL
In addition to the position cited above in Chicago, several teams also looked into new coaches. The Washington Federals have signed former Louisville and Indiana head man Lee Corso to take over a team that went 3-13 in its first season. The expansion franchises in Jacksonville, Houston, and Pittsburgh have also signed their first coaches, following the Memphis franchise’s signing of Pepper Rodgers. Former Bears and Redskins coach Jack Pardee will run the show in Houston, Pittsburgh has signed Philly Stars’ OC Joe Pendry to move across the state and lead the Maulers, and Jacksonville has tabbed Cincinnati Bengals OC Lindy Infante to take the lead job for their team.
The most surprising change was in Denver, where Red Miller, former Broncos’ head man, led the Gold to the 1983 USFL Championship, but was regularly butting heads with the team owner, Ron Blanding, over the purse strings which limited the Gold’s ability to put together a roster. Citing stylistic differences, Red Miller stepped down, and assistant, and former Broncos QB, Craig Morton was promoted to the Head Coach position. This leaves Chicago as the only USFL franchise without a leader, however talks are underway with three well-known coaches, and it is expected that one of these three will be signed. The contenders for the Blitz job are former Seahawks coach Jack Patera, former Chiefs HC Marv Levy, and recently fired Chicago Bears coach Neill Armstrong.
NFL Draftees select their USFL squads
In what appeared to be almost a reverse draft, 20 players who earlier this year signed USFL contracts rather than sign with the NFL teams which drafted them have now selected the teams they will play for in the USFL. Each USFL franchise was eligible to bid on 3 players, with expansion franchises given a 4th bid, and then players were able to meet with owners and coaches to determine which franchise they preferred. With some big names on the board, it was a scramble for teams to try to convince top talent to join them, while players got the rare opportunity to have a voice in their professional career starting point. For the USFL this is a chance to bolster rosters which many owners expect will get raided by the NFL over the next few weeks. With several USFL star players signed only to 1 year contracts for 1983, there is potential loss of some of the league's bigger names, and the addition of these fresh faces from college may just offset some of the anticipated losses.
Of the players who opted out of NFL deals for the fledgling USFL, it was the three NFL 1st Round quarterbacks who were the biggest names, and the big newsmakers on the day.
Former Nittany Lion and NFL #7 pick Todd Blackledge surprised many by choosing to sign with coach Jim Mora and the Philadelphia Stars over bids from expansion Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. With another Penn Stater, veteran Chuck Fusina, firmly at the helm of the Philadelphia offense, it seems unlikely that Mora will offer Blackledge a chance to start in 1984, but perhaps the young signal caller is looking ahead to 1985 for his big shot.
U. of Miami’s Jim Kelly did not wish to wait, and also had no desire to play in Buffalo, where the NFL Bills picked him with the 14th pick in the NFL Draft. Citing the chance to play in a wide open offense and with coach Jack Pardee, Kelly opted to sign with the expansion Houston Gamblers. Kelly bring immediate star power to the Gamblers, who have only a few other players named to the team.
The third NFL first round QB, Illinois’ Tony Eason, could have opted to stay in the region with the Chicago Blitz, but with no head coach yet in place, that was a tough sell. Eason, in a move that will certainly irk the NFL Patriots, who drafted him 15th in April’s draft, will sign on for the other New England franchise, the Boston Breakers. Eason is expected to challenge veteran Johnnie Walton for playing time almost immediately.
Among other notable players who have chosen their USFL destinations we find the following:
RB Michael Haddix, Mississippi State (1st round #8 PHI) to the Birmingham Stallions
WR Terry Kinard, Clemson (1st round #10 NYG) to the expansion Jacksonville Bulls
WR Willie Gault, Tennessee (1st round #18 CHI) to the expansion Memphis Showboats
LB Vernon Maxwell, Arizona St. (2nd round #29 BAL) to the “New” Arizona Wranglers
WR Henry Ellard, Fresno St. (2nd round #32 LARm) to the Oakland Invaders
DB Keith Bostic, Michigan (2nd round #42 HOU) to the Michigan Panthers
RB Johnny Hector, Texas A&M (2nd round #51 NYJ) to expansion Jacksonville
RB Richard Williams, Memphis (2nd round #46 WSH) to expansion Memphis
DB Dave Duerson, Notre Dame (3rd round #64 CHI) to expansion Pittsburgh
TE Trey Junkin, La Tech (4th round #93 BUF) to expansion Memphis
DE Greg Townsend, TCU (4h round #110 LARd) to the Denver Gold
LB Kiki DeAyala, Texas (6th round, #152 CIN) to the expansion Houston Gamblers
QB Babe Laufenberg (6th round, #168 WSH) to the Washington Federals