Age: 24
4th
season in pro football, 1st in USFL & with Panthers
College: Oklahoma
State
Height: 6’5” Weight: 240
Prelude:
Corker was
the Big-8 Defensive Player of the Year in 1978, impressing with his combination
of speed and size, although he suffered torn ligaments in his knee during the
season. He came back to receive second-team all-conference recognition in ’79
and was chosen by the Houston Oilers in the fifth round of the 1980 NFL draft but,
after three undistinguished and injury-plagued years, was let go following the
1982 season. Corker was signed by the Panthers of the new USFL, who obtained
his rights from the Washington Federals.
1983 Season Summary
Appeared in 17
of 18 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Sacks – 28 [1]
Most sacks,
game – 6 at New Jersey 4/10
Multi-sack
games – 6
Interceptions
– 2
Int. return
yards – 22
Int. TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 5
Fumble
recovery TDs – 1
Tackles –
116.5
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Postseason: 2 G
Sacks – N/A
Interceptions
– 0
TDs – 0
Awards & Honors:
USFL
Defensive Player of the Year: League, Pro Football Weekly
1st
team All-USFL: Official, Sporting News, College & Pro Football Newsweekly,
Pro Football Weekly
Panthers went
12-6 to finish first in the USFL Central Division while leading the league in
sacks (74). Won Semifinal playoff over Oakland Invaders (37-21) & USFL
Championship over Philadelphia Stars (24-22).
Aftermath:
Corker
followed up his sensational 1983 season with a lesser, if still effective,
performance, registering 8 sacks and 76 tackles over the course of 14 games in
’84 and receiving All-USFL honors from The Sporting News. He was left
unprotected when the Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders in 1985 and
joined the Memphis Showboats. Adding another 5.5 sacks, he finished his USFL
career with 41.5. With the demise of the USFL, Corker attempted a return to the
NFL but failed to catch on, at least partly due to off-field drug use. He joined
the Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League in 1988, performed well on
offense as well as defense, and returned to the NFL with Green Bay, appearing
in two games. Corker returned to the arena league in 1990 and spent another six
seasons with the Detroit Drive and Miami Hooters. He was named to the Arena
Football League’s 10th Anniversary All-Time team as an offensive and
defensive lineman and was inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
