Highlighted Year: John Corker, 1983

Linebacker, Michigan Panthers

Age: 24

4^th season in pro football, 1^st 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

1^st 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 10^th Anniversary All-Time team as an offensive and defensive lineman and was inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame in 2002.

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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

1983: Bandits Rally to Defeat Gold in Storm-Interrupted Game

The Tampa Bay Bandits were trying to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive in the United States Football League’s first season as they faced the Denver Gold on June 27, 1983.

Coached by the offense-minded Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had broken out to a 4-0 start with 33-year-old veteran QB John Reaves throwing to a fine corps of receivers led by WR Eric Truvillion (pictured above). However, Reaves suffered a broken wrist and, while rookie Jimmy Jordan performed capably in his place, he encountered injury problems as well. The addition of another talented first-year player, RB Gary Anderson, midway through the season helped, but Tampa Bay had trouble winning consistently down the stretch and was 10-6 and fighting the Chicago Blitz and surging Michigan Panthers for dominance in the tough USFL Central Division.

Denver had a 7-9 record in the mediocre Pacific Division. Craig Morton had taken over the coaching reins five weeks before and while the defense was able to keep games close, the offense was unstable at quarterback and prone to turning the ball over.

There were 46,128 fans in attendance for the Monday night game at Tampa Stadium. Less than four minutes into the first quarter, Tampa Bay NT Fred Nordgren intercepted a screen pass by QB Craig Penrose and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. LB Mike Goedecker ran for a two-point conversion to stake the Bandits to an early 8-0 lead.

Following a three-and-out series by the Gold, the home team moved methodically to a score on offense. John Reaves, making his first appearance since his injury, completed passes to Eric Truvillion down the middle for 23 yards and to TE Lewis Gilbert along the sideline for 22. Following a defensive pass interference penalty, the possession concluded with Gary Anderson running two yards for a TD and Zenon Andrusyshyn kicking the extra point that made it 15-0.

Early in the second quarter, the Gold finally got on the board as the result of a 13-play, 65-yard series kept alive when LB Putt Choate took off for 31 yards on a fake punt. After five consecutive running plays, Penrose, facing fourth down, tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to TE Bob Niziolek. Brian Speelman added the point after.

On Denver’s next possession, the visitors again put together a long drive as they advanced 69 yards in 13 plays. While they lost Penrose to a hip pointer, backup QB Fred Mortensen’s first pass was good for a 24-yard gain that set up a touchdown on RB Harry Sydney’s one-yard plunge for a TD. The try for a two-point conversion failed but the Gold was only two points down at 15-13 with 7:18 remaining in the first half.

That was it until, after CB David Martin of the Gold intercepted a pass at the Tampa Bay 45 with just under a minute remaining, Speelman kicked a 41-yard field goal with 17 seconds left on the clock and Denver took a 16-15 lead into halftime.

Jimmy Jordan replaced Reaves at quarterback for the Bandits in the third quarter, but his first pass was picked off and the Gold took advantage, moving 44 yards to another scoring carry by Sydney, this time covering two yards. With Speelman’s conversion, the visitors were up by 23-15.

At just under two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Bandits put points on the board, this time on a 47-yard Andrusyshyn field goal that made it a 23-18 contest. Tampa Bay had the ball again when a storm erupted with heavy rain and lightning, forcing a 50-minute delay in the action with 8:31 left in regulation. On the second play after the game resumed, Jordan threw to Truvillion for a 44-yard touchdown. Up by a point, the home team got two more when RB Greg Boone ran for the conversion.

There was still plenty of time, but Denver turned the ball over on its next series when RB Larry Canada fumbled and CB Jeff George recovered for the Bandits. It was also George who finally put the game away with an interception of a Mortensen pass , to the joy of the remaining Tampa Bay faithful in the stands. The Bandits came away with a 26-23 win.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (283 to 263) while the Gold led in time of possession (35:37 to 24:23) and first downs were even at 16 apiece. Denver was hurt by five turnovers, with the two late ones preventing a fourth quarter comeback, and was penalized 9 times at a cost of 79 yards. The Bandits turned the ball over three times and drew five flags for 55 yards.

In his return to action, John Reaves completed 7 of 13 passes for 72 yards and gave up two interceptions. Jimmy Jordan was 9 of 12 for 131 yards in relief, with a touchdown as well as an interception. Gary Anderson led the Bandits in rushing with 48 yards on 15 carries that included a TD and also caught 5 passes for 36 yards. Eric Truvillion gained 94 yards on his three pass receptions that included the game-winning touchdown.

For the Gold, Craig Penrose was successful on 7 of 11 throws for just 28 yards and a TD while being picked off once and Fred Mortensen made good on 8 of 14 passes for 81 yards and gave up two interceptions. RB Vincent White led the club with 72 yards on 13 rushing attempts while Larry Canada, who ran 8 times for 24 yards, topped the receivers with 6 receptions for 56 yards. On defense, David Martin intercepted three passes but was also beaten for the game-winning touchdown.

“I knew we would win when it started to rain,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Spurrier. “That was Banditball weather.”

The Bandits needed help to reach the playoffs but it was not forthcoming as they lost their season finale and Michigan and Chicago won to claim the division title and wild card spots, respectively. Tampa Bay finished third at 11-7. The Gold also lost in the last week to place third in the Pacific Division with a 7-11 tally.

1983: Last-Minute Field Goal Propels Panthers Past Federals

The Michigan Panthers were fighting for a playoff spot in the inaugural United States Football League season as they hosted the Washington Federals on June 20, 1983. The Federals had defeated Michigan early in the season, but the Panthers had undergone changes that improved their fortunes since then.

Coached by Jim Stanley, Michigan got off to a 1-4 start (including the loss at Washington) before veteran additions to the offensive line helped fuel a turnaround that had the club at 9-6 and a game behind Chicago and Tampa Bay in the USFL’s Central Division. Unheralded rookie QB Bobby Hebert was fast developing into a star and WR Anthony Carter (pictured above), the high-priced first year player out of Michigan, had overcome a slow start to become a potent deep threat. The running game was sound and the defense formidable.

The Federals, under Head Coach Ray Jauch, were far less successful and had won only one other contest thus far to linger at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a league-worst 2-13 record. There was an outstanding rookie in RB Craig James and first-year QB Mike Hohensee was able when healthy, but he was out for the rematch with the Panthers and veteran NFL backup Kim McQuilken was filling in. 

There were 26,418 fans in attendance for the Monday night game at the Pontiac Silverdome. Early in the first quarter, the Panthers advanced into Washington territory and Bobby Hebert threw to Anthony Carter, who split two defenders on the way to a 37-yard touchdown. Novo Bojovic added the extra point.

On their next possession, the Panthers again moved well. Hebert completed passes to Carter for 20 and 10 yards, but after gaining a first down inside the Washington 10, the Federals were able to keep them out of the end zone thanks to good plays by LB Joe Harris and CB Jeff Brown. Michigan had to settle for a 19-yard Bojovic field goal.

Down 10-0, the Federals put together a good drive. McQuilken tossed passes to WR Mike Harris, Craig James, and RB Billy Taylor and, facing third-and-one at the Michigan four, he faked a handoff and threw to a wide-open Taylor in the end zone for a TD. Sandro Vitiello missed the point after but the score was narrowed to 10-6.

Washington’s next series resulted in a punt from deep in its own territory. DE Ronnie Paggett partially blocked the kick and Carter returned it to the Federals’ 14. A pass interference call and throw from Hebert to Carter that covered 10 yards set up a one-yard touchdown carry by RB John Williams. Bojovic converted and the Panthers were ahead by 17-6 with 1:12 remaining in the half. The second quarter scoring was not yet over, however, as the Federals were able to get past midfield and, on the final play before halftime, Vitiello booted a field goal from 51 yards that made it 17-9.

Early in the third quarter, Washington got a break on defense when TE Mike Cobb fumbled after catching a pass from Hebert and SS Doug Greene recovered the loose ball and ran 35 unmolested yards for a TD. A try for a two-point conversion that would have tied the score failed, but Michigan’s lead was narrowed to 17-15.

The Federals pulled off a successful onside kick but turned the ball over on a Taylor fumble three plays later. Michigan took advantage, driving to a one-yard run for a TD by RB Ken Lacy, and Bojovic added the extra point. Washington responded with a 74-yard possession that featured the running of James and RB Curtis Bledsoe and resulted in a one-yard scoring carry by James with 6:48 to go in the period. This time Vitiello made good on the point after to again make it a two-point contest at 24-22.

That was it for the scoring until the fourth quarter when Vitiello came through on a 45-yard field goal that gave the visitors a narrow 25-24 advantage. But with their backs to the wall, the Panthers put together a 73-yard drive. With 18 seconds left on the clock, Bojovic kicked an 18-yard field goal that provided the final margin in Michigan’s 27-25 win.

The Panthers led in total yards (335 to 285) while Washington had the edge in first downs (17 to 16) and time of possession (31:13 to 28:47). Each team turned the ball over twice while Michigan recorded four sacks, to none by the Federals.

Bobby Hebert completed 13 of 21 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Anthony Carter had 5 catches for 94 yards and a TD. Ken Lacy rushed for 81 yards on 22 carries that included a touchdown and John Williams added 59 yards on 16 attempts that also included a score.

For the Federals, Kim McQuilken was successful on 19 of 27 throws for 158 yards and a TD without giving up an interception. Craig James (pictured above) gained 89 yards on 13 rushing attempts and also had 7 pass receptions for 63 yards.

The win kept the Panthers even with the Bandits, who lost, and they ultimately finished atop the Central Division at 12-6 (Chicago ended up with the lone Wild Card spot and Tampa Bay finished third and missed the postseason). Michigan handily defeated the Oakland Invaders in the Semifinal playoff round and then edged the Philadelphia Stars to win the initial USFL Championship. The hard-luck Federals managed to win twice more and were 4-14.

1983: Stars Even Score with Defeat of Bandits

The Philadelphia Stars had a 7-1 record in the inaugural United States Football League season and faced a rematch on April 30, 1983 with the one team that had beaten them thus far, the Tampa Bay Bandits. Coached by Jim Mora, the Stars featured a ball-control offense led by QB Chuck Fusina and star rookie RB Kelvin Bryant as well as a tough and opportunistic defense. They survived a close call against the Boston Breakers the previous week that provided them with a two-game cushion in the Atlantic Division.

Tampa Bay had won its first four games before losing two of three and was at 6-2 and trying to hold off the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division. Under the guidance of Head Coach Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had a strong passing attack and while they had lost veteran QB John Reaves to a broken wrist, young backup QB Jimmy Jordan out of Florida State was performing well in his place.

There were 41,559 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium for the Saturday contest. The Stars set the tone on their first possession, driving 77 yards in 11 plays. RB Allen Harvin had a 10-yard carry and Kelvin Bryant ran the last 10 for a touchdown, with David Trout adding the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

Still in the opening period, a fumble by Tampa Bay RB Sam Platt after a nine-yard gain on a reverse was recovered by SS Scott Woerner. Four plays later, the Stars added three points with a 44-yard Trout field goal.

Early in the second quarter, the Bandits got on the board as the result of an eight-play, 52-yard series that featured a pass from Jimmy Jordan to WR Eric Truvillion for a 33-yard gain. It was Jordan to Truvillion again for a two-yard TD to finish the possession off and Zenon Andrusyshyn converted to make it a three-point game.

The home team had an opportunity to tie the score with 1:28 remaining in the first half, but Andrusyshyn was wide to the left on a 37-yard field goal attempt. The Stars remained ahead by 10-7 at halftime.

Philadelphia started off the third quarter with a methodical drive, mixing runs and passes. Facing second-and-ten at the Tampa Bay 20, Harvin took off on a sweep to the right for a touchdown. Trout added the point after and the visitors were now up by 17-7. The Bandits responded with a series that resulted in a 25-yard Andrusyshyn field goal to make it a seven-point contest.

Tampa Bay had largely controlled Bryant in the first half, but on the ensuing Philadelphia possession the star rookie took charge as he broke away for a 22-yard carry to the Tampa Bay nine, gained six yards on the next play, and finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 2:35 remaining in the third quarter. Trout again converted to extend the visitors’ lead to 14 points.

The Bandits had opportunities in the fourth quarter, but failed to capitalize. A poor 27-yard punt by Philadelphia’s Sean Landeta from his own end zone gave Tampa Bay the ball at the Stars’ 39. But on a third down play, a Jordan pass was intercepted by CB Antonio Gibson to snuff out the threat. It proved to be all the Stars needed as they won convincingly by a final score of 24-10.

Philadelphia had the edge in total yards (332 to 321), almost evenly split between rushing (175) and passing (157) yards, while the Bandits were held to 69 yards on the ground while gaining 252 through the air. The Stars also led in first downs (20 to 16) and time of possession (32:44 to 27:16). Tampa Bay accumulated six sacks, to just one by Philadelphia, but also turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the visitors.

Chuck Fusina completed 17 of 28 passes for 232 yards and gave up one interception. Kelvin Bryant rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries that included two touchdowns and also had four catches for 21 yards while Allen Harvin contributed 67 yards on 9 rushing attempts that also included a TD. WR Willie Collier led the Philadelphia receivers with five catches for 73 yards.

For the Bandits, Jimmy Jordan was successful on 24 of 47 throws for 260 yards and a touchdown, but also was intercepted three times. Eric Truvillion and Sam Platt had seven catches apiece, for 81 and 56 yards, respectively, and Truvillion scored a TD while Platt also led the club in rushing with 46 yards on 10 attempts.

“Philadelphia played well,” said a frustrated Coach Steve Spurrier,” but we hurt ourselves a lot. We were just a little bit away from making the big plays.”

The Stars continued to play well and cruised to a 15-3 record, reaching the USFL Championship game before falling to the Michigan Panthers. Tampa Bay won its next three games but collapsed down the stretch and ended up at 11-7, third in the Central Division and out of the playoffs. 

The win over the Bandits was the sixth hundred-yard rushing game for Kelvin Bryant, who led the USFL at that point with 929 yards, and in the end he was second to New Jersey’s Herschel Walker with 1442 yards, scoring 16 touchdowns along the way. He also caught 53 passes for another 410 yards and a score and received MVP honors from the league.

1983: Stars Shut Down Walker & Turnover-Prone Generals

The Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League were making their home debut as they hosted the New Jersey Generals on March 13, 1983. They had won their opening game of the league’s inaugural season in a closely-fought contest at Denver while the Generals lost theirs at Los Angeles.

Things had gotten off to a rocky start for the Stars when George Perles, originally hired to coach the team, left for Michigan State instead and Jim Mora, previously an assistant with the New England Patriots, was brought in with only weeks to prepare for the regular season. RB Kelvin Bryant (pictured above) had been signed out of North Carolina and was the club’s prize rookie and key to the conservative, ball-control offense that was directed by QB Chuck Fusina. The defense had shown its toughness in the opening win.

New Jersey was coached by Chuck Fairbanks and made the biggest splash in the run-up to the first season by signing Heisman Trophy-winning RB Herschel Walker, who left Georgia with a year of eligibility remaining to turn pro. Walker rushed for 65 yards in his debut against the Express the previous week following a short preparation period. QB Bobby Scott was a veteran NFL backup but had given up three interceptions in the opener.

It was a sunny day with a brisk wind in the 50s at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium with 38,205 fans in attendance. The Stars had the first possession and moved effectively down the field, mixing passes and runs by Kelvin Bryant, who also had a catch. However, the drive stalled at the New Jersey 24 and David Trout’s 41-yard field goal into the wind was unsuccessful.

The Generals moved well in response, but a fumble by Herschel Walker was recovered at the Philadelphia 46. Following a punt by the Stars, the next New Jersey possession ended with CB Antonio Gibson intercepting a pass by Bobby Scott at his own 32. The Stars had the ball as the game headed into the second quarter and, converting a fourth down along the way, they put together a drive that ended with an eight-yard pass from Chuck Fusina, rolling to his right under pressure, to WR Scott Fitzkee in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. Trout missed the try for extra point, hitting the left upright, but the home team was in front by 6-0.

The Stars got the ball back on an interception by LB George Cooper and he returned it to the New Jersey 32. With Bryant and FB Booker Russell running well, they advanced to the seven but, after being backed up five yards due to a delay of game penalty, Fusina scrambled to the two for a first down. From there, Bryant hurtled into the end zone for a TD to complete the six-play possession. The pass attempt for a two-point conversion failed, but Philadelphia held a 12-0 lead.

That remained the score at halftime. Scott threw another interception, this time picked off by FS Mike Lush, and while the Stars advanced quickly into New Jersey territory, CB Terry Daniels picked off a Fusina pass with the clock down to just over a minute remaining.

The Generals had turned the ball over to conclude all four of their first half possessions, and the trend continued on the first series of the third quarter as Walker fumbled after catching a swing pass and the Stars recovered at the New Jersey 31. Philadelphia turned that into three points and a 15-0 lead as Trout was successful on a 26-yard field goal attempt.

Yet another turnover gave the ball to Philadelphia in New Jersey territory, but this time the home team came up empty when Trout was wide to the right on a 34-yard try for a field goal. Dave Boisture was the quarterback when the Generals next had the ball and the results were no better as he quickly tossed an interception, grabbed by LB Sam Mills. The Stars moved methodically but, after getting inside the ten, it was their turn to fumble the ball away. The visitors punted for the first time from deep in their territory and Philadelphia again had good starting field position. This time, as the game headed into the final period, the Stars didn’t come up empty as Trout kicked a 31-yard field goal.

The remainder of the game brought no surprises. The Generals were unable to reach the end zone and Philadelphia, utilizing the formidable ground attack, drove to a clinching touchdown on a one-foot quarterback sneak by Fusina. Trout added the point after and that provided the final margin in the 25-0 win.

The Stars easily led in total yards (395 to 215), first downs (22 to 13), and time of possession (35:27 to 24:33). They also recorded five sacks, two of them by DE Don Fielder, to none by New Jersey. The Generals turned the ball over a debilitating seven times against three suffered by Philadelphia. There were only two punts, one by each club.

Chuck Fusina was efficient, completing 14 of 22 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Kelvin Bryant rushed for 114 yards on 24 carries and also caught two passes for 22 yards. TE Steve Folsom topped the Philadelphia receivers with four catches for 60 yards.

For the Generals, Herschel Walker was held to 60 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Bobby Scott was successful on 12 of 20 throws for 103 yards with three interceptions and Dave Boisture was five-of-12 for 46 yards and was picked off once. FB Dwight Sullivan caught 6 passes, although for just 17 yards, while WR Larry Brodsky gained a team-leading 46 yards on his three receptions.

The Stars made it three straight wins to start the season the following week before losing to Tampa Bay, but remained consistent throughout the year in topping the Atlantic Division with a league-best 15-3 record. They advanced to the USFL Championship game before losing a close contest to the Michigan Panthers. New Jersey continued to struggle and ended up at 6-12 and third in the division.

Kelvin Bryant received All-League honors as he rushed for 1442 yards and 16 touchdowns and pulled in 53 pass receptions for 410 more yards and another score. His rushing total placed second to Herschel Walker, who finally got on track (even if his team didn’t) and gained 1812 yards on 412 attempts (4.4 avg.) with 17 TDs. He also received All-League recognition.

Highlighted Year: Raymond Chester, 1983

Tight End, Oakland Invaders

Age: 34

13^th season in pro football, 1^st in USFL & with Invaders

College: Morgan State

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 232

Prelude:

In the market for a tight end, the Raiders took Chester in the first round of the 1970 NFL draft (24^th overall), impressed with the speed he brought to the position. He moved directly into the starting lineup and responded by catching 42 passes for 556 yards (13.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns, receiving Rookie of the Year honors from NEA and second-team All-AFC as well as Pro Bowl recognition. Chester went to the Pro Bowl after the 1971 and ’72 seasons, after which he also received first-team All-AFC honors, although his numbers were below those of his first year. But while his output was 62 catches over those two seasons, 15 of them went for touchdowns. He was dealt to the Baltimore Colts for DE Bubba Smith in 1973 and, over the course of five seasons with the Colts, caught 148 passes for 2122 yards and 11 TDs. Chester returned to the Raiders in 1978 and, in ’79, achieved NFL career highs in pass receptions (58) and yards (712) while earning a fourth Pro Bowl selection. His second stint with the Raiders came to an end in 1981, but after sitting out a year he signed with the Invaders of the new USFL for the Spring of ’83.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in all 18 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 68 [4] 

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 101 yds.) at Michigan 3/19, (for 120 yds.) at Denver 3/28, (for 100 yds.) at Los Angeles 4/3

Yards – 951 [7]

Most yards, game – 120 (on 7 catches) at Denver 3/28

Average gain – 14.0 [17]

TDs – 5 [10, tied with eight others]

100-yard receiving games – 3

Scoring

TDs – 5

Points – 30

Postseason: 1 G (USFL Semifinal playoff at Michigan)

Pass receptions – 4

Pass receiving yards – 41

Average yards per reception – 10.3

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-USFL: League, Sporting News, College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Pro Football Weekly

Invaders went 9-9 to finish first in the USFL Pacific Division. Lost USFL Semifinal playoff to Michigan Panthers (37-21).

Aftermath:

Chester retired following his lone USFL season. For his 12-year NFL career, he caught 364 passes for 5013 yards (13.8 avg.) and 48 touchdowns and was chosen to four Pro Bowls.

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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

1983: Backup Woodward Leads Breakers to Win Against Bandits

On June 19, 1983 two teams with playoff aspirations in the inaugural United States Football League season met in Boston. Both were also playing without their regular quarterbacks.

The Boston Breakers were 9-6 and in second place in the Atlantic Division. With the Philadelphia Stars having already clinched the division title, the Breakers were in the hunt for the lone Wild Card playoff spot. Coached by Dick Coury, they had proven adept at rallying for wins with their exciting offense, but veteran QB John Walton was out with a strained knee and the untested Doug Woodward would be making his first start at quarterback.

The Tampa Bay Bandits also had injury problems at quarterback, and were starting Mike Kelley in place of Jimmy Jordan, originally himself a backup who had in turn taken over for John Reaves when the 33-year-old veteran went down with a broken wrist. Under pass-oriented Head Coach Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had gotten off to a 4-0 start but were now at 10-5 and trying to keep pace with the Chicago Blitz atop the Central Division. They had beaten the Breakers in the season’s first week.

There were 15,530 fans in attendance at Nickerson Field of Boston University on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Among those in attendance was actor Burt Reynolds, a minority owner of the Bandits. With the inexperienced Woodward at quarterback, who had thrown just three passes thus far, the Breakers came into the contest utilizing a simplified offense and relying on a good defensive effort.

On the first play from scrimmage, Tampa Bay RB Gary Anderson fumbled and SS Joe Restic recovered for the Breakers. Four plays later, Doug Woodward, rolling to his left, tossed a scoring pass to FB Dennis Johnson from 11 yards out. Tim Mazzetti added the extra point and, less than two minutes into the game, the home team was up by 7-0. To make matters worse for Tampa Bay, Anderson, the star rookie whose arrival at midseason had bolstered the running attack, aggravated a shoulder injury.

The Bandits responded by driving to a 35-yard field goal by Zenon Andrusyshyn, but the Breakers then put together a 46-yard series that was capped by Johnson diving for a two-yard TD. Mazzetti again successfully converted and Boston was staked to a 14-3 first quarter lead.

Early in the second quarter, the Bandits scored on a 20-yard touchdown carry by RB Sam Platt and Mike Kelley threw to WR Eric Truvillion for a two-point conversion. Mazzetti kicked a 22-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining in the first half that increased Boston’s advantage to 17-11. As time expired before halftime, Andrusyshyn kicked a field goal from 51 yards that hit the crossbar but went over. The score was 17-14 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, the Bandits put together a drive that started from their 25 and advanced deep into Boston territory. But facing third-and-three at the seven, Anderson ran for two yards and then, attempting to convert fourth down, the rookie was stopped by LB Marcus Marek for no gain (although the spot by the officials was highly disputed) to end the threat and turn the ball back over to the Breakers.

Later in the period, a 72-yard punt by Boston’s Dario Casarino pinned the Bandits back at their two yard line. Tampa Bay reached the 12 before having to punt in turn early in the fourth quarter, and it took the Breakers just two plays to score from their own 49. Woodward connected with TE Beau Coash for 44 yards and then WR Nolan Franz for a seven-yard TD. Mazzetti kicked the point after.

With 7:50 to play, Andrusyshyn narrowed the margin to seven points with a 35-yard field goal, but that proved to be the last gasp for the Bandits, who failed to cross midfield for the remainder of the contest. On the game’s next-to-last play, LB Ray Phillips sealed the 24-17 win for the Breakers by intercepting a Kelley pass at the Boston 40.

Tampa Bay dominated in total yards (355 to 222) and first downs (22 to 10), and ran 27 more offensive plays than the Breakers. However, the Bandits failed too often to convert long possessions into touchdowns and turned the ball over three times, to none by Boston. The Breakers also recorded four sacks, while Tampa Bay had none.

Staked to an early lead, Doug Woodward completed 12 of 17 passes for just 80 yards, but two were good for touchdowns and he gave up no interceptions. RB Richard Crump rushed for 79 yards on nine carries. Thanks to his one long catch, Beau Coash led the Breakers with 47 yards on two pass receptions.

For the Bandits, Mike Kelley was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 238 yards and no TDs and was picked off once. Gary Anderson, who was knocked out of the contest for a time in addition to reinjuring his shoulder, rushed for 49 yards on nine attempts and Greg Boone contributed 36 yards on 10 carries. WR Willie Gillespie caught four passes for 87 yards.

“It was a fairly simple game plan, but the young kid did an excellent job,” said Boston’s Coach Coury. “He’s a heady kid, throws the ball real well, and came up with a couple of big plays.”

It was the fifth win in six games for the Breakers. Meanwhile, the loss put the Bandits a game behind the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division with two contests remaining. Both clubs ultimately failed to make the postseason. They each split their remaining games and ended up with 11-7 records (Chicago was the Wild Card at 12-6).

Highlighted Year: Luther Bradley, 1983

Safety, Chicago Blitz

Age: 28 (May 7)

5^th season in pro football, 1^st in USFL & with Blitz

College: Notre Dame

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 196

Prelude:

Bradley intercepted 17 passes in college, one of which he returned for a 99-yard touchdown, and was a consensus All-American selection in 1977. He was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 1978 NFL draft (11^th overall) and moved directly into the starting lineup at cornerback. Bradley started every game in his first two seasons and intercepted a total of seven passes for 96 yards and a TD. A knee injury limited Bradley to eight games in 1980 and he was a backup in ’81. He was traded to the Houston Oilers, who released him just prior to the 1982 season, and he signed with the Blitz of the new USFL. Head Coach George Allen shifted Bradley to free safety.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 17 of 18 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 12 [1]

Most interceptions, game – 6 at Tampa Bay 4/2

Int. return yards – 167 [2]

Most int. return yards, game – 127 (on 6 int.) at Tampa Bay 4/2

Int. TDs – 1 [1, tied with eight others]

Fumble recoveries – 1

Postseason: 1 G (USFL Semifinal playoff at Philadelphia)

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 10

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-USFL: League, College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Pro Football Weekly

Blitz went 12-6 to finish second in the USFL Central Division and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry while leading the league in interceptions (37). Lost USFL Semifinal playoff to Philadelphia Stars (44-38).

Aftermath:

Due to an exchange of franchises, Bradley became part of the Arizona Wranglers in 1984 and intercepted four passes. He was left unprotected in the merger of the Wranglers and Oklahoma Outlaws in ‘85 and joined the Houston Gamblers, where he once again intercepted 12 passes and received first-team all-league honors from College & Pro Football Newsweekly. The end of the USFL marked the end of Bradley’s pro career. In three USFL seasons, he intercepted 28 passes, the most in the league’s brief history, with the six-interception game against the Bandits the highlight.

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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

1983: Bandits Withstand Late Rally to Defeat Invaders

Two teams involved in tough division races in the United States Football League’s inaugural season met in Week 10 on May 8, 1983. The visiting Tampa Bay Bandits were 6-3 and even with the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division while the hosts, the Oakland Invaders, had the same 4-5 record as the other three clubs in the Pacific Division.

Tampa Bay had gotten off to a 4-0 start under the guidance of offensive-minded Head Coach Steve Spurrier. The passing game was the key to success, and while 33-year-old veteran QB John Reaves went down with a broken wrist three weeks earlier, Jimmy Jordan (pictured above), a former Florida State standout, had taken over the starting quarterback duties and performed capably.

The Invaders also had a capable quarterback in Fred Besana, a former minor leaguer, and experienced stars on offense in TE Raymond Chester and RB Arthur Whittington, who were ex-NFL Raiders. Coached by John Ralston, Oakland had problems with consistency and had won for the first time in three weeks in the previous game, but in the league’s weakest division, it was enough to keep pace.

About 10,000 of the 26,989 ticketholders were no-shows at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum for the nationally telecast Mother’s Day game. Many of those present spent much of the contest loudly booing the home team.

On their first series, the Bandits reached the Oakland 46, but they came up empty when a completion to WR Martin Cox was fumbled by the receiver and CB Kenny Daniel recovered at the Oakland 19. On Tampa Bay’s next possession, Jimmy Jordan completed a 19-yard pass to WR Danny Buggs that moved the ball to the Oakland 11 and, while a penalty nullified a potential touchdown play, Zenon Andrusyshyn kicked a field goal from 22 yards to give the visitors a 3-0 lead with 2:09 remaining in the opening period. 

The Invaders responded with a promising series that included runs of 15 and 22 yards by Arthur Whittington, but WR Gordon Banks coughed up the ball at the Tampa Bay 10 when hit by FS Glen Edwards after catching a pass and SS Doug Beaudoin recovered to extinguish the threat.

Jordan was sacked during the ensuing series in which the Bandits were forced to punt, but Tampa Bay got the ball back when LB Kelly Kirchbaum recovered a fumble at the Oakland 46. Once again Jordan was sacked, for a loss of 11 yards, and the visitors punted once more, but a Whittington fumble on the ensuing series gave the Bandits the ball at their own 44. This time they capitalized as RB Greg Boone ran effectively and Jordan completed three passes as Tampa Bay used nine plays to go 56 yards. With 3:35 remaining in the first half, Jordan threw to Buggs for a nine-yard touchdown. Andrusyshyn added the extra point.

It seemed as though the Invaders would get on the board before the intermission as Besana threw to WR Wyatt Henderson for a 21-yard gain to the Tampa Bay seven, but a third down pass hit Henderson in the shoulder and was intercepted by CB Jeff George. While Oakland did get one last shot with 27 seconds still on the clock, Kevin Shea’s 55-yard field goal attempt fell short. The Bandits took a 10-0 lead into halftime.

Jordan was efficient in the first half, completing 12 of 14 passes for 145 yards. Oakland moved the ball well on offense, compiling 227 yards, but gave up three fumbles and an interception.

The Bandits drove 68 yards to open the third quarter, with Jordan throwing to WR Eric Truvillion for an 18-yard TD. Andrusyshyn again converted to put Tampa Bay up by 17 points. However, Jordan was lost with a shoulder separation midway through the period as he threw long for Truvillion and was struck by NT Dupre Marshall on a borderline late hit.

Nathaniel “Billy” Koonce came in for Jordan and Tampa Bay was unable to generate any offense for the remainder of the game. Koonce threw only two passes and one was intercepted, setting up Oakland’s only TD. His first toss hit Truvillion but bounced away and was picked off by SS Marcus Quinn of the Invaders at the Tampa Bay 20. Shortly thereafter, and just four seconds into the fourth quarter, Besana ran three yards for a touchdown. Shea’s extra point made it a ten-point contest.

The Invaders again drove into Tampa Bay territory, but with just over four minutes to go, an apparent scoring pass from Besana to WR Gordon Banks in the end zone from four yards out was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty. Oakland was forced to settle for a 30-yard Shea field goal. The Invaders still had comeback hopes, but they were finally dashed in the final seconds when Besana’s desperation pass was intercepted by George, his second of the contest, to seal the 17-10 win for Tampa Bay.

The Invaders outgained Tampa Bay (402 yards to 251) and had more first downs (24 to 17). They also recorded four sacks, to three by the Bandits. However, Oakland was undone by six turnovers, losing four of six fumbles in addition to two interceptions.  The Invaders were penalized seven times, at a cost of 60 yards, to four flags thrown on Tampa Bay.

Before being knocked out of the game, Jimmy Jordan completed 15 of 22 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Greg Boone led the team with 46 rushing yards on 14 carries. RB Sam Platt contributed 28 yards on 12 attempts and had five catches, for 54 yards, while Danny Buggs accumulated 64 yards on his four pass receptions.

For the Invaders, Fred Besana (pictured at right) completed a then-USFL record 15 straight passes during the fourth quarter comeback on the way to compiling 25 completions in 38 attempts for 254 yards, but with two picked off (he would exceed his consecutive completion streak the following year). Arthur Whittington rushed for 128 yards on 26 attempts but also fumbled the ball away twice. HB Louis Jackson had 7 catches for 70 yards to top the club.

“We were fortunate to win this game,” said Coach Spurrier of the Bandits. “It was due mostly to Oakland turnovers.”

The win improved Tampa Bay’s record to 7-3, and the Bandits maintained their share of the Central Division lead along with Chicago. Billy Koonce was quickly supplanted by Mike Kelley at quarterback in place of the injured Reaves and Jordan, who both eventually returned, and talented rookie RB Gary Anderson joined the club. Nevertheless, the team faded down the stretch and finished in third place and out of the running at 11-7. The Invaders ended up with a 9-9 record, but that was enough to top the Pacific Division, although they lost badly to Michigan in the first playoff round.

1983: Walker & Generals Hold Off Late Rally to Defeat Gilliam & Federals

The New Jersey Generals had made the biggest player signing heading into the inaugural United States Football League season, but were struggling at 1-6 as they hosted the Washington Federals on April 17, 1983. RB Herschel Walker (pictured above), who left Georgia after a Heisman-winning junior year in ’82 to sign with the new Spring league, overcame a slow start to rank among the top rushers, but Head Coach Chuck Fairbanks’ team as a whole was lacking. QB Bobby Scott, longtime NFL backup to Archie Manning in New Orleans, was mediocre and the defense was no better.

The Federals also came into the game with a 1-6 record. Coached by Ray Jauch, the club had some talent but suffered many injuries and was prone to losing close contests. Two rookies on offense, QB Mike Hohensee and RB Craig James, showed promise when healthy. The defense was woeful and the effort to find a reliable placekicker was not going well.

There were 35,381 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. The only score of the first quarter came as a result of a safety on New Jersey’s opening possession when punter Dave Jacobs ran out of his end zone. Washington was ahead by a 2-0 margin.

The Generals took control in the second quarter. A 40-yard pass play from Bobby Scott to TE Victor Hicks was good for a touchdown although an attempted two-point conversion was unsuccessful. Midway through the period, a 46-yard New Jersey possession was capped by a two-yard Herschel Walker touchdown carry. This time Scott threw to FB Maurice Carthon to add two points and make the score 14-2.

With the Federals down by twelve points, Joe Gilliam entered the game at quarterback. The 32-year-old Gilliam had experience as a starting quarterback with the NFL Steelers, but had fallen on hard times in the intervening years due to off-field problems. He had started in place of Hohensee the previous week and now guided the visitors to their first offensive score, tossing an 18-yard TD pass to WR Mike Holmes. The the extra point attempt was missed, however, and New Jersey later added a 32-yard Jacobs field goal to take a 17-8 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was scoreless, but on the first play of the fourth quarter, Walker breezed into the end zone from eight yards out for a touchdown. The try for extra point failed, but the home team’s 23-8 lead appeared to be secure.

At this point, Washington began to mount a comeback. On a drive highlighted by two pass interference calls on Generals SS Dana Noel, Gilliam connected with WR Joey Walters for a nine-yard touchdown. Gilliam again threw to Walters for two points and New Jersey’s lead was narrowed to 23-16.

The Federals scored once more on a spectacular play when Gilliam passed to Craig James, who caught it at the New Jersey 35, was spun around at the 28, regained his balance, and sped the rest of the way for a 52-yard touchdown. However, down by a point and trying to take the lead, Washington attempted a two-point conversion that failed when Gilliam’s pass was knocked down by FS Keith Moody.

Still, there were eight minutes remaining. In the final minute, Gilliam drove the Federals down the field, starting at their own 13 and reaching the New Jersey 16 with a 26-yard completion to WR Vince Kinney highlighting the series. The Federals lined up for a field goal attempt with eight seconds left, but Ken Olson missed from 33 yards and New Jersey came away with a 23-22 win.

The Generals had the edge in total yards (389 to 312) and first downs (24 to 18). However, New Jersey also turned the ball over three times, to one by the Federals, and Washington accumulated three sacks, to two by the Generals. The Federals punted seven times, to two by New Jersey, while also drawing eight penalties to six flags thrown on the Generals.

Herschel Walker rushed for 143 yards on 28 carries that included two touchdowns, and his longest gain was for 38 yards. Maurice Carthon contributed 57 yards on 18 rushing attempts. Bobby Scott completed 13 of 25 passes for 206 yards with one TD but also three interceptions. Victor Hicks had four catches for 72 yards and a score.

For the Federals, Joe Gilliam was successful on 10 of 22 throws for 199 yards and three touchdowns, giving up one interception, in relief of Mike Hohensee, who was three-of-seven for 21 yards. RB Billy Taylor gained 85 yards on 17 carries and added four pass receptions for 26 yards while Craig James rushed for 28 yards on 10 attempts and gained 77 yards on his three catches that included a TD.

New Jersey lost a close game in overtime the next week on the way to a 6-12 finish, which placed a distant third in the Atlantic Division. Washington ended up in the cellar at 4-14.

Herschel Walker was in a virtual dead heat with another rookie, RB Kelvin Bryant of the Philadelphia Stars, in the USFL rushing standings following the win over the Federals and ultimately came out on top with 1812 yards. He also topped the new league with 17 rushing touchdowns and 18 overall. He received consensus All-League recognition.

Joe Gilliam continued to split time with Mike Hohensee and ended up completing 40 of 102 passes (39.2 %) for 673 yards and five TDs while giving up 12 interceptions.  

The missed field goal try at the end was Ken Olson’s first official attempt for the Federals. He had not had any attempts in his debut the previous week and an earlier miss from 37 yards against the Generals was nullified by a roughing-the-kicker penalty. Olson was gone by the next week.

1983: Blitz Defeat Express to Even Record

The Chicago Blitz were off to a lesser start than anticipated in the inaugural United States Football League season as they hosted the Los Angeles Express on March 27, 1983. Coming into the new league with the best-known head coach, George Allen, and a veteran-laden roster that also included touted rookies in HB Tim Spencer and WR Trumaine Johnson, the Blitz were viewed as the team to beat. But after handily defeating Washington in the opening week, they dropped two straight contests and were at 1-2 as they faced Los Angeles.

The Express was coached by Hugh Campbell, who had enjoyed success in the CFL. He employed a two-quarterback rotation that utilized veteran NFL backup Mike Rae and rookie Tom Ramsey out of UCLA, and unheralded rookie RB Tony Boddie had been a pleasant surprise.  The defensive line, anchored by NT Eddie “Meat Cleaver” Weaver was an asset.

It was a chilly, rainy day at Soldier Field before a sparse crowd of 10,936 fans. Following a scoreless first quarter, John Roveto kicked a 38-yard field goal with 5:43 remaining in the first half to put the Blitz in front by 3-0. Meanwhile, Tom Ramsey came in at quarterback for an ineffective Mike Rae early in the second quarter for the Express.

Later in the period, the Blitz put together a 64-yard series that included an uncharacteristic gamble. Facing a fourth-and-three situation, FB Kevin Long ran around left end for an 11-yard gain. QB Greg Landry (pictured above) then threw to Trumaine Johnson for 22 yards and Long finished the drive off with a one-yard touchdown carry. Roveto added the extra point and Chicago took a 10-0 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, a breakdown by the Blitz defense allowed Ramsey to throw to Tony Boddie for a 40-yard TD and Vince Abbott kicked the PAT. With the lead cut to three points, the Blitz drove 73 yards in 10 plays. Landry completed passes to TE Paul Ricker, Trumaine Johnson, and WR Wamon Buggs along the way and capped the possession by floating a pass to TE Doug Cozen that was caught just inside the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. A pass interference call on the visitors was declined, Roveto kicked the point after, and it was a 17-7 game.

LA got a break later in the period when a poor punt by Chicago’s Frank Garcia traveled just 18 yards. The Express capitalized, scoring on a touchdown pass from Ramsey to TE Ricky Ellis that covered 18 yards. The extra point by Abbott again narrowed the margin to three points.

For the remainder of the contest, the Chicago defense came up with key turnovers to expand and then preserve the lead. First, MLB Jim Fahnhorst recovered a fumble by Los Angeles FB LaRue Harrington, who was stripped by DT Joe Ehrmann, and that led to a 24-yard Roveto field goal that put the Blitz up by six points with 2:07 remaining.

There were still opportunities for the Express, but Chicago’s defense garnered two more takeaways in the last two minutes to seal the win. LB Ed Smith and safety Eddie Brown intercepted Ramsey passes and the Blitz won by a final score of 20-14.

Chicago had the edge in total yards (322 to 208), with an almost-equal balance between rushing (158) and passing (164), and also led in first downs (19 to 12). Los Angeles turned the ball over three times, to none by the Blitz. However, Chicago was hurt by 13 penalties, to just five called on the Express.

Greg Landry completed 20 of 36 passes for 173 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Tim Spencer ran for 87 yards on 21 carries and Kevin Long added 58 yards on 12 attempts that included a TD. Trumaine Johnson topped Chicago’s receivers with 6 catches for 70 yards and Wamon Buggs contributed another 53 yards on his three receptions.

For the Express, Mike Rae was a dismal four-of-12 for 29 yards before being relieved by Tom Ramsey, who was successful on 8 of 20 throws for 93 yards and two TDs, but also gave up the two late interceptions. Tony Boddie rushed for 50 yards on 10 carries and also topped the club with 46 yards on his two catches that included a score. WR Kris Haines, RB Wilbert Haslip, and LaRue Harrington all had three pass receptions, for 26, 20, and 12 yards, respectively.

“Chicago has the best personnel of all the teams we’ve played so far, no question about it,” said LA’s Coach Campbell. “They present you with a lot of problems, especially their defense.”

The Blitz went on to a 12-6 record, finishing second in the Central Division and grabbing a Wild Card playoff spot. While leading the USFL in scoring and overall defense, Chicago was not so adept at holding fourth quarter leads over the course of the season as it was against the Express, and that extended into the playoffs as they fell to the Philadelphia Stars in the Semifinal round. The inconsistent Express ended up at 8-10 and second in the weak Pacific Division.

1983: Stars Hold Off Gold in USFL Debut

Two of the new United States Football League’s teams, the Philadelphia Stars and Denver Gold, made their debut at Denver’s Mile High Stadium on March 6, 1983. The Gold had remained true to the USFL’s original plan of keeping player costs low and lacked high-priced talent on the roster, but Head Coach Red Miller was a popular figure among Denver football fans, having led the NFL Broncos to a Super Bowl appearance. QB Jeff Knapple was out of Northern Colorado and played briefly for the Broncos and RB Bo Matthews had spent eight seasons in the NFL, primarily with San Diego. Moreover, the Gold sold more season tickets than any other USFL team coming into the inaugural season, some 33,000, and there were 45,102 enthusiastic fans in attendance for the opening contest.

The visiting Stars faced many questions entering their first season. Head Coach Jim Mora, a former assistant coach with New England in the NFL, had only been hired in January after George Perles, originally signed to coach the team, quit to take the head coaching job at Michigan State. The defense had come in for considerable criticism in the media following a disastrous preseason scrimmage against the Tampa Bay Bandits. The biggest name on offense was rookie RB Kelvin Bryant out of North Carolina, while the quarterback was Chuck Fusina (pictured calling signals above), formerly of Penn State and a little-used backup in the NFL. 

The field at Mile High Stadium had been covered by a tarp and was in good condition while piles of snow ringed the sidelines from a major storm the previous day, but the weather was pleasant for the game. The Gold had the first possession and Jeff Knapple completed two passes to TE Bob Niziolek, but after reaching their own 45, another throw was intercepted by SS Scott Woerner.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Stars pinning the Gold inside their 20 and starting their second possession of the game in Denver territory at the 42. The visitors moved methodically down the field and scored on a two-yard bootleg by Chuck Fusina. David Trout added the extra point.

Neither team was able to move effectively for the remainder of the opening period, again trading punts. Philadelphia’s maligned defense was particularly effective, utilizing stunts and blitzes to keep Denver’s offense in check (and that hadn’t been utilized in the preseason).

In the second quarter, Philadelphia advanced into Denver territory but a 36-yard field goal attempt by Trout was blocked. The Gold were still unable to generate offense and a third-down sack had them punting from their own end zone. The Stars again moved well but a fumble by Kelvin Bryant was recovered by FS Tom Sullivan at the Denver 18.

Shortly thereafter, a long pass by Knapple was intercepted by CB Roger Jackson and the Stars advanced effectively, but a botched field goal attempt kept them from potentially adding to their lead with 21 seconds left in the first half. However, on the next play RB Harry Sydney fumbled the ball away after catching a short pass, giving the Stars one last shot in the dwindling seconds. Trout finished off the half with a 50-yard field goal and the score was 10-0 at halftime.

The Stars were forced to punt following the first series of the third quarter and the Gold had good field position just inside Philadelphia territory. However, a sack on third down by LB Glenn Howard cost 13 yards and forced Denver to kick the ball away. Another punt was followed by a diving Howard intercepting a Knapple pass at his own 43, but the visitors were again stifled by the tough Denver defense and punted.

The next possession for the Gold ended with Knapple fumbling the ball away on a bootleg, giving the Stars the ball at the Denver 34. Philadelphia capitalized when Trout kicked a 29-yard field goal in the last minute of the period and the visitors took a 13-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

The home fans booed the ineffective Knapple as he returned to the field for the next Denver series, which ended with yet another turnover, this time an interception by LB Jon Brooks. Following a 47-yard field goal attempt by the Stars that had to be aborted due to a bad snap, the Gold took over with favorable field position and it was Ken Johnson, a veteran with five years of CFL experience, at quarterback. He threaded a pass to WR Vic James on a third-and-15 play to get the ball to the Philadelphia 20 and another throw rifled to Niziolek picked up another 17 yards to the three. Three running plays had the Gold facing fourth-and-inches and Johnson kept the ball himself, running wide for a touchdown to cap the nine-play, 54-yard series. Speelman added the extra point to make it a six-point contest with 6:30 to play.

The fired-up Denver defense forced the Stars to punt and the Gold took over at their 35. With the Stars blitzing on every play and the crowd roaring, the Gold advanced into Philadelphia territory on a possession highlighted by a 23-yard carry by Sydney and a Johnson pass to James to get to the nine. Sydney plowed for four yards to the five but, with their backs to the wall and time running out, the Stars stopped two running plays and a lob by Johnson into the end zone on fourth down was beyond FB Larry Canada’s grasp. Philadelphia held on for a 13-7 win.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Stars led in total yards (232 to 215) while Denver had the edge in first downs (15 to 13). However, the Gold turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Philadelphia. The Stars also were penalized nine times while four flags were thrown on Denver.

Chuck Fusina completed 16 of 29 passes for 137 yards and gave up no interceptions while running for Philadelphia’s lone touchdown as part of his 25 yards on 7 rushing attempts. Kelvin Bryant had a modest debut with 51 yards on 18 carries but led the Stars with 6 catches, for 34 yards. WR Scott Fitzkee gained 46 yards on his three pass receptions.

For the Gold, Jeff Knapple was successful on 11 of 23 throws for just 70 yards while giving up four interceptions. Ken Johnson was 6 of 10 in relief for 66 yards and had none intercepted. Harry Sydney ran for 50 yards on 9 carries. Larry Canada, in addition to running the ball 7 times for 20 yards, led the team with five pass receptions, for 27 yards, while Vic James gained 38 yards on his two catches and Bob Niziolek accumulated 34 yards on his three receptions.

“I can’t say enough about them,” said Coach Jim Mora of his team’s defense. “They’ve been taking a lot of – I don’t want to say crap – but they had something to prove today.”

The Philadelphia defense kept doing the job for the remainder of the season, and the offense improved with Bryant as the key performer. The Stars went 15-3 and advanced to the USFL Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Michigan Panthers. Denver’s defense also continued to play well, but the offense remained a problem and neither Coach Miller nor QB Knapple made it to the end of the season. Miller was fired with the team’s record at 4-7, to be replaced by Craig Morton, the quarterback of the 1977 AFC Champion Broncos. Knapple was waived and picked up by the New Jersey Generals on the way to leading the league by giving up 19 interceptions (while tossing just three TD passes). Denver placed third in the Pacific Division with a 7-11 record but remained popular with the fans and led the USFL in attendance.

Highlighted Year: Fred Besana, 1983

Quarterback, Oakland Invaders

Age: 29 (Mar. 9)

6^th season in pro football, 1^st in USFL & with Invaders

College: California

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Son of a former minor league pitcher and baseball scout, Besana backed up Steve Bartkowski and Joe Roth as a college quarterback. He was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 1977 NFL draft. While active for two games during his rookie season, Besana saw no action and was released at the end of the preseason in ’78. He was signed by the New York Giants late in the year and again was active for two games but didn’t play. Released by the Giants during the ’79 preseason, Besana played three years with the Twin Cities Cougars of the minor league California Football League while running a beer distributorship. The Cougars were champions all three seasons and Besana was twice named to the league All-Star team. He threw for 1433 yards and 15 TDs in 1980 and led the circuit in passing in ’82 by throwing for 1767 yards and 19 touchdowns with only four interceptions. Besana was signed by the Invaders of the new USFL just before training camp for their inaugural Spring season.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in all 18 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 550 [2]

Most attempts, game – 47 at Tampa Bay 5/21

Completions – 345 [1]

Most completions, game – 27 at Tampa Bay 5/21

Yards – 3980 [1]

Most yards, game – 341 at Michigan 3/19

Completion percentage – 62.7 [1]

Yards per attempt – 7.2 [4]

TD passes – 21 [2]

Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Washington 5/16

Interceptions – 16 [6, tied with Alan Risher & John Reaves]

Most interceptions, game – 2 on five occasions

Passer rating – 96.7

300-yard passing games – 2

200-yard passing games – 13

Rushing

Attempts – 41

Most attempts, game – 6 (for 12 yds.) vs. Birmingham 3/13, (for 31 yds.) vs. Tampa Bay 5/8

Yards – 139

Most yards, game – 31 yards (on 6 carries) vs. Tampa Bay 5/8

Yards per attempt – 3.4

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Postseason: 1 G (Semifinal playoff at Michigan)

Pass attempts – 35

Pass completions – 23

Passing yardage – 258

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 2

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards – 1

Average gain rushing – 1.0

Rushing TDs – 1

Invaders went 9-9 to finish first in the USFL Pacific Division. Lost USFL Semifinal playoff to Michigan Panthers (37-21).

Aftermath:

Following his impressive 1983 season, Besana and the Oakland offense got off to a rough start in ’84. The team was 0-9 before catching fire with a seven-game winning streak. Besana ended up throwing for 2792 yards and 14 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. The Invaders were merged with the Michigan Panthers for 1985 and Besana lost his starting job to Bobby Hebert. He threw just 58 passes, completing 34 for 494 yards and six TDs along with four interceptions. The demise of the USFL brought an end to Besana’s career. For his three USFL seasons, Besana completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 7266 yards and 41 touchdowns while giving up 32 interceptions and being sacked 140 times.

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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