1974: Late Scores Boost Americans Over Sharks

The Birmingham Americans were undefeated at 6-0 as they took on the reeling Jacksonville Sharks in a World Football League game on August 21, 1974. Head Coach Jack Gotta’s team featured ten-year veteran George Mira at quarterback and, as his backup, Matthew Reed (pictured above), who was proving to be effective coming off the bench. Reed, a big quarterback at 6’4” and 230 pounds, had been a very productive passer at Grambling but could only get tryouts at tight end in the NFL with Buffalo, Denver, and New Orleans, and was originally signed by the Americans at that position. Both quarterbacks were helped by the presence of two productive wide receivers in Dennis Homan and Alfred Jenkins.

For the Sharks, it was the first game for Charlie Tate as head coach in place of Bud Asher, who was dismissed after the team’s record dropped to 2-4 the previous week. RB Tommy Durrance was leading the WFL in rushing with 443 yards, and rookie Reggie Oliver from the University of Miami was a promising quarterback, when healthy. But while there was plenty of experience on the roster, the Sharks were having trouble winning close contests.

It was a rainy Wednesday night at the Gator Bowl with 27,140 fans in attendance. Neither offense performed well during the first half. Grant Guthrie kicked a field goal from 31 yards late in the first quarter to stake the Sharks to the lead and added another from 51 yards in the third quarter. Five times during the first three periods the Jacksonville defense stopped Birmingham drives inside its 25 yard line. Safety Ron Coppenbarger had two fumble recoveries and an interception to cap three of those stops.

The score remained 6-0 heading into the fourth quarter, at which point the steady rain finally stopped. In addition, Matthew Reed had come in at quarterback for the Americans after George Mira reinjured his ankle.

Early in the final period, Reed connected with Alfred Jenkins for a 27-yard touchdown that finished off a five-play, 40-yard series. The Americans failed to add the action point, but were ahead by 7-6 (in the WFL, touchdowns counted for seven points and were followed by an “action point” that could not be kicked).

The teams exchanged punts before Jacksonville put together an 88-yard drive that put them ahead by 14-7 with just over a minute remaining. Tommy Durrance ran the final five yards for the touchdown, to the delight of the home crowd. The series included a successful fourth down conversion in their own territory and Reggie Oliver completed four passes along the way. The Sharks failed to add the action point, but were in front and seemed poised for an upset.

The ensuing kickoff was short and returned to the Jacksonville 47 by RB Jimmy Edwards, who nearly broke free. With time running down, Reed tossed a screen pass to HB Paul Robinson for 11 yards and a throw to WR Denny Duron gained another 11. Reed, under pressure, completed a pass to TE Jim Bishop that picked up 19 yards to the Jacksonville six and, three plays later, the Americans scored again with 19 seconds left on the clock when FB Charlie Harraway bulled over for a touchdown from two yards out. Reed rolled out and ran for the all-important action point and the Americans pulled out the dramatic win by a final score of 15-14.

Birmingham outgained the Sharks (315 yards to 200) and had more first downs (19 to 12). The Americans turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Jacksonville.

Reed completed 7 of 12 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. George Mira was successful on just 6 of 17 throws for 68 yards and was picked off once. Jimmy Edwards rushed for 62 yards on 9 carries and Charlie Harraway was right behind at 60 yards on 13 attempts that included a TD. Dennis Homan caught four passes for 55 yards and Alfred Jenkins contributed three catches for 48 yards and a score.

For the Sharks, Reggie Oliver made good on 7 of 17 passes for 108 yards and was intercepted twice. Tommy Durrance gained 42 yards on 16 rushing attempts that included a touchdown and RB Ricky Lake accumulated 35 yards on 13 carries. WR Tom Whittier caught three passes for 61 yards.

“It was a superlative effort by Matthew Reed that kept us unbeaten,” summed up Coach Jack Gotta. “He’s one of the great pure passers in football.”

Birmingham went on to place second in the Central Division at 15-5 and proceeded to win the first (and only) WFL Championship. The Sharks failed to last the season. Despite respectable fan support, the team was woefully mismanaged and folded after fourteen weeks with a 4-10 record.

Matthew Reed continued to excel in a relief role at quarterback and passed for 1345 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also rushed for 176 yards on 40 carries that included three for scores.

1974: Matthew Reed Rallies Americans Past Wheels

The participants in the World Football League game on July 31, 1974 in Ypsilanti, Michigan were teams moving in different directions.

The Detroit Wheels were coached by former Eastern Michigan Head Coach Dan Boisture, and the team played its home games at that college some 35 miles from the Motor City (the NFL Lions were able to block them from Tiger Stadium). The team suffered from financial difficulties right from the start and signed only three draft picks. They did draw heavily on young veterans with CFL experience, and one of them, Bubba Wyche, was the starting quarterback. After being blown out in the opening game at Memphis, they lost a close contest to Florida and then failed to hold a lead against The Hawaiians. At 0-3, Coach Boisture made clear that he considered the Week 4 contest to be a must-win for his team.

The visiting Birmingham Americans, coached by Jack Gotta, were 3-0, having won two close games to start the season and then most recently coming off a high-scoring 58-33 win at Memphis. However, veteran QB George Mira had a sprained ankle and would be sitting out the game against the Wheels. So, too, would ex-Redskins FB Charley Harraway, who had gotten off to a slow start and was now sidelined with a leg injury.

Taking Mira’s place was first-year QB Matthew Reed (pictured above). The 22-year-old Reed, an imposing 6’4” and 225 pounds, had been an outstanding college quarterback at Grambling but had failed to make it with the NFL Bills, who drafted him in the tenth round in 1973, and Saints.

There were just 14,614 fans present at Rynearson Stadium for the Wednesday night game. The hard-throwing Reed came out passing early, going for long bombs that fell incomplete while being blitzed heavily by the Detroit defense, hoping to take advantage of his inexperience.

Detroit got on the board when Bubba Wyche threw to newly-acquired TE Bruce Cullen for a 20-yard TD, although a running attempt for the “action point” failed (in the WFL, touchdowns counted for seven points and were followed by an “action point” that could not be kicked).

Late in the first half, and five minutes after the Wheels scored, Reed finally connected on a long pass play, hitting WR Dennis Homan for a 59-yard gain that set up an Earl Sark field goal of 27 yards with 14 seconds left on the clock. The score was 7-3 in favor of the Wheels at the half.

In the third quarter, Birmingham went 72 yards in five plays to score again. Homan made another big catch, diving to pull in the ball for a 29-yard gain, and RB Carl Bartles plunged in for a one-yard touchdown to finish the drive. Reed successfully passed for the “action point” and the Americans were ahead by 11-7.

At 4:42 into the fourth quarter, Sark booted a 36-yard field goal to extend Birmingham’s lead to 14-7. However, Detroit came back in stunning fashion when RB Jessie Mims took a pitchout and ran down the left sideline for a 55-yard touchdown. Wyche successfully converted the “action point” with a pass to RB Bill Sadler to put the Wheels in front at 15-14.

Following a short Birmingham possession that ended with a punt, it was Mims making another big play for the Wheels as he broke two tackles on the way to a 64-yard gain. That set up a 29-yard field goal by Eric Guthrie with 3:49 left in the game, and it appeared that Detroit might finally break into the win column.

Reed had the hot hand on the ensuing Birmingham drive, however, throwing to WR Alfred Jenkins for 14 yards, to TE Ted Powell for 32, and Homan for 12 yards to get the ball to the Detroit 9. Rolling out on an option play, the quarterback kept the ball and covered the nine yards, plowing over two defenders at the goal line for the winning touchdown with 2:12 left on the clock. The “action point” attempt failed, but Birmingham still came away the winner by a score of 21-18.

The Americans gained more yards (340 to 326) while Detroit led in first downs (18 to 13). Birmingham lost two fumbles and the Wheels turned the ball over once on an interception. Detroit was penalized seven times, for a loss of 50 yards, as opposed to two flags thrown on the Americans.

Matthew Reed completed just 8 of 21 passes, but they were good for 207 yards and he gave up no interceptions. Dennis Homan accounted for 4 catches for 110 yards. RB Paul Robinson led the rushing attack with 48 yards on 16 carries.

“We were flat early,” said Jack Gotta of his team’s offense. “I think it was rather obvious Matthew Reed was a little tight when he started. He had some problems early, but he stuck in there like they (the rest of the team) all did.”

For the Wheels, Jessie Mims rushed for 128 yards on just 9 carries. Bubba Wyche was successful on 19 of 32 throws for 190 yards and had one intercepted – he also ran for 30 yards on four carries. WR Jon Henderson pulled in 6 catches for 84 yards.

Detroit also suffered major injuries when WR Hubie Bryant and TE Dennis Macholz missed the second half due to leg injuries and CB Floyd Priester had to be carted off the field with a concussion on Birmingham’s winning score.

Typical of the Wheels, they played hard but came up short. They would go on to lose another close contest to the Americans at Birmingham the following week and a total of 10 straight before finally winning. With meager fan support and a lack of financial resources, the club failed to complete the season and folded with a 1-13 record.

Birmingham fared better, placing second in the Central Division at 15-5 and winning the only WFL Championship. Matthew Reed split time with George Mira and passed for 1345 yards and 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 176 yards and three TDs on 40 carries.