1985: Reaves Leads Bandits to Win Against Gunslingers

The Tampa Bay Bandits and San Antonio Gunslingers both had 1-1 records as they met in a United States Football League game on March 10, 1985.

The Bandits, coached for the third year by Steve Spurrier, blew out Orlando in the first week but gave up 50 points in a loss to Houston in Week 2. They featured a potent offense directed by QB John Reaves, who had just turned 35, and the all-around skills of RB Gary Anderson, who was adept both as a runner from scrimmage and receiver out of the backfield. But the defense that recorded eight sacks against the Renegades fared poorly against the explosive Gamblers, not helped by the special teams giving up two kick return TDs.

San Antonio, a low-budget operation coached by Jim Bates, was defeated by the Memphis Showboats in their opening contest but narrowly prevailed over Arizona in the next contest in which QB Rick Neuheisel played well, as did the tough defense in successfully coming from behind.

There were 21,822 fans in attendance at Alamo Stadium. On John Reaves’ second pass of the game, CB Charles Armstead intercepted for San Antonio and returned it 28 yards to the Tampa Bay 34. The Gunslingers weren’t able to move on offense, with a pass deflected on first down, the next broken up, and the third falling incomplete. They settled for a 40-yard Nick Mike-Mayer field goal for the early 3-0 lead.

The Bandits came back to go ahead on a Reaves pass to WR Eric Truvillion that covered 32 yards and Zenon Andrusyshyn added the extra point. Still in the opening period, San Antonio responded with another Mike-Mayer field goal, this time from 30 yards that narrowed the margin to 7-6.

In the second quarter, Reaves, who was consistently hitting his receivers, went long to WR Steve Carter for a 54-yard TD. Andrusyshyn again converted to make the score 14-6. The Gunslingers put together a drive that concluded with RB Scott Stamper diving into the end zone from a yard out. They tried to pass for a two-point conversion but failed and the Bandits remained in front by 14-12.

Late in the perioed, Tampa Bay put together a long drive of 63 yards in 13 plays. With ten seconds remaining on the clock, Andrusyshyn booted a 22-yard field goal and the Bandits took a 17-12 lead over the tenacious Gunslingers into halftime.

San Antonio had managed to keep the game close in the first half, but the Bandits finally took control midway through the third quarter when CB Warren Hanna intercepted a Neuheisel sideline pass and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown. Andrusyshyn’s point after made the score 24-12.

Fred Mortensen relieved Neuheisel at quarterback, but with not much more success on offense. The visitors added to their lead early in the fourth quarter when Reaves again connected on a scoring pass to Truvillion, this time from three yards out, and Andrusyshyn’s extra point gave the Bandits a comfortable 31-12 advantage.

San Antonio finally got on the board again with 6:48 left in the contest as Mortensen ran 10 yards for a touchdown. Once again the home team tried for a two-point conversion, and again they failed, but it was of no consequence as the Bandits won by a final score of 31-18.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (409 to 277) and first downs (21 to 14). The Bandits also had two sacks, to San Antonio’s one, but also turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by the Gunslingers.

John Reaves, who completed 12 straight passes at one point, was 25 of 31 for 298 yards and three touchdowns while giving up the one early interception. Eric Truvillion had 8 catches for 130 yards and two of the TDs. RB Gary Anderson rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries and also accumulated 5 pass receptions for 31 more yards.

For the Gunslingers, Rick Neuheisel was successful on just 8 of 22 throws for 101 yards and gave up two interceptions. Fred Mortensen had about the same level of success, completing 8 of 14 passes for 85 yards with one picked off. RB Don Roberts was the leading receiver by far with 7 receptions for 124 yards. Scott Stamper topped the rushers with a modest 24 yards on 9 attempts.  

The Bandits won four of their next five games on the way to a 10-8 record that placed fifth in the Eastern Conference and earned a spot in the playoffs. They lost a close contest to Oakland in the Quarterfinal round. San Antonio lost its next two contests and, mired in organizational problems, finished at 5-13 to rank sixth in the Western Conference.

John Reaves had a highly productive season, completing 56 percent of his passes for 4193 yards, which ranked second in the USFL, and 25 touchdowns, but he also gave up a league-leading 29 interceptions. Gary Anderson ended up leading the club both in rushing with 1207 yards but in pass receiving with 72 catches, for 678 yards, and scored a total of 20 touchdowns.

1985: Gunslingers Beat Outlaws with Late Safety to Cap 4th Quarter Surge

The San Antonio Gunslingers had gone 7-11 in 1984, their inaugural United States Football League season, and played poorly in losing their 1985 season-opening game to Memphis by a score of 20-3. There did not appear to be much reason for optimism for the team coached by 38-year-old Jim Bates. The offense averaged just 17.2 points per outing in ’84, but QB Rick Neuheisel (pictured at right), a rookie out of UCLA in the team’s first year, at least now had a season of experience under his belt although his supporting cast was largely the same. It was the “Bounty Hunter” defense that kept the team competitive. However, the organization seemed shaky as owner Clinton Manges, an oil man, had difficulty paying its bills and presented a fly-by-night front with its offices housed in a double-wide trailer that was kept in the Alamo Stadium parking lot.

On March 3, 1985 the Gunslingers hosted the Arizona Outlaws before a small crowd of 11,151. Coached by Frank Kush, the Outlaws were a combination of 1984’s Arizona Wranglers and Oklahoma Outlaws. Several of the veterans who had been with the Wranglers under retired Head Coach George Allen supplemented the Outlaws squad that featured ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Doug Williams.

The Outlaws get off to a fast start, scoring on their first possession. They went 71 yards in 13 plays capped by RB Kevin Long’s one-yard scoring carry to take a 7-0 lead that held up until the final period. San Antonio threatened once in the second quarter, reaching the Arizona nine yard line after a 46-yard drive, but a 33-yard field goal attempt by Nick Mike-Mayer was aborted when Neuheisel fumbled the snap.

Arizona missed out on opportunities to extend the lead as Luis Zendejas failed on field goal attempts of 42 and 51 yards. Still, it seemed as though the one-touchdown lead might be enough against San Antonio’s weak offense.

In the fourth quarter the Gunslingers finally got on the board following a bad snap on an Arizona punt. Punter Case de Bruijn dropped the ball, recovered, but was tackled at his two yard line. Two plays later RB Scott Stamper scored a one-yard TD and, with the successful extra point, it was a tie game.

However, the Outlaws came right back, driving 75 yards in 12 plays that was again completed by Long on a one-yard scoring dive. But on the first play of San Antonio’s ensuing possession, Neuheisel came up with a big play as he threw to WR Danny Buggs for a 69-yard touchdown. The successful extra point again tied the game at 14-14.

There were more problems on special teams for Arizona as San Antonio LB Reggie Mathis blocked the punt following the next series and DB Jim Bob Morris recovered at the Arizona two. But the Outlaws kept the Gunslingers out of the end zone and, following yet another bad snap on a field goal attempt on fourth down, Neuheisel threw an incomplete pass.

The Outlaws had dodged a bullet but also had the ball deep in their own territory. On the second play, DE Jeff Chaffin sacked Doug Williams in the end zone with just over a minute remaining in the contest to provide the winning margin. San Antonio, having scored all of its points in the final period, came away with a 16-14 win.

Arizona outgained the Gunslingers (304 to 168) and had more first downs (16 to 10). The Outlaws sacked Neuheisel seven times, giving up two (although one was the game-deciding safety), and punted only twice, while San Antonio had to kick the ball away on six occasions. But they only managed to score the two touchdowns, and sloppy special teams play had a huge effect (although both clubs were so afflicted).

Rick Neuheisel completed 10 of 22 passes for 155 yards, with 69 of that total coming on his one touchdown pass, along with one interception. It was also the only reception for Danny Buggs, who nevertheless led the team in receiving yards, while RB Don Roberts and TE James Hadnot each caught two passes, for 15 and 12 yards, respectively. The Gunslingers gained just 54 rushing yards, and Scott Stamper led the way with 22 yards on 8 carries.

For Arizona, Doug Williams was successful on 24 of 34 throws for 211 yards with no TDs but two interceptions. TE Ron Wheeler caught 6 of those passes for 61 yards. Kevin Long led the team with 36 rushing yards on 12 attempts that included the two short TDs and also contributed 5 pass receptions for 49 more.


Coach Kush (pictured at left) expressed understandable disappointment with his club’s special teams play. Special teams “had to be the difference in the game,” said Kush. He added “San Antonio should get credit, though, because they hung in there.”

The tough defense that went on to score a total of four safeties over the course of the season wasn’t enough to carry the Gunslingers to many victories – they ended up with a 5-13 record for sixth place in the Western Conference. The off-field ineptness continued to distract the team, with missed paydays causing Coach Bates to quit before it was over. Arizona was 8-10, two places above San Antonio. The Outlaws won the rematch between the teams by a 13-3 score.