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.

1984: Stars Rally to Defeat Wranglers

The Arizona Wranglers were off to a slow start in the second United States Football League season as they hosted the Philadelphia Stars on April 8, 1984. Due to an exchange of franchises, the Wranglers were a transplanted version of the 1983 Chicago Blitz, bringing with them venerable Head Coach George Allen. In two meetings between the Blitz and Philadelphia in ‘83, one of them a playoff game, the Stars had pulled off dramatic second half rallies to ultimately win.

The Stars, coached by Jim Mora, remained strong and had a 5-1 record. However, they were missing RB Kelvin Bryant, a key component of their ball control offense, due to a sprained knee. Still, QB Chuck Fusina (pictured above) was a dependable, if unspectacular, field general and the opportunistic defense was stingy and adept at creating opportunities through takeaways.

Arizona was loaded with veteran talent but off to a sluggish 3-3 start. QB Greg Landry had plenty of savvy in his 16^th pro season and he had a good target in second-year WR Trumaine Johnson. The running back combination of RB Tim Spencer and FB Kevin Long was a productive one. Characteristic of Allen-coached teams, the defense was strong and yielded ground grudgingly.

There were 30,252 fans in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium. Arizona had the first possession and drove 73 yards in 12 plays that concluded with a one-yard touchdown run by Kevin Long. Frank Corral added the extra point. At the end of the opening period, the Wranglers extended their lead when Greg Landry threw to Trumaine Johnson for a 10-yard TD and Corral successfully converted to make it 14-0.

In the second quarter, the Stars put together a long drive of 73 yards in 18 plays that resulted in FB David Riley’s run for a four-yard touchdown. However, David Trout hooked the extra point attempt and the Wranglers maintained an eight-point lead.

In the final minutes of the first half, Arizona had a long series of its own that advanced 84 yards in 15 plays. Tim Spencer ran two yards for a TD with 22 seconds remaining on the clock and, with Corral’s successful point after, the Wranglers took a 21-6 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, the Wranglers had an opportunity to add to their lead but Corral missed a 41-yard field goal attempt. Philadelphia got a further break, recovering a fumbled punt at the Arizona 46, and capitalized seven plays later when Chuck Fusina passed to Riley for a 30-yard touchdown. A running play to try for a two-point conversion failed and Arizona maintained a still-formidable 21-12 advantage.

Another fumbled punt by the Wranglers, recovered by WR Herbert Harris, gave the Stars the ball at the Wranglers’ 15 early in the fourth quarter and, while they weren’t able to reach the end zone, David Trout booted a 27-yard field goal to further narrow the home team’s lead to 21-15.

There was 3:31 remaining to play when, with the Wranglers attempting to drive to a game-clinching field goal, LB Sam Mills recovered yet another fumble by the Wranglers, this time due to a poor snap that Landry couldn’t handle, at the Philadelphia 35. The aroused Arizona defense initially rose to the occasion as Fusina was aggressively sacked by DE Karl Lorch for a five-yard loss on first down and then a short completion to WR Willie Collier led to the loss of another yard thanks to a quick tackle by CB Frank Minnifield. But facing third-and-16 at his own 29 Fusina, very near the line of scrimmage as he scrambled to avoid tacklers, threw into a crowd and Riley pulled it in for a 60-yard gain to the Arizona 11. With 1:40 left on the clock, Fusina then passed to Collier for an 11-yard touchdown and Trout’s successful kick put the visitors in the lead. The Stars sealed the 22-21 win on another Landry fumble that was recovered by NT Pete Kugler at the Philadelphia 47.

Arizona led in total yards (314 to 206), first downs (22 to 14), and time of possession (31:32 to 28:28). The Wranglers also recorded five sacks to one by Philadelphia. But the home team also turned the ball over five times, to just one suffered by the Stars. There were many penalties on both sides, with the Stars flagged 11 times at a cost of 62 yards and Arizona hit for 9 penalties for 35 yards.

Chuck Fusina completed 15 of 29 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. He also led the Stars in rushing, who without Bryant and against Arizona’s tough defense had an uncharacteristically mediocre day on the ground, with 27 yards on three attempts. David Riley (pictured at left) gained 19 rushing yards on five carries but had a big receiving day out of the backfield with four catches for 106 yards and a TD. Willie Collier also had four pass receptions, gaining 32 yards and scoring the winning touchdown.

For the Wranglers, Greg Landry was an efficient 24 of 29 for 217 yards with a TD and an interception, but gave up two fumbles. Trumaine Johnson had 8 pass receptions for 68 yards and a score. Tim Spencer led the rushers with 55 yards on 17 carries and Kevin Long contributed 46 yards on 14 attempts. On defense, DT Kit Lathrop and Karl Lorch were credited with two sacks apiece.

“I can’t think of a loss over the years that was more disheartening and devastating as this one,” said a distraught Coach Allen. “It’s like a morgue in this locker room.”

The Stars kept winning, topping the Atlantic Division with a league-best 16-2 record. They easily advanced to the USFL Championship game with victories over New Jersey and Birmingham in the first two playoff rounds. Arizona, having dropped to 3-4 with the loss to Philadelphia, finally turned things around during the second half of the season and finished second in the Pacific Division at 10-8. Qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card, the Wranglers edged Houston in the first round and then defeated Los Angeles, the club that won the division, to reach the league title game and a rematch with the Stars. It was not nearly as close the second time, and no late heroics by Philadelphia were necessary, as the Stars dominated by a score of 23-3.

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: Kelvin Bryant, 1984

Running Back, Philadelphia Stars

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Stars

College: North Carolina

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

A three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference back in college, Bryant was chosen by the Stars in the first USFL territorial draft and went with the new league (the Washington Redskins selected him in the 7^th round of the ’83 NFL draft even though he had already signed with the USFL). He moved directly into the starting lineup and quickly became the focal point of the ground-oriented offense. Bryant rushed for 1442 yards and 16 TDs, caught 53 passes for another 410 yards and a score, and received MVP honors from the league as well as consensus first-team All-USFL recognition.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 18 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 297 [1, tied with Joe Cribbs]

Most attempts, game – 27 (for 114 yds.) vs. Tampa Bay 4/1

Yards – 1406 [2]

Most yards, game – 194 yards (on 24 carries) at Denver 6/8

Average gain – 4.7 [11]

TDs – 13 [6, tied with Leon Perry]

100-yard rushing games – 5

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 48      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 34 yds.) vs. Oakland 3/18

Yards – 453

Most yards, game – 67 (on 3 catches) vs. Pittsburgh 6/4

Average gain – 9.4

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 15 [5, tied with Richard Johnson & Kevin Long]

Points – 90 [5, tied with Richard Johnson & Kevin Long]

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 80

Most rushing attempts, game – 29 vs. Arizona, USFL Championship

Rushing yards – 384

Most rushing yards, game – 152 vs. Birmingham, Eastern Conference Championship

Average gain rushing – 4.8

Rushing TDs – 5

Pass receptions – 4

Most pass receptions, game – 2 vs. New Jersey, USFL First Round playoff

Pass receiving yards – 45

Most pass receiving yards, game - 32 vs. New Jersey, USFL First Round playoff

Average yards per reception – 11.3

Pass Receiving TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

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

Stars went 16-2 to finish first in the USFL Atlantic Division with the league’s best record. Won First Round playoff over New Jersey Generals (28-7), Eastern Conference Championship over Birmingham Stallions (20-10), and USFL Championship over Arizona Wranglers (23-3).

Aftermath:

Bryant continued to be one of the league’s best runners, even though battling occasional injuries, tying for fourth in ’85 with 1207 yards. He ended up gaining 4055 yards over the course of the three USFL seasons, and the Stars won the league championship in the last two. Following the demise of the USFL, Bryant joined the Redskins where he spent four seasons from 1986 to ’90, missing all of 1989 due to a neck injury. In the NFL, he battled injuries and was utilized more for his pass receiving skills, catching over 40 passes in each of his first three years but only once compiling as many as 100 carries (108 in 1988). With Washington, he rushed for a total of 1186 yards and caught 154 passes for 1634 yards.

--

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

1984: Stars Defeat Generals in USFL Playoff Contest

Two rivals from the Atlantic Division of the United States Football League faced off in a First Round Playoff game on June 30, 1984. The Philadelphia Stars had gone 16-2 during the regular season, the league’s best record, but both losses were to the New Jersey Generals, the club that finished second in the division with a 14-4 tally. The second meeting had been just the previous week, and Philadelphia had been uncharacteristically sloppy in both contests.

The Stars, who narrowly lost the USFL Championship game the previous year, were coached by Jim Mora. QB Chuck Fusina, the league’s most efficient passer, directed the ball-control offense that featured RB Kelvin Bryant (pictured #44 above, with WR Willie Collier) operating behind a solid line. The tough and opportunistic defense that included All-League performers in NT Pete Kugler, LB Sam Mills, CB Garcia Lane, and FS Mike Lush yielded a league-low 12.5 points per game.

New Jersey was coached by Walt Michaels and was much improved over the 1983 unit thanks to the addition of significant veteran talent. QB Brian Sipe was one of those upgrades, and while he didn’t have a big season, he was far more effective than the signal callers of the previous year. RB Herschel Walker was again the key to the offense, but he suffered from a sore shoulder all season and looked more tentative, although he still rushed for 1399 yards and 16 TDs while FB Maurice Carthon also reached a thousand yards (1042). The defense benefited from the addition of linebackers Willie Harper, Bobby Leopold, and Jim LeClair, FS Gary Barbaro, and CB Kerry Justin.

The game was played before 19,038 fans at Franklin Field of the Univ. of Pennsylvania, once home of the NFL Eagles, due to a conflict with major league baseball’s Phillies for use of Veterans Stadium. The locker rooms were too small to accommodate the teams and they had to suit up at the nearby Hollenbeck Center and walk to the stadium.

It had rained during the morning, but stopped prior to kickoff. In the first quarter, a promising ten-play possession for the Generals ended with a pass by Brian Sipe being intercepted by FS Scott Woerner at the Philadelphia 16, and he returned it to his 40.  

The opening period remained scoreless as the teams traded punts. Early in the second quarter, another turnover by the Generals set up the first score of the game. Pete Kugler sacked Sipe, causing the quarterback to fumble. LB John Bunting recovered and the Stars took just three plays to travel 49 yards. Chuck Fusina connected with WR Scott Fitzkee for 17 yards and FB David Riley for 22, and Kelvin Bryant reached the end zone on a ten-yard sweep. David Trout added the extra point and Philadelphia was ahead by 7-0 three minutes into the period.

New Jersey’s next possession ended in a punt and Garcia Lane, sprung thanks to outstanding blocks by DB Bill Hardee and WR Herbert Harris, returned it 70 yards for a TD. Trout again converted to widen the home team’s lead to 14-0.

The Generals, down by two touchdowns, were forced out of their game plan, but they advanced into Philadelphia territory on the next series, helped along by a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Stars. However, the visitors came up empty when Roger Ruzek missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt. Bryant immediately took off on a 38-yard jaunt to key an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Bryant catching an 11-yard touchdown pass over his shoulder in the corner of the end zone. Trout added the point after. The first half ended with Ruzek failing on a field goal try from 49 yards and, despite New Jersey running more plays and generating the most yards, the Stars took a 21-0 lead into halftime. Adding to their problems, the Generals lost three starters to injuries in the hard-hitting first half: Gary Barbaro, Kerry Justin, and G Wayne Harris.

The Stars punted following the first possession of the third quarter and New Jersey advanced into scoring territory, but after reaching the Philadelphia 15 following Herschel Walker’s run to convert a fourth down, the Stars stiffened on defense and Ruzek missed a third field goal attempt, hooking to the left from 42 yards.  

Philadelphia proceeded to put together a 20-play drive that covered 75 yards and ran 11:48 off the clock. Bryant punched over from the one for a touchdown that, with Trout’s PAT, put the Stars up by 28-0 with 10:41 to play and effectively sealed the win. The Generals finally got on the board when Sipe threw to WR Clarence Collins for a 14-yard TD, but it was of no consequence. Philadelphia advanced to the next round by a decisive score of 28-7.

New Jersey had the edge in total yards (313 to 269) and first downs (24 to 17), but also suffered the game’s only two turnovers, both of which were turned into points by the Stars. Philadelphia held the Generals to just 70 yards on the ground and recorded three sacks, to one by New Jersey. There were a total of 16 penalties called in the hard-hitting game, with the Stars getting flagged 10 times.

Kelvin Bryant rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries that included two touchdowns and scored another on one of his two catches for 32 yards. Chuck Fusina didn’t go to the air often but was typically efficient, completing 9 of 14 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, including six-of-six for 77 yards in the first half. David Riley and Scott Fitzkee caught three passes apiece, for 39 and 33 yards, respectively.

For the Generals, Brian Sipe was successful on 24 of 40 throws for 259 yards and a TD along with one interception. Herschel Walker was limited to 50 yards on 15 rushing attempts but led the club with 6 catches for 79 yards. Clarence Collins contributed 5 receptions for 62 yards and a score and TE Jeff Spek added 58 yards on his 5 catches.

“A loss today meant the season,” said Kelvin Bryant. “We really wanted to get them because they were the only team to beat us.”

“We were a lot more physical today, there was a lot of emotion out there,” said Coach Mora of the Stars.

The Stars went on to defeat the Birmingham Stallions the following week for the Eastern Conference title and won the USFL Championship handily over the Arizona Wranglers. New Jersey came back in 1985 to go 11-7 and again qualify for the playoffs, and once more fell to the Stars, now based in Baltimore, in the first round.

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.

1985: Big Plays by Mills on Defense Spur Stars to Defeat of Renegades

The Baltimore Stars, reigning champions of the United States Football League, were struggling at 5-6-1 as they faced the Orlando Renegades on May 17, 1985. Highly successful as a Philadelphia-based franchise in 1983 and ’84, the Stars were having difficulty adjusting to the move to Byrd Stadium at the University of Maryland (Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium was unavailable) while continuing to practice in Philadelphia. However, Head Coach Jim Mora’s team still had a solid defense plus an effective ball-control offense directed by QB Chuck Fusina that featured RB Kelvin Bryant.

The Renegades, coached by Lee Corso, were the remnant of the far-less-successful Washington Federals of the prior two years. They came into the contest at 3-9, but were showing improvement after getting off to a 0-6 start. Highly mobile QB Reggie Collier led the attack but the defense was poor, often failing in the second half of games.

There were 23,121 fans in attendance on a Friday night at Orlando Stadium. The Renegades took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, first on a six-yard TD pass from Reggie Collier to WR Jackie Flowers less than two minutes into the contest that was set up when Baltimore’s Kelvin Bryant fumbled the ball away at his own 11 yard line, safety Victor Jackson recovering, and then on a four-yard run by RB Leon Perry that completed a six-play, 50-yard possession. Jeff Brockhaus added the extra point after each.

The Stars came back in the second quarter when Chuck Fusina threw long to Bryant for a 43-yard touchdown and David Trout added the point after. However, Perry scored a second touchdown shortly thereafter, carrying from two yards out. Trout kicked a 42-yard field goal for the visitors in the final minute, but the Renegades held a surprising 21-10 lead at the half.

The Stars were known for their opportunism on defense, and two big plays by inside LB Sam Mills in the first four minutes of the second half turned the game around. First, he returned an intercepted pass 20 yards for a touchdown. Then he forced a fumble with a hard tackle of RB Henry Odom, who had just caught a Collier pass across the middle, which gave the Stars the ball at the Orlando 22 when DE William Fuller recovered. Six plays later, Bryant ran five yards for another Baltimore TD. The Stars were suddenly in front by 24-21.

The Renegades came back strong on offense, driving to the Baltimore one on their next series. However, the Stars repelled three straight runs and it was Mills making a big stop of Odom inches from the goal line on fourth down that ended the threat. The Stars responded with an 83-yard drive and Trout added a 34-yard field goal before the period was over.

There was one more score midway through the fourth quarter as Fusina passed to WR Herbert Harris for a 16-yard TD, icing the cake for the Stars. Baltimore came away with a comfortable 34-21 win thanks to 24 unanswered second half points.

Orlando outgained the Stars (348 yards to 301) and had more first downs (24 to 19). However, the Renegades also turned the ball over five times, four on fumbles, while the visitors did so twice. The Stars also recorded five sacks, to three for the home team. There were many penalties, with Philadelphia flagged 15 times to 9 called on Orlando.

Chuck Fusina completed 15 of 30 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Kelvin Bryant ran for 87 yards on 16 carries and also led the club with 5 pass receptions for 74 yards, scoring one TD apiece on the ground and through the air.

For the Renegades, Reggie Collier was successful on 27 of 47 throws for 243 yards and a TD with one picked off. Collier was also Orlando’s rushing leader as he accumulated 50 yards on five attempts. Jackie Flowers caught 7 passes for 93 yards and a score.

The win evened the Stars’ record at 6-6-1 and they went on to win four of their next five games to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-7-1 tally. The rally continued into the postseason as they went on to defeat the Oakland Invaders and repeat as USFL Champions. Orlando ended up at 5-13 and the bottom of the conference. 

Sam Mills was a consensus first-team All-USFL selection for the third straight year. An undersized (5’9”, 225 pounds) player out of Montclair State in New Jersey who had previously failed in free agent tryouts with the NFL Browns and CFL Argonauts, he made the most of his opportunity in the Spring league and, following the demise of the USFL, moved on to the New Orleans Saints of the NFL along with Coach Mora. He was selected to four Pro Bowls as a member of the Saints and one after moving on to the Carolina Panthers.

1983: Bryant Runs for 177 Yards as Stars Defeat Stallions

The Philadelphia Stars were off to a 2-0 start in the inaugural United States Football League season as they took on the Birmingham Stallions on March 21, 1983. Rookie RB Kelvin Bryant had quickly established himself as the key player in the ball control offense that was directed by QB Chuck Fusina while the defense was proving to be very tough and was coming off a shutout of the New Jersey Generals.

The Stallions were 1-1, having won the USFL’s first overtime game the previous week. Coached by Rollie Dotsch, formerly an assistant with the NFL Steelers and used to winning, Birmingham invested heavily in young players, most notably QB Reggie Collier, a mobile rookie out of Southern Mississippi who had signed a big contract to start right away in the new league.  

There was a disappointing crowd of 12,850 fans in attendance at Legion Field on a cold and damp Monday night in Birmingham, with temperatures near freezing; a brief snow shower arrived just prior to the kickoff

The Stars took the early lead by driving 73 yards in 10 plays on their first possession. RB Allen Harvin ran around left end for the final two yards and a touchdown and David Trout added the extra point.

The teams traded interceptions, following which Birmingham came back with a score later in the opening period. The big play was a pass from Reggie Collier to WR Sylvester Moy that covered 45 yards to the Philadelphia 13. Collier carried for a four-yard TD to cap the five-play, 58-yard series and Scott Norwood tied the game with the extra point.

Less than two minutes into the second quarter, Trout put the Stars back in front with a 23-yard field goal, finishing off a 51-yard possession that took seven plays. The 10-7 lead held up through the remainder of the half.

Philadelphia started the third quarter with Harvin returning the second half kickoff 67 yards to the Birmingham 21. Five plays later, and on his fifth straight carry, Kelvin Bryant scored a touchdown from a yard out and Trout added the PAT to make it a ten-point margin.

To make matters worse for the Stallions, a hip pointer knocked Collier out of the game for the second half. Still, with backup QB Bob Lane behind center, the home team responded by driving from their 41 to the Philadelphia two. The Stars held at that point but Norwood made it a seven-point game with a 19-yard field goal.

Philadelphia was unable to build on its lead and Lane nearly led the Stallions to a potential tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Birmingham had a first down at the Philadelphia 12, but three straight passes fell incomplete to end the threat and seal the 17-10 win for the Stars.

The Stallions had the edge in total yards (312 to 227) and first downs (20 to 13), with 200 of Philadelphia’s total coming on the ground. However, Birmingham also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Stars.

Kelvin Bryant had his biggest game yet, rushing for 177 yards on 27 carries that included a touchdown. Chuck Fusina had a rough outing, completing 8 of 15 passes for just 56 yards and being picked off once. WR Willie Collier was the team’s most productive receiver with 28 yards on two catches. FS Mike Lush intercepted two passes on defense.

For the Stallions, Reggie Collier was successful on 7 of 14 throws for 95 yards and tossed two interceptions before having to leave the contest. Bob Lane was 15 of 24 for 134 yards and had one pass intercepted. Sylvester Moy had 8 catches for 115 yards (he had just three more catches and 88 more yards over the remainder of the season). RB Ken Talton led the rushers with 37 yards on 8 attempts and RB Billy White contributed 31 yards on his 14 carries.

“I’m glad to get out of here with a win,” said a relieved Philadelphia Head Coach Jim Mora. “It wasn’t a great game on our part but our guys played hard and we won.”

The win over the Stallions set the Stars up for a battle of unbeaten against the Tampa Bay Bandits the next week, which they lost, but they recovered to go 15-3, top the Atlantic Division, and advance to the USFL Championship game, where they fell to the Michigan Panthers by two points. The defense continued to be a key to the team’s success as well as Kelvin Bryant, who rushed for 1442 yards and was named MVP by the league. Birmingham finished at the bottom of the Central Division with a 9-9 record. 

1984: Turnovers Help Generals Edge Stars

The United States Football League’s Atlantic Division matchup between the New Jersey Generals and Philadelphia Stars on March 11, 1984 featured two teams that had thus far been carried by their defenses in achieving 2-0 records.

The Generals, coached by Walt Michaels, were benefiting from an influx of veteran talent on defense that included linebackers Bobby Leopold, Jim LeClair, and Willie Harper, CB Kerry Justin, and FS Gary Barbaro. The offense, which had relied most heavily on RB Herschel Walker in 1983, added ex-Browns QB Brian Sipe, but he had gone down with an injury in the first week and backup Gene Bradley was behind center.

Philadelphia, which barely lost the USFL Championship game the previous year, continued to rely on a ball control attack led by QB Chuck Fusina and featuring RB Kelvin Bryant. But the offense had scored just 17 points in each of the first two games and it was the blitz-heavy defense keeping opponents in check.

There were 46,716 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands for the Generals’ home-opening game. The contest was played in near-freezing temperatures with wind gusts of nearly 35 miles per hour. Fans occasionally tossed snowballs onto the field despite the dire warnings coming over the public address system and, as a result, 14 were arrested and 57 ejected during the course of the afternoon.

The Generals got the first break of the game when, forced to punt after their first series, the ball bounced into CB Jonathan Sutton and New Jersey recovered at the Philadelphia 29, but they were unable to move afterward. The Stars had a drive that was helped along by a fake punt that converted a fourth down, but David Trout’s 52-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright and was unsuccessful.

In a 10-play, 65-yard series that extended into the second quarter, the Generals, who ran the ball effectively, were helped along the way when a pass by Gene Bradley was overthrown in the end zone but SS Antonio Gibson was penalized for defensive holding. FB Maurice Carthon scored a touchdown on a one-yard dive into the end zone two plays later and Roger Ruzek added the extra point.

The Stars responded by driving 74 yards in 16 plays that culminated in a scrambling Chuck Fusina firing a pass to WR Willie Collier, who made a diving catch in the end zone for a seven-yard TD on third-and-goal. Trout tied the game at 7-7 with the successful conversion.

That was the score at halftime. With 53 seconds left in the period, FS Mike Lush intercepted a Bradley pass to give the Stars the ball at the New Jersey 43. However, they came up empty when Trout again hit the right upright on a 45-yard field goal try.

The Generals forced a turnover on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter, with Bobby Leopold causing Kelvin Bryant to fumble at his own 42. New Jersey made the most of it, driving to another Carthon one-yard scoring carry that was set up by a 20-yard run by Walker. Ruzek’s PAT gave the home team a 14-7 lead.

Once again the Stars followed a New Jersey TD with one of their own, driving methodically down the field and ending with Fusina tossing a four-yard scoring pass to TE Steve Folsom. Trout tied the score at 14-14 with the PAT.

The Generals had to punt on their next series, but on the last play of the third quarter, a fumble by Bryant at the Philadelphia 40 was recovered by New Jersey’s Jim LeClair. It set up a 38-yard field goal by Ruzek six plays later that put the home team in front once more with over ten minutes left to play.

The teams traded punts, and the Stars appeared to be on their way to a score with time running down, converting a fourth down and moving into Generals territory. However, LeClair recovered a fumble by WR Willie Collier, who lost the handle on the ball after making a catch at the New Jersey 21 with 1:23 left in the contest. Philadelphia got one last shot with the clock down to ten seconds, but Fusina’s long pass was intercepted by Leopold to seal the 17-14 win for the Generals.

The Stars won the statistical battle, leading in total yards (245 to 164) and first downs (18 to 10). However, they also turned the ball over five times, to one suffered by New Jersey, and had the two close misses on field goal attempts.

Maurice Carthon led the Generals with 71 yards on 18 carries that included the two short touchdowns and Herschel Walker, who was generally well defensed by Philadelphia, added 56 yards on 17 attempts. Gene Bradley completed just 5 of 13 passes for 37 yards and had one intercepted. WR Tom McConnaughey led the receivers with two catches for 23 yards. On defense, Bobby Leopold (pictured below) forced both of Bryant’s fumbles and made the game-clinching interception while Jim LeClair had two key fumble recoveries.

For the Stars, Kelvin Bryant ran for 87 yards on 24 attempts had four catches for 34 more yards, but also fumbled the ball away twice. Chuck Fusina was successful on 19 of 30 throws for 125 yards and two TDs along with the late interception. Steve Folsom caught 6 passes for 43 yards and a score.

“I was hit from the blind side on both fumbles,” explained Kelvin Bryant. “That’s the way it goes. We made some mistakes, that’s why we lost.”

“The frustrating thing was the fumbles and the penalties,” added Coach Jim Mora of the Stars. “The turnovers, that’s what did it.”

The Stars recovered to win all of their remaining games – with the exception of the last-week rematch with New Jersey – to finish atop the Atlantic Division once again at 16-2. The Generals lost the following week but ended up with a 14-4 record to place second in the division. In the First Round playoff game, the clubs met for a third time and it was Philadelphia winning by a decisive 28-7 score, on the way to attaining the USFL Championship.

1983: Panthers Edge Stars for First USFL Championship

The inaugural season of the United States Football League culminated in the Spring league’s first Championship game on July 17, 1983 at Denver’s Mile High Stadium. Participants were the Michigan Panthers, winners of the Central Division title at 12-6, and the Philadelphia Stars, who finished atop the Atlantic Division with a league-best 15-3 record.

Head Coach Jim Stanley’s Panthers had started off slowly at 1-4 before catching fire. Rookie QB Bobby Hebert (pictured above) developed rapidly into a star and ended up topping the league’s passers. Heralded first-year WR Anthony Carter got off to a slow start but, along with WR Derek Holloway, added an explosive element to the offense as the season progressed. Ken Lacy and John Williams were steady running backs. All were helped by improved line play as the club signed veteran guards Tyrone McGriff and Thom Dornbrook plus OT Ray Pinney. The defense was keyed by LB John Corker, who led the USFL with 28 sacks and the team with 116.5 tackles. NT Dave Tipton was a standout on the line and another heralded rookie, SS David Greenwood, led a fine backfield.

The Stars, coached by Jim Mora, were a less explosive club than the Panthers but had been steady all year. QB Chuck Fusina directed a ball-control offense that featured rookie RB Kelvin Bryant. The defense was rugged and opportunistic, having given up a league-lowest 11.3 points per game during the course of the season while compiling a +35 turnover ratio, also the USFL’s best. It included undersized but highly effective LB Sam Mills, who led a solid unit, and another All-League player in SS Scott Woerner.

The Panthers had easily won their Semifinal playoff game over the Oakland Invaders while the Stars had to stage a dramatic late comeback to defeat the Chicago Blitz in overtime to reach the Championship contest.

The game was played before a crowd of 50,906 in 80-degree heat. The low-scoring first half was filled with mistakes by both teams. Late in the first quarter, Bobby Hebert ran 20 yards for a first down in a third-and-15 situation to spark a drive that ended in the game’s first score, a 33-yard field goal by Novo Bojovic.

The Stars evened the score with a 30-yard David Trout field goal that ended a 13-play, 64-yard drive midway through the second quarter. Late in the first half, the Panthers put together an 80-yard scoring drive. In a third-and-20 situation at the Michigan 10, Hebert threw to Anthony Carter for a 27-yard gain. Ken Lacy ran the ball twice for 11 yards and then Hebert connected with Carter for 12 yards to the Philadelphia 40. A pass interference call on CB Jonathan Sutton moved the Panthers to the 25 and once again the Cajun quarterback found Carter at the sideline for a 13-yard gain. Forced out of the pocket on the next play, Hebert threw across to field for Derek Holloway, who scored a 12-yard touchdown. Although Michigan had outgained the Stars by 251 yards to 69, the score was only 10-3 in favor of the Panthers.

Following the second half kickoff, the Panthers put together an 80-yard drive in 15 plays that consumed over seven minutes, converting five third downs along the way. The key play was Hebert’s throw to Lacy that picked up 28 yards to the Philadelphia 31. Holloway scored a second TD, this on a 14-yard pass play, and with the successful extra point Michigan was up by 17-3.

The Stars had a chance to put some points on the board later in the period. Kelvin Bryant ran for a 22-yard gain after seemingly being bottled up in his own backfield. Chuck Fusina threw to WR Scott Fitzkee for gains of 20 and 17 yards. However, the drive stalled and, following an incomplete pass by Fusina on a third-and-four play, David Trout missed on a 34-yard field goal attempt.

Philadelphia finally scored again on its next possession, although the Stars had to settle for a 28-yard Trout field goal after having a first down at the Michigan eight. The big play of the series was an option pass by RB Allen Harvin to WR Rodney Parker that picked up 44 yards. Bryant again had big runs along the way. However, John Corker sacked Fusina for a crucial six-yard loss that set up the field goal.

The Stars got a big break when FS Mike Lush intercepted a Hebert pass and, after lateraling to Scott Woerner, Philadelphia had the ball at its own 41. Utilizing an efficient short passing game, the Stars moved down the field. Fusina threw to Harvin for eight yards, ran two yards for another first down, and then passed to Fitzkee for ten. A defensive holding penalty gave Philadelphia another first down. In a fourth-and-four situation, Fusina threw to WR Willie Collier for a first down at the Michigan 24. Two plays later, Fusina connected with Collier again, who made a diving catch in the end zone for a TD. The Stars went for a two-point conversion and Fusina, rolling to his right, hit Collier once more to make it a three-point game at 17-14.

There was still plenty of time, with 8:49 left on the clock. The Panthers got a first down on their next possession but moved no further and punted. However, David Greenwood’s wobbly kick bounced past Woerner and the Stars were pinned back at their five yard line. They couldn’t move either and Sean Landeta boomed a 52-yard punt that Carter fumbled but recovered.

Again the Panthers got a first down, to the Philadelphia 48. Ken Lacy was injured on a play that gained no yardage and, after the running back was helped off the field, the Stars called a timeout to try and conserve more time. On the ensuing second-and-10 play, the Stars blitzed but Hebert got the pass off to Carter, who had beaten CB Antonio Gibson and cruised into the end zone for what proved to be the game-clinching touchdown (pictured below). There were just over three minutes remaining in the game.

The Stars fought back but ran out of time. They scored a TD on the last play of the game, on a two-yard pass from Fusina to Parker, with fans already beginning to swarm the field. Michigan came away the winner by a final score of 24-22.

The Panthers, who dominated on offense for most of the contest, outgained Philadelphia (447 yards to 324) and had the edge in first downs (25 to 24). However, Michigan suffered the only two turnovers of the game. Each team recorded four sacks.

Bobby Hebert, the game’s MVP, completed 20 of 39 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Anthony Carter had a big day, catching 9 passes for 179 yards and the game-clinching TD, but also dropped three passes and mishandled two punts. Derek Holloway had three catches for 39 yards, two of which were good for scores. RB Cleo Miller led the club with 80 rushing yards on 12 carries and Ken Lacy, who left the game with an injury, gained 56 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Stars, Kelvin Bryant was, as usual, the key producer on offense with 89 yards on 13 carries and four pass receptions for another 15 yards. Chuck Fusina was successful on 25 of 47 throws for 192 yards and two TDs with none intercepted. Scott Fitzkee and WR Tom Donovan each caught 5 passes, for 58 and 36 yards, respectively.

“This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” said a happy Bobby Hebert. “To be so young and able to accomplish this is something I can’t put into words. I just hope I can continue to live up to everyone’s expectations.”

“I’ll tell you this, I could fly to Detroit without a plane tonight,” said an elated Coach Jim Stanley. “That’s how high off the ground I feel right now.”

Michigan came back strong in 1984, winning its first six games before injuries, most notably to Anthony Carter and David Greenwood, caused the team to sputter the rest of the way. The Panthers made it to the playoffs as a Wild Card team but lost in an epic overtime game at Los Angeles in the first round. The Stars, playing like a team on a mission, were again dominant during the regular season and once more advanced to the league title game, which they won in less dramatic fashion over the Arizona Wranglers.

1985: Big Plays Propel Stars to Semifinal Playoff Win Over Stallions

On July 7, 1985 the Baltimore Stars traveled to Birmingham to take on the Stallions in a United States Football League Semifinal playoff game before a crowd of 23,250 in attendance at Legion Field.

The Stars, coached by Jim Mora, were the defending USFL Champions and had gone a combined 31-5 over the course of the league’s first two regular seasons, advancing to the league title game after each, while based in Philadelphia. With the pending move to a Fall schedule, the franchise was forced to relocate and had difficulty with the adjustment. The team’s practice facilities remained in Philadelphia while games were played before small crowds at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. The Stars started off at 1-3-1 and were just 4-5-1 before winning six of their last eight contests to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference at 10-7-1, qualifying for a playoff berth. They edged the New Jersey Generals in the Quarterfinal round to reach the Semifinal playoff.

As they had been in their first two seasons, the Stars were a ball-control team on offense directed by efficient QB Chuck Fusina and featuring RB Kelvin Bryant. The defense remained tough and opportunistic.

Birmingham, coached by Rollie Dotsch, was a well-balanced team that ranked second defensively and third in offensive production. QB Cliff Stoudt passed for 3358 yards and 34 touchdowns, RB Joe Cribbs ran for 1047 yards, and WR Jim Smith had 87 pass receptions for 1322 yards and 20 TDs. All-League FS Chuck Clanton intercepted 16 passes. Moreover, the Stallions had beaten Baltimore in both of their meetings during the regular season and were looking to make it a clean sweep - especially after being denied advancement to the USFL Championship game by the Stars the previous year.

Baltimore struck quickly, scoring on the game’s third play when CB Jonathan Sutton returned an intercepted pass for a 36-yard touchdown. The Stars followed up by scoring again on their first offensive possession on a 30-yard TD pass from Chuck Fusina to WR Victor Harrison. Birmingham was in a 14-0 hole after a quarter of play.

The Stars added to their lead in spectacular fashion in the second quarter when Fusina connected with Kelvin Bryant on a USFL playoff-record 70-yard touchdown pass play.

There was no further scoring in the third quarter, but in the fourth quarter the Stars came through with another big play. At their own 24 yard line, Bryant broke through the middle of the line, got past the linebackers and sped 76 yards for a TD.

Down by an insurmountable 28-0, the Stallions finally got on the board when WR Joey Jones caught a pass from Cliff Stoudt for a 14-yard touchdown. Joe Cribbs added a one-yard TD in the final minute of play that only made the result appear less lopsided. The Stars advanced by a score of 28-14.

While playing catch-up virtually the entire game, the Stallions led in total yards (370 to 366) and first downs (21 to 14). However, the Stars came through with big plays while Birmingham averaged only 2.4 yards per rushing play (19 for 46 yards) and turned the ball over twice, once leading directly to a score, while Baltimore suffered one.

Kelvin Bryant had a total of 217 yards from scrimmage as he rushed for 116 yards on 13 carries and gained 101 yards on four pass receptions. Chuck Fusina didn’t go to the air often but completed 10 of 16 passes for 210 yards and two TDs with none intercepted.

For the Stallions, WR Jim Smith caught 10 passes for 110 yards as Cliff Stoudt went to the air 50 times and completed 29 for 327 yards and a TD with the one big interception. Stoudt was also the club’s leading rusher with 30 yards on 7 carries while Joe Cribbs was held to 13 yards on 9 attempts.

“I have a lot of respect for Birmingham’s defense,” said Jim Mora afterward, “but their defense may be easier to break a big play on than it is to gain a simple four to five yards.” 

Baltimore went on to defeat the Oakland Invaders to repeat as USFL Champions in what would prove to be the league’s last game. Hopes for a favorable financial result in the USFL’s anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL were dashed when, although the verdict was favorable, the jury awarded just one dollar in compensation (tripled to three dollars in accordance with the law) and the planned move to the Fall for ’86 never occurred. 

1983: Stars Rally Past Panthers

On June 5, 1983 the Philadelphia Stars, the team with the best record in the United States Football League at 11-2, hosted the Michigan Panthers, winners of 7 of their past 8 contests to make them 8-5 after a slow start.

The Stars, coached by Jim Mora, had an efficient, ball-control offense spurred by rookie RB Kelvin Bryant and a stingy, opportunistic defense. But as effective as Philadelphia’s offense had been, QB Chuck Fusina (pictured above) was sacked 45 times in 13 games. In addition, the Stars were coming off a tough loss to the Boston Breakers the previous week that had cost them an opportunity to wrap up the Atlantic Division title.

Meanwhile, Head Coach Jim Stanley’s Panthers had unheralded rookie QB Bobby Hebert and the better-known first-year WR Anthony Carter featured in an exciting offense while the defense, led by LB John Corker, was the best at sacking opposing passers.

There were 19,088 fans in attendance at Veterans Stadium. The Stars were up by 9-0 after a quarter of play following a 38-yard field goal by David Trout and a 15-yard touchdown run by Bryant, although the extra point attempt failed.

However, the Panthers took control in the second quarter, holding the ball for all but two minutes. Bobby Hebert passed to TE Mike Cobb for a five-yard touchdown six minutes into the period, followed by Novo Bojovic’s successful PAT. Hebert then put the Panthers ahead with a one-yard run around end just before the end of the half. With the extra point, it was 14-9 at the halfway point.

The Stars came back to take the lead two minutes into the third quarter when Fusina connected with FB Booker Russell for a 39-yard touchdown and the successful extra point made it 15-14. Later in the same period, Fusina struck again with a five-yard TD pass to WR Scott Fitzkee.

The Panthers responded with a big play as Hebert completed a bomb to RB John Williams, who charged past LB Jon Brooks for a 53-yard touchdown, but the try for two points that would have tied the score was unsuccessful.

Philadelphia put the game away with just under two minutes remaining to play on a five-yard scoring pass from Fusina to RB David Riley. The Stars held on to win by a final score of 29-20.

The Panthers had the edge in total yards (398 to 328) and first downs (25 to 18). Each team turned the ball over once. Michigan was only able to sack Fusina twice, thanks to his utilizing a quick drop to thwart the blitz. Novo Bojovic also missed both of his field goal attempts, with one of them a close call.

Chuck Fusina completed 24 of 32 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Kelvin Bryant ran the ball 15 times for 74 yards and a TD and caught 5 passes for another 62 yards. WR Willie Collier had 6 pass receptions for 47 yards.

For the Panthers, Bobby Hebert was successful on 25 of 45 throws for 314 yards and two TDs and had one picked off. Anthony Carter caught 6 of those passes for 74 yards while RB Cleo Miller also had 6 receptions, for 49 yards. Mike Cobb contributed 5 catches for 56 yards and a touchdown and, thanks to the long scoring reception, John Williams gained 65 yards on his two receptions. RB Ken Lacy led the ground attack with 71 yards on 13 attempts.

“They have a great pass rush, and they lead the league in sacks. So we felt we’d get them with a quick five-step drop,” explained Chuck Fusina. “We had a pretty good time of it.”

“I have to give them (the Stars) credit because they made the big plays at the right time,” said Coach Jim Stanley in defeat.

The Stars went on to finish up with a 15-3 record and won a dramatic come-from-behind overtime victory over the Chicago Blitz in their Semifinal playoff game. However, it was the Panthers who triumphed in the end, topping the Central Division at 12-6, handily defeating the Oakland Invaders in the Semifinal round and then edging Philadelphia in the rematch for the USFL Championship by a 24-22 score.

1983: Stars Hold Off Rally to Beat Breakers

The Philadelphia Stars were off to a 6-1 start in the inaugural United States Football League season as they hosted the Boston Breakers on April 24, 1983. Head Coach Jim Mora’s team benefited greatly from the presence of rookie RB Kelvin Bryant on a ball-control offense directed by QB Chuck Fusina. The “Doghouse Defense” was even more the key to the club’s success, having given up an average of just eight points a game in the first seven weeks.

Boston was 5-2 and right behind the Stars in the Atlantic Division standings. Coached by the offensive-minded Dick Coury, who had ex-NFL star quarterback Roman Gabriel as offensive coordinator, the Breakers had a fine passing game with 35-year-old QB John Walton, a veteran of the WFL and NFL who had come out of retirement as a college coach, throwing to wide receivers Frank Lockett, Nolan Franz, and ex-Eagle Charlie Smith. Ex-CFL halfback Richard Crump was productive both as a receiver out of the backfield and runner from scrimmage.

There were just 10,257 fans in attendance at Veterans Stadium. The home team started off the scoring as Fusina tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to WR Willie Collier seven minutes into the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Kelvin Bryant ran around the left side for a 21-yard TD.

The defense set up another scoring series for the Stars when FS Mike Lush knocked the ball out of the hands of Nolan Franz and LB Sam Mills recovered at the Philadelphia 37. The resulting drive ended up with a 34-yard David Trout field goal for a 17-0 margin.

Five minutes into the second half, Trout added another field goal, this time from 34 yards, and it seemed as though the Stars were cruising at 20-0. However, the Breakers came up with a big play with just over five minutes to go in the third quarter. Walton connected with Frank Lockett down the middle for an 86-yard touchdown to get them on the board.

Two minutes later, LB Ben Needham intercepted a Fusina throw and that resulted in a Boston possession that concluded with Walton tossing another TD pass, this time from eight yards out to Richard Crump. Suddenly, the Breakers were only six points down with plenty of time remaining.

The Stars defense showed its mettle in keeping the surging Breakers from again reaching the end zone. In the closest call, a fake field goal attempt by the Breakers came up short at the Philadelphia three yard line with 4:19 left on the clock.

The Stars couldn’t move out of their end of the field and took an intentional safety with 2:29 remaining in the game as punter Sean Landeta ran out of the end zone. But while that pulled the Breakers to just four points behind, Boston RB Ira Matthews fumbled the free kick and CB Jonathan Sutton of the Stars recovered at the Breakers’ 30. David Trout added a 42-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game.

The Breakers had one last shot and drove to the Philadelphia 10 with 26 seconds remaining. However, they could get no further as Walton threw two incomplete passes and the Stars hung on for a tough 23-16 win.

Although Philadelphia held the ball for five minutes longer than the Breakers, Boston outgained the Stars (471 yards to 254) and had more first downs (19 to 14). However, the visitors also turned the ball over five times, to three by Philadelphia.

As usual, Kelvin Bryant was the key producer on offense for the Stars with 110 yards on 23 rushing attempts that included a TD. Chuck Fusina completed 12 of 18 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown and the one costly interception. WR Rodney Parker led the receiver s with three catches for 55 yards.

For the Breakers, John Walton went to the air 44 times and was successful on 31 for 367 yards and two TDs with one intercepted. Nolan Franz caught 7 of those passes for 74 yards while, with the one long scoring grab, Frank Lockett gained 131 yards on 5 receptions. Charlie Smith contributed another 5 catches for 97 yards. Richard Crump ran for 51 yards on 13 carries and pulled in 6 passes for 50 more yards and a TD.

The fumble on the free kick, not surprisingly, drew the most comments after the game.

“I think the Stars made a poor decision in calling for the safety,” said Dick Coury. “It gave us a chance, but we fumbled it away, and that fumble cost us the game.”

“The biggest thing we wanted to do was make sure we made the tackle to keep them from getting good field position,” explained Jonathan Sutton of the key turnover. “Mark McCants made a good hit. We saw the ball pop out and I was right there to cover the ball.”

The Stars continued on to win the Atlantic Division with a 15-3 record, eventually losing to the Michigan Panthers in the USFL Championship game. Boston won the rematch with Philadelphia but finished second in the division at 11-7 and missed the postseason.

Kelvin Bryant ranked second in the league in rushing with 1442 yards on 318 carries (4.5 avg.) and 16 touchdowns and had 53 pass receptions for 410 more yards and a TD. He received All-USFL recognition and was named MVP by the league.

John Walton led the USFL in pass attempts (589) and ranked second in completions (330) and yards (3770) while tying for third (with Alan Risher of Arizona) with 20 touchdown passes. Nolan Franz led the Breakers with 62 catches, for 848 yards, while Charlie Smith gained 1009 yards on 54 receptions for a fine 18.7-yard average and five scores. Frank Lockett, who missed five games, had 37 catches for 535 yards and three TDs.