|
GENERALS
TRIVIA |
| -- |
| Georgia
RB Herschel Walker signed with the New Jersey
Generals, but had previously discussed the
possibility of going pro as a member of the
Chicago Blitz. |
| -- |
| Walker
chose not to pursue playing for the Blitz
because he felt greater marketing opportunities
for him were available in the New York market. |
| -- |
| As
the USFL had a rule similar to that of the NFL
with respect to signing college players who
hadn't exhausted their NCAA eligibility, no team
held Walker's USFL rights. |
| -- |
| When
it was learned that Walker did in fact intend to
go pro, and that he wanted to play in the New
York area, the league steered him in the
direction of Generals owner J. Walter Duncan. |
| -- |
| After
negotiations resulted in an agreement between
Walker and the Generals, the USFL held a
conference call among the teams to discuss
Walker's status, and the league voted to grant
Walker's rights to the Generals. |
| -- |
| The
Generals were penalized for the Walker signing
by forfeiting their first round draft choice in
1984, but it would prove a small price to pay as
Walker's signing immediately resulted in a jump
in season and single-game ticket sales
throughout the USFL. |
| -- |
| The
quarterback position on the Generals was a
revolving door of sorts. Bobby Scott was
the predominate signal caller in 1983 but was
dealt to Chicago. Brian Sipe was signed as
a free agent away from the NFL's Cleveland
Browns, but after one season was sent to
Jacksonville, when the team signed rookie Boston
College QB Doug Flutie, who played the bulk of
the 1985 season. |
| -- |
| After
the 1985 season, the New Jersey Generals and
Houston Gamblers were merged as the USFL
prepared for the fall 1986 season. Flutie
likely would not have been behind center at the
start of 1986 either, as Gambler quarterback Jim
Kelly was added to the Gens roster as a result
of the merger. |
| -- |
| Generals
fans salivated at the thought of having Jim
Kelly and Herschel Walker in their backfield in
1986, but it was not to be as the league ceased
operations before the fall 1986 season could
begin. |
| -- |
| Kelly
would go on to sign with the Buffalo Bills of
the NFL, while Walker would join the league's
Dallas Cowboys. |
| -- |
| Flutie
would sign with the New England Patriots, later
playing with the Chicago Bears and in the CFL,
before concluding his career back in New England
in 2006. |
| -- |
| Flutie
was the last veteran of the USFL to play pro
football, retiring after the 2006 season. |
| -- |
| Hall
of Fame Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula was
actively pursued by new Generals owner Donald
Trump to coach the Gens for their 1984 season. |
| -- |
| Trump
met every demand Shula had but in the end was
unwilling to give Shula one thing that
reportedly was a deal-breaker: a free
apartment in Trump Tower, the Generals owner's
brand new office/apartment complex in New York
City. |
| -- |
| Shula
went on to re-sign with the Dolphins, earning a
substantial raise in the process, and he would
finish his coaching career there. |
| -- |
| Unable
to come to terms with Shula, Trump went on to
sign former New York Jets head coach Walt
Michaels to pilot the Generals in 1984 and
1985. |
| -- |
| Unhappy
with the way Michaels was utilizing RB Herschel
Walker, Trump reportedly threatened to fire
Michaels if he didn't give Walker enough carries
each game. |
| -- |
| Michaels
relented, and in 1985 Walker rushed for 2,411
yards in 18 games, a pro football record that
stands today. |
| -- |
|
| Player
Name |
Pos. |
College/University |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
| Aikens,
Maurice |
WR |
Jackson
State |
- |
- |
X |
| Allen,
Anthony |
CB |
Texas
Christian |
X |
- |
- |
| Anderson,
Vickey Ray |
RB |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Armstrong,
Ross |
S |
Pennsylvania |
- |
- |
X |
| Barbaro,
Gary |
TE |
Nicholls
State |
- |
X |
- |
| Blinka,
Stan |
LB |
Sam
Houston State |
- |
- |
X |
| Boisture,
Dave |
QB |
Holy
Cross |
X |
- |
- |
| Boreland,
Kyle |
LB |
Wisconsin |
- |
- |
X |
| Bowers,
Sam |
TE |
Fordham |
X |
X |
X |
| Bradley,
Gene |
QB |
Arkansas
State |
X |
X |
X |
| Breathett,
Sherdeill |
LB |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Brockhaus,
Jeff |
K |
Missouri |
X |
- |
- |
| Brodsky,
Larry |
WR |
Miami
(Florida) |
X |
- |
- |
| Brown,
Norris |
TE |
Georgia |
- |
X |
X |
| Byrne,
Jim |
DE |
Wisconsin
- LaCrosse |
- |
X |
X |
| Calhoun,
Don |
RB |
Kansas
State |
- |
X |
- |
| Carino,
Andy |
LB |
Rutgers |
X |
- |
- |
| Carthon,
Maurice |
RB |
Arkansas
State |
X |
X |
X |
| Casperson,
Tom |
WR |
Trenton
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Clemmons,
Maurice |
LB |
Kent
State |
X |
X |
X |
| Coffey,
Larry |
RB |
West
Virginia Wesleyan |
X |
- |
- |
| Collins,
Clarence |
WR |
Illinois
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Cook,
Charles |
NT |
Miami
(Florida) |
- |
- |
X |
| Costict,
Ray |
LB |
Mississippi
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Cox,
Steve |
G |
Tulsa |
X |
- |
- |
| Daniel,
Donnell |
S |
Southern
Illinois |
- |
- |
X |
| Daniels,
Terry |
CB |
Tennessee |
X |
X |
X |
| Darns,
Phil |
DE |
Mississippi
Valley State |
X |
- |
- |
| Dawson,
Scott |
NT |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Dorian,
Tim |
C |
Wichita
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Dumont,
Jim |
LB |
Rutgers |
- |
- |
X |
| Duncan,
Frank |
S |
San
Francisco State |
- |
- |
X |
| Eddings,
Floyd |
WR |
California |
- |
- |
X |
| Flutie,
Doug |
QB |
Boston
College |
- |
- |
X |
| Friede,
Mike |
WR |
Indiana |
X |
- |
- |
| Gilbert,
Freddie |
DE |
Georgia |
- |
X |
X |
| Grupp,
Bob |
P |
Duke |
- |
X |
- |
| Hackett,
Joey |
TE |
Elon
College |
X |
- |
- |
| Hackett,
Marcus |
WR |
Syracuse |
- |
X |
X |
| Hammond,
Steve |
LB |
Wake
Forest |
X |
- |
- |
| Harmon,
Clarence |
RB |
Texas
Christian |
- |
X |
X |
| Harper,
Willie |
LB |
Nebraska |
- |
X |
- |
| Harris,
Marshall |
DE |
Texas
Christian |
- |
X |
- |
| Harris,
Wayne |
G |
Arkansas
State |
X |
X |
- |
| Harvey,
Warren |
CB |
Syracuse |
X |
- |
- |
| Henninger,
Dwight |
G |
West
Chester State |
X |
- |
- |
| Hicks,
Victor |
TE |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Hill,
Bill |
CB |
Rutgers |
- |
- |
X |
| Holliday,
William |
CB |
Bowie
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Holmes,
Jerry |
CB |
West
Virginia |
- |
- |
X |
| Horn,
Bob |
LB |
Oregon
State |
- |
X |
- |
| Hull,
Kent |
C |
Mississippi
State |
X |
X |
X |
| Jemison,
Thad |
WR |
Ohio
State |
- |
- |
X |
| Jewell,
John |
G |
Kent
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Johnson,
Gregory |
S |
Oklahoma
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Johnson,
Ken |
CB |
Mississippi
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Joyce,
John |
LB |
Colgate |
X |
X |
X |
| Justin,
Kerry |
CB |
Oregon
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Kestner,
Jeff |
T |
Tennessee
- Chattanooga |
X |
- |
- |
| Kimbrough,
Johnny |
WR |
St.
Cloud |
X |
- |
- |
| Knapple,
Jeff |
QB |
Northern
Colorado |
- |
X |
- |
| Knight,
Danny |
WR |
Mississippi
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Lapham,
Dave |
G |
Syracuse |
- |
X |
X |
| LeClair,
Jim |
LB |
North
Dakota |
- |
X |
X |
| Ledbetter,
Weldon |
RB |
Oklahoma |
- |
- |
X |
| Leopold,
Bobby |
LB |
Notre
Dame |
- |
X |
X |
| Lockette,
James |
DE |
Missouri |
X |
X |
- |
| Lott,
Thomas |
RB |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Mackie,
Doug |
T |
Ohio
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Madsen,
Lynn |
DE |
Washington |
- |
X |
X |
| Maggs,
Don |
T |
Tulane |
- |
- |
X |
| Mathis,
Reggie |
LB |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Mattiace,
Frank |
NT |
Holy
Cross |
- |
X |
X |
| McAndrews,
Jim |
T |
Syracuse |
X |
- |
- |
| McCollom,
John |
G |
Syracuse |
X |
- |
- |
| McConnaughey,
Tom |
WR |
Central
Arkansas |
X |
- |
- |
| McKibben,
Mike |
LB |
Kent
State |
X |
- |
- |
| McMillin,
Troy |
G |
Illinois |
X |
- |
- |
| Millard,
Bryan |
T |
Texas |
X |
X |
- |
| Miller,
John |
LB |
Mississippi
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Miller,
Terry |
RB |
Oklahoma
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Mitchell,
Mike |
NT |
Ferrum
Junior College |
X |
- |
- |
| Moody,
Keith |
S |
Syracuse |
X |
- |
- |
| Moore,
Dana |
P-K |
Mississippi
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Moore,
Jim |
C |
Wisconsin |
X |
- |
- |
| Morini,
Mike |
G-T |
Colgate |
- |
- |
X |
| Murphy,
Bob |
S |
Ohio
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Murray,
Richard |
DE |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Murtha,
Greg |
T |
Minnesota |
X |
X |
- |
| Naylor,
Frank |
C |
Rutgers |
X |
X |
X |
| Noel,
Dana |
S |
Minnesota |
X |
- |
- |
| Partridge,
Rick |
P |
Utah |
- |
- |
X |
| Patterson,
Alonzo |
RB |
Wagner |
- |
X |
- |
| Pegues,
Rod |
RB |
Oklahoma |
X |
X |
X |
| Powell,
Steven |
RB |
Northeast
Missouri State |
X |
- |
- |
| Preston,
John |
S |
Central
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Prudhomme,
Dwight |
QB |
Southwest
Louisiana |
X |
- |
- |
| Raeford,
Pete |
CB |
Northern
Michigan |
X |
- |
- |
| Reeves,
Ron |
QB |
Texas
Tech |
- |
- |
X |
| Ruzek,
Roger |
K |
Weber
State |
- |
X |
X |
| Schubert,
Eric |
K |
Pittsburgh |
- |
- |
X |
| Scott,
Bobby |
QB |
Tennessee |
X |
- |
- |
| Shephard,
Darrell |
S |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Shoate,
Rod |
LB |
Oklahoma |
X |
- |
- |
| Sipe,
Brian |
QB |
San
Diego State |
X |
X |
- |
| Skibinski,
John |
RB |
Purdue |
X |
- |
- |
| Slawson,
Mark |
WR |
The
Citadel |
X |
- |
- |
| Sopp,
Sam |
CB |
Kent
State |
X |
- |
- |
| Spek,
Jeff |
TE |
San
Diego State |
- |
X |
X |
| Spencer,
Herbie |
LB |
Newberry
College |
| | |
