Event Date: March 10th, 1992
Event Description: U.S.F.L. Pre-Season Begins
Source: Pro Football Weekly
Entering his nineth U.S.F.L. season, there are plenty of things
Chuck Pitcock still loves about pro football.
Training camp isn't one of them.
"It's a necessary evil," the Tampa Bay Bandits veteran offensive lineman commented Friday. "If I could just take along nap and wake up when camp is over, I think I'd like that."
Pitcock, 34, and all other U.S.F.L. veterans officially reported to their respective teams Saturday. Training camp — and the dreaded two-a-day workouts — will start today.
"It's certainly not the most fun time of year, especially for the line," the five-time USFL all-star said. "Quarterbacks have those red jerseys on so they can't get touched but we go at it like it was a game pretty much every day so it's very demanding both physically and mentally. The games are what you look forward to during the season so training camp is something you just have to get through to get to that point."
One of the reasons players hate camp is the repetition and monotony.
Before long, the days all meld into one, starting with an early breakfast, then off to prepare for the morning practice. Then there's lunch, maybe a position meeting before getting taped again for an afternoon workout.
After dinner there are more meetings before lights out.
Plain and simple, it's a grind, especially for a veteran who must again prove he can still play a young man's game.
"That's part of pro football," he said. "When you sign up you realize you have to do it and you still have to prove you can still play and training camp is part of that."
That's not to say it's all work and no play.
Players are always looking for different ways to break the routine and often do so by having rookies sing their school fight song for their meal or plotting practical jokes on unsuspecting teammates.
"To get through the days you need to have a little bit of fun," Pitcock said with a chuckle.
"I still have it in me to still go out and compete. I can't imagine anything I will do in the future that will compare to playing football and getting that adrenaline rush."
Fortunately, the Bandits return a veteran-laden squad in 1992, but will have to replace offensive lineman Larry Pfohl (retirement) and defensive back Scott Byers (retirement).
Tampa Bay landed former N.F.L. running backs Lorenzo Hampton (Miami) and Lars Tate (Chicago) in free agency.
Here's a look at the other U.S.F.L. teams heading into training camp.
East Division
New Jersey Generals
Last year: 8-6
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Pittsburgh, March 15 vs. Michigan
Offensive lineman Wayne Harris, quarterback Kirk Baumgartner and running backs Keith Jones, and Bernie Parmalee are gone, while safety John Preston retired to become a coach with the team.
Fullback George Cooper and rush end Freddie Gilbert leave minor holes to fill.
The team has added former New York Giants tight end
Zeke Mowatt, backup quarterback Matt Cavanaugh and hard-running tailback
Robert Drummond via the Philadelphia Eagles.
Baltimore Stars
Last year: 7-7
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Michigan, March 15 vs. Pittsburgh
Questions linger about the Stars after the team finished at 7-7 last season and have a new head coach in Lindy Infante.
Former head coach Ted Marchibroda left to lead the Indianapolis Colts while kicker Brian Franco has been replaced by
David Trout, and running back Allen Harvin is also gone.
Meanwhile receiver Scott Fitzkee, offensive lineman
Brad Oates and Ron Coder, and linebacker Grover Covington have all retired.
Veteran quarterback Chuck Fusina still runs a potent offense that features Kelvin Bryant and newly acquired John Settle.
Veteran receivers Victor Harrison and tight end Bob Niziolek are both coming off season-ending injuries. Newcomers include NFL veteran Clarence Weathers and former Duke star Clarkston Hines.
Michigan Panthers
Last year: 3-11
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Baltimore, March 15 vs. New Jersey
Third year head coach Monte Clark will have a new quarterback at the helm in Steve Pelluer as well as a new leader on the defensive side of the ball in linebacker
Ray Bentley.
But the biggest off-season news was releasing quarterback Steve Taylor who subsequently jumped to the Canadian Football League.
Pittsburgh Maulers
Last year: 4-10
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. New Jersey, March 15 vs. Baltimore
Pittsburgh was third in the East Division at 4-10, but the team showed improvement during the second half of last season.
Third year pivot Major Harris returns as the starter at quarterback with running back D.J. Dozier (Lions ’91), Rodney Carter (180 attempts, 686 yards, 1 TD) and Derek Hill being his primary weapons. Also looking for playing time will be former Cleveland Brown Mike Oliphant.
Defensively, veterans Lance Shields, Alvin Walton and Jo Jo Heath form one of the USFL's better secondary corps.
Punter Larry Swider and veteran backup Glenn Carano both retired during the off-season.
Southern Division
Birmingham Stallions
Last year: 7-7
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Jacksonville, March 15 vs. Houston
Walt Michaels takes over as head coach for Ted Cottrell, who was fired after another 7-7 record last year. Ironically, Cottrell was once a coach on Michaels’ staff when the two were with New Jersey.
Michaels cut quarterback Reggie Slack, traded away Reggie Collier and brought in former Memphis starter and Alabama native Walter Lewis.
The Stallions also signed running back Ricky Blake (WLAF ’91), wide out Charlie Brown (Bulls ’91) and linebackers Van Waiters (Browns’91) and Anthony Thompson (Broncos ’90) in free agency. Rookie Siran Stacy will be given the chance to start alongside veteran Brent Fullwood.
Kicker
Scott Norwood returns after spending seven seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
New Orleans Breakers
Last year: 5-9
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Houston, March 15 vs. Tampa Bay
Jim Fassell replaces June Jones as head coach. Jones was hired by the Atlanta Falcons to be the teams’ offensive coordinator.
The Breakers traded running back John Settle to Baltimore, but signed both Marcus Dupree and ex-Saints’ star Gill Fenerty.
Also gone is quarterback Bobby Hebert, who returned to the N.F.L. after he got into a much-publicized spat with June Jones after being benched at the end of last season. Veteran backup
John Fourcade takes over the reigns and will be backed up by former Tulane product Terrence Jones.
Versatile Sammy Martin should help a receiving corps that already features Alton Alexis, Lonzell Hill and Flip Johnson.
Nose tackle Jerald Baylis returns to anchor a defense that includes speedy cornerback/punt-returner Antonio Gibson.
Tampa Bay Bandits
Last year: 10-4
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Memphis, March 15 vs. New Orleans
Head coach Jim Stanley opened camp by telling his team that last year's team won the league championship and this year's hasn't won anything.
There always seems to be enough battles to bring the point home and this time it's at running back after both Lars Tate and Lorenzo Hampton signed with Tampa Bay. Joe Dudek is tabbed as the starter, but Tate and Hampton, are both in the mix.
Offensive lineman Larry Pfohl has retired to pursue a career in professional wrestling. The team signed former Dallas Cowboy Jeff Zimmerman to replace Pfohl.
Larry Brodsky won't be back at wide out, so Rod Harris and Danny Peebles were brought in from the National Football League.
And, of course, much attention will be paid to pivot Ben Bennett, who had knee surgery during the off-season but is healthy and ready to go.
Jacksonville Bulls
Last year: 8-6
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. Birmingham, March 15 vs. Memphis
John Hadl enters camp with a couple of major goals, including extending his quarterback depth, rebuilding his offensive line and trying to find a way to get the ball to his talented receiving corps.
Tom Ramsey was acquired during the off-season to replace Craig Erickson and is the clear No. 1 quarterback, with Rick Worman and Steve Slayden as the backups. Youngster Jeff Blake was signed to push the incumbents.
The offensive line which gave up the most sacks last year, should benefit from the return of veterans Wayne Radloff and Brian Musselman. Both missed parts of last season due to a variety of injuries.
Most intriguing is the return of star running back
Mike Rozier who returned to the league after a successful career in the National Football League.
Hadl has said that he'd like to go with a more conventional offense after using a hybrid offense last season which at times utilized four or even five receivers. Look for the Bulls to run a lot more this season behind newly acquired tight ends Eric Sievers and Gary Wilkins.
Memphis Showboats
Last year: 9-5
Pre-season schedule: March 12 vs. Tampa Bay, March 15th vs. Jacksonville
First order of business for the Showboats is to get the veterans to shake off their playoff loss to New Jersey that led to the benching and eventual departure of long-time starter Walter Lewis.
Then they have to spend camp getting their new quarterbacks acclimated to the offensive system and shaking off the effect of free-agent players heading to the exits.
There will be lots of scrutiny on rookie Chris Burns and linebacker Junior Jackson to see if they are the answers to the holes in the defense, but there are other options available to coach
Pepper Rodgers.
What you see at the beginning of camp isn't necessarily what you'll get at the end as the Showboats wait patiently for rookie quarterback Andy Kelly to develop into a pro passer.
Kicker Ian Howfield, signed via the N.F.L., will take over the kicking duties from Alan Duncan who was released.
West Division
Houston Gamblers
Last year: 10-4
Pre-season scrimmage schedule: March 12 vs. New Orleans, March 15 vs. Birmingham
Houston looks to make another championship run under head coach Forrest Gregg.
Star running back Chuck Weatherspoon returns, as do receivers
Gerald McNeil, Vince Couville and Richard Johnson. McNeil remains one of the USFL's best return men and is a dual threat as a solid receiver as well.
Holes exist with the departure of wideout Greg Moser (free agency), defensive lineman Pete Cataan (traded to Chicago) and cornerback Luther Bradley (retirement). Gregg also agreed to trade tight end Thornton Chandler to the Birmingham Stallions.
Rookie quarterback David Klingler will get the starters’ job by default after signing a rich contract and spurning the National Football League for at least one season.
Los Angeles Express
Last year: 11-3
Pre-season schedule: March 12th vs. Oakland, March 15th vs. Arizona
General Manager Don Klosterman spent the off-season adding a key part here, another there as he prepared his veteran line up for a camp designed to get the club ready to take another shot at Houston for top spot in the West.
There is experience pretty much everywhere you look and it's going to be the responsibility of both coordinators to make sure the team produces.
George Bethune (from the L.A. Rams) takes over the spot at middle linebacker while rookie James Malone will help the team change from more of a zone approach to man-to-man.
Steve Coury remains the offensive boss and he has lots of weapons returning. His big job will be working star free-agent signing Reuben Mayes into the attack as the new feature back.
Intriguing is the addition of free agent Craig McEwen who can move from tight end to fullback.
Rookie wide out
Mario Bailey should add a spark to the passing and return games.
Arizona Wranglers
Last year: 9-5
Pre-season schedule: March 12th vs. Chicago, March 15th vs. Los Angeles
When you bring back Bill Johnson, the league's leader in rushing yards, and veteran receiver
Trumaine Johnson to camp, there are parts of your attack that raise few worries.
Coach Frank Kush does have two minor headaches, however — getting more consistent play out of his offensive line and finding a way to turn rookie Darian Hagan into a consistent pro pivot after spending his college career as a cross between a quarterback and halfback.
To push incumbent Alan Risher, Todd Dillon was brought in from Houston, but his elbow surgery over the off-season is still bothering him a touch so progress during camp will be slow. There's also veteran backup Fred Besana who comes over from Oakland and Paul Justin, who backed up last year. Most eyes will be on Risher and Dillon and their battle to be number one on the depth chart.
The defense is just fine if it continues to operate as last season's crew did, though with Jojhnny Sutton now officially retired from the corner, that's a spot to watch through the pre-season scrimmages.
Oakland Invaders
Last year: 6-8
Pre-season schedule: March 12th vs. Los Angeles, March 15th vs. Chicago
Fred Biletnikoff replaces John Ralston as head coach. Ralston was replaced after missing the playoffs with a 6-8 record.
The Invaders also cut quarterback Fred Besana and signed both
Bob Gagliano and former backup Kevin Sweeney. Troy Taylor and rookie Mike Pawlawski were also added to the roster.
Gone are guard Jim Leonard, defensive lineman Doug Hollie and defensive backs Jeff George and Derek Martin. N.F.L. veteran James Fitzpatrick was brought in to shore up the offensive line.
Kick returner Mike Pringle should help a running back corps that already features Blaise Bryant, Albert Bentley and Terrence Flagler.
Punter Barry Helton and kicker Jim Gallery should give the special teams a boost.
Chicago Blitz
Last year: 1-13 (Oklahoma Outlaws)
Pre-season schedule: March 12th vs. Arizona, March 15th vs. Oakland
When everyone arrived in town for Chicago's camp they were handed "Hello, My Name Is…" tags. OK, not true, but with so many starting jobs — perhaps 16 — up for grabs, you get the point.
First order of business will be for new head coach Ron Meyer, and his key assistants Leon Burnett and Steve Furness to get to know, and build trust with, the relatively small number of remaining veterans from last year's disaster.
There are questions at practically every position, but the key during camp will be watching if quarterback
Mike Hohensee, who spent most of last season holding a clip board, can be given the protection he needs to contribute at a high level. Veteran backup Rick Johnson will be waiting in the wings if Hohensee were to flounder.
Top picks Tom Roth and Mirko Jurkovic can be keys to helping rebuild the offensive-line wall for Hohensee and the running backs.
Off-season acquisition Mark Butkus (from Michigan) will be under the microscope during the exhibition season and beyond.
more to come......
