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11-30-2007, 06:30 PM
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2012 USFL Season Preview
AC
North
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_death.gifThe Denver Death won the North once again. The Death may have a different offensive philosophy this year. Running back Clinton Portis just isn’t the same back anymore. Byron Leftwich, who was the 2011 offensive player of the year, may get to throw the ball even more. The Death will once again have one of the top defenses in the USFL. Their front 7 has quality players at each position. They will have a change at outside linebacker because Perry Cone, a two time all–league selection, will be moved to the weak side. The team is starting to show weakness at the corner position. Quentin Jammer has lost more than a step. This could mean their matchup with the pass happy Fargo Freeze should be interesting.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_hawks.gifThe Minnesota Golden Hawks finished second in the division in 2011 and took a wild cards playoff spot. They should win another wild card selection this year. How does the league’s leading rusher not get an all-league selection? Steve Becker doesn’t know. He didn’t even win the leagues offensive rookie of the year award. The first overall pick in the 2011 draft may have a bigger year in his second year. The Golden Hawks added one of the leagues best run blockers in guard Montrae Holland. Wide receiver Levon Feely hopes to find a home in Minnesota. He was traded twice during the offseason. The Minnesota defense will not allow them to overtake the Death for the division title this year. Age is catching up to the teams front 7.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_thunder.gifThe Champaign Thunder will have a tough time staying out of the cellar of this division. Champaign can run the ball. Rookie Byron Villareal had a very good first season. The Thunder just don’t have a quarterback. Their second round pick in 2011, Derek Sparks, played pretty well in his 3 starts. He threw 5 touchdowns and did not throw a pick. The Thunder do have the best pair of defensive tackles in Tyrell Napiecek and Eric Horner. First round pick free safety Tommy Kramer has a shot at being the defensive rookie of the year.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_freeze.gifThe Fargo Freeze could get out of the cellar of this division if they could play any defense at all. A group of the 11 ugliest women in the world could score at will against this defense. This team will be able to pass. They are led by second year quarterback who played pretty good for a rookie quarterback. He throws to two fine young receivers. The older of the two is Winfred Siglar who caught 112 passes last year and was a second team all-league selection, in his second year in the league. The newcomer is Gary Kemp. Kemp looks like he is going to be a star. This combination could be electric for years. Too bad they will have to score 30 points a game to be competitive.
South
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_squirrels.gifThe Charlotte Fightin’ Squirrels should win this division again this year but not by much. Patrick Ramsey will once again lead a dangerous downfield passing attack. Ramsey had the highest quarterback rating of his career in 2011 with an amazing 109.3. The Squirrels have two nice targets for Ramsey in Andre Johnson and Jay Carranza. The Squirrels tried to get a young target for Ramsey but first round pick Andy Riner doesn’t look like a game breaker. They needed to find someone to replace Ashley Lelie the greatest wide receiver in USFL history who retired in the off-season. That search may take a lifetime. The Charlotte defense should be solid again this year. They would like to get better production out of last years first round draft pick Kim Harmon. The Charlotte secondary is starting to suffer from age but their 2011 second round draft pick, Sean Ellison, looks like he will be a solid pro.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_deltaforce.gifOne key injury really put a stop to the Wichita Delta Force last year. Michael Vick will return from a wrist injury that only allowed him to start two games for the Delta Force in 2011. A full season of Vick and a running game that will feature first round pick Stan Baxter will give the Wichita fans something to cheer for this season. If Vick plays the whole season and Baxter becomes a quality running threat this team will make the playoffs as a wild card team. The Delta Force didn’t have a good downfield receiving threat last year and they hope to remedy it with the addition of second round pick Chris Farner. Don’t expect a whole lot out of Farner this season because he’s just too green. The thing that will keep the Delta Force from getting a wild card spot will be their defense. They have some real issues along the defensive line and at corner. That’s a bad combination especially when you have to play Charlotte twice a year.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_edge.gifThe Jacksonville Edge is the most improved team in the league but after a 2-14 season it’s hard to get much worse. Jacksonville did make one of the biggest mves in the offseason. They traded the number 1 oerall pick in the draft which would have given them the right to draft the best quarterback out of Alabama since Ken Stabler in Lorenzo Shields. The Edge did get a quarterback that they think will be the future of the team in Brett Sanders. They also got grabbed one of the top backs in the draft in Moe Shon. They hope this combination can move the ball better than the Edge did last year. The Edge’s young talented offensive line will also have one more year of experience under their belt. The Jacksonville defense has some young players that will one day be good but they are a year or two away from becoming a solid group.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_generals.gifIt looks like it will be a long season in Richmond. BJ Marsh will lead the offense again this season. the problem is that he doesn’t really have anyone to throw to or to hand off to. The good news is that Richmond has the makings of a good offensive line. The line starts with a couple of good offensive tackles in Keith Copeland and Bernard Correia. At guard they added Richard Green, a former first round pick from the Iowa Bulls, to go with one of the league most underrated guards in Jose Cassidy. Their secondary is porous. They can over come it with a good pass rush Todd Logan and first round draft pick Glen Wooden.
East
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_wardogs.gifThe Columbus War Dogs are coming off their best season in team history. They lost one of the more entertaining Walker Bowls by 4 points. Dante Culpepper took his second team to the Walker Bowl. Culpepper is coming off the best season he’s had and there’s no reason to think that he won’t have another great year. He will be protected by a very good line featuring tackle Robert Gallery and guard Eric Steinbach. He will be throwing to Larry Fitzgerald who was selected to his first all-league team. If the offense has a weakness it’s in the backfield where the carries are starting to catch up to Jay Covington. On defense they look to be good once again. They have one of the best linebacking core’s in the league. They added a couple of rookies in the draft to bolster their secondary. First round pick safety Amos Gebene may not start this year but should be a good player in the future. Third round pick corner Darrell Fillion is a good press corner whose man on man defense should improve in time.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_blizzard.gifThe New York Blizzard ended up taking a wild card spot in the AC playoff last year. The question is who will start at quarterback? Earl Greer missed 3 games due to injury and has not played well in the past two years. 3rd year man Heath Brandon started the 3 games missed by Greer with an efficient 89.6 quarterback rating. Whoever the quarterback is he will have two quality targets in Charles Rogers and Tyrone Calico. The running back job is up for grabs but they hope they drafted their running back of the future in 3rd round pick Fred Foreman. Whoever the runner or the passer is they will enjoy playing behind 2nd round pick offensive tackle Derrick Goulet. The Blizzard may be able to snow out opposing offenses with a very good defensive line. Last years number 2 overall pick Bryce Brunson looks like he will just be toying with opposing guards. Dwight Freeney and Derrick Ussery are a great tandem at defensive end. The Blizzard secondary play may improve with the addition of first round pick corner Marco Marsh.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_destroyers.gifThe Norfolk Destroyers had a very disappointing season in 2011. They hope that the patience they showed in allowing their young talented quarterback Shane Kelly to play through his mistakes. Kelly will be throwing behind a talented line to a pair of quality targets in Ian Dowd and Riddick Otis. The biggest problem with the Norfolk offense last year was that they just couldn’t run the ball at all. Heath McConnell may be given the opportunity to show if he can run the ball. He averaged over 5 yards as a backup with the Detroit Demolition last year. The Destroyer defensive front seven has three very good player on it in defensive end Bo Henry, defensive tackle Vince Bruce, and middle linebacker Willie Vigil. Terrance Newman has lost a step at corner but he’s still a quality player at that position.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_reddogs.gifCan someone tell me what direction the Newark Red Dogs are going on offense? In the offseason they got rid of starting quarterback Brock Franz with no viable replacement on their roster. It looks like Riddick Reynolds will be the starter there. The good thing is that they don’t rely on their passing game. The bruising runner Burt Floyd, who was voted to his first all-league team, will carry this offense on his back. The Red Dogs hope that they have their left tackle of the future in Marshall Rhoden. The Newark defense looks like it will be lights out. They will have to be in order to win with this offense. They have arguably the best pair of defensive ends in Shawn Burns and Cole Rivera. The linebackers are also very good. The secondary boasts a young pair of talented corners in second year man Josh Levine and rookie Grady Monroe.
West
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_roughriders.gifWill this be the year that the Boise Rough Riders finally make it to the Walker Bowl? This team consistently has one of the top teams in talent in large part to their ability to draft. The Riders had another good draft. They picked up cornerback Burt Barber late in the first round and a steal in the early second round in running back Rick Messerly. Tom Brady had another quality season and was voted onto the all-league team. It looks like Messerly will be the long term replacement for running back Rickie McDermott. Dominic Lynch who was voted to his 3rd all-league selection and Bubba Donley will once again be dangerous receivers for Brady. The Boise defense will be one of the best in the league. The only real weakness of the defense is a lack of depth along the defensive line. So will they win the championship this year? Probably not they will find a way to disappoint in the playoffs once again.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_seawolves.gifThe San Diego Seawolves may be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2012. Why? This team is just loaded with young talent and with young talent you get spectacular plays followed by bone head plays. The player that ‘Wolves fans will be watching closely is the first overall pick in the draft quarterback Lorenzo Shields. Shields will throw to another first round pick in wide receiver Antoine Payne. This could be the next great passing combination in the league. Opposing defenses will not be able to sit on the pass because they will have to defend all-league running back F]Grant Northcutt. Northcutt had over 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2011. On defense the Seawolves already had two of the top rookie defenders from 2011 on their team in defensive end Harvey Fox and corner Donnell Ford. To this group they added second round draft pick safety Rodney Sherman.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_riots.gifLast season the Los Angeles fans rioted because of the team’s anemic offense. This won’t change this year. Who is going to play quarterback for this team. It seems a shame that they don’t have a good enough quarterback to get the ball to talented wide receiver Timothy Ellard. Leading rusher Bernard Perkins is back but how will he respond after carrying the ball 300 times. It will also be more difficult for Perkins to find holes to run through because their top run blocking guard Montrae Holland swigned with the Minnesota Golden Hawks in the offseason. The Riot will have a tough front seven this season. They already had very good defensive line with defensive ends Alan Poston and Donny Plake. They added first round draft pick Andrew Grundy to complete this trio. The corners are weak but the push from the defensive line should make up for this deficiency.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_nemesis.gifThe Las Vegas Nemesis are still building for their move to St. Louis. It looks like they have the beginnings of an offense in quarterback Brandon Cromwell and 2011 offensive rookie of the year running back Marc Washington. The offensive line and receivers are still a work in progress. Their defense isn’t going to be very good. They did add a few future stars to their defense. They added 2nd round picks outside linebacker Ray Donovan and cornerback Roderick Howard. They did get bad news when they found out that first round pick defensive end Julio Peters will be out for the season with a rotator cuff injury.
NC
North
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_bulls.gifThe Iowa Bulls should be the best team in the division. Iowa will give the starting quarterback duties once again to Luke Bruce. Bruce was benched last year after a slow start and was replaced by the, now retired Kurt Warner. This year if he falters he will likely be replaced by Brock Franz who started for the Newark Red Dogs last year. The best part of the offense for the Bulls is their deep offensive line lead by guard Claude Houzah who they hope can stay healthy this year. As always, Iowa was very active in the trade market and hope that they helped their defense. They added defensive end Richard Seymour to an already good defensive line. They also added cornerback Marcus Trufant who will line up opposite one of the best defensive rookies in 2011, Roderick Bryant.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_marauders.gifThe Milwaukee Marauders finished second in this division in 2011 and grabbed the top wildcard spot. They did it with great defensive play, a grinding running game, and smart play by their first year starting quarterback Sammie Gray. Gray will once again not have to be the focus of the offense because of the running of Ed Hruby. The Marauders are hopeful that 2nd round draft pick wide receiver Isaac Money will be a consistent target for Gray. The leader of the defense last year had to be shut down corner Moe Irwin. Irwin was a first team all-league corner who had 5 picks and 27 pass defenses last year. The Marauders didn’t have any serious additions to their defense and their defensive line is suspect. The Marauders should win a wildcard playoff birth.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_crusaders.gifThe Chicago Crusaders won this division for the fourth time in a row in 2011. The Crusader fans are happy that Donovan McNabb is back to play in his 14th professional season. McNabb had a career high in touchdown passes with 30 last season. The Crusaders also bring back leading rusher Brandon Cash. Cash was a 1,000 yard back last season in large part to a great offensive line lead by first team all-leaguer Chris Samuels. Chicago doesn’t have a real receiving threat. They will once again have to rely on their defense. The Crusaders have arguably the toughest front three in Julius Peters, Jerome McDougle, and Jimmy Kennedy. They need to get more than three starts out of weak-side outside backer Morris Nickel. The Crusaders should take the last wild card spot.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_demolition.gifIf a team can be a disappointment with a winning record, then the Detroit Demolition have to consider their 2011 season a disappointment. The Brad Harvey to Sedrick Boyer connection worked last year. So did the running of Ryan Reilly. What kept them from having a great season was a lackluster offensive line. The Demolition added guard Walt Fleming from Boise but that’s all they did to improve this group. This team will be stuck in last place until they improve the guys up front. Their defense has good linebackers but they are weak in the middle of their defensive line. First round pick corner Ben Oskia could be good but will need time to develop.
South
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_hurricanes.gifThe Florida Hurricanes won the South for the second straight year and won their first Walker Bowl Championship. In 2012 Florida is the class of this division. David Carr will once again pull the trigger on offense. He has two very good targets in Malcolm Fleck and Vincent Griffith. They do have a weakness in the backfield. The Hurricanes hope 3rd round pick Monty Mueller can have a positive impact on the backfield. The Florida defense has no real weaknesses. They are not deep at defensive ends so injuries to this group could hurt this defense.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_rage.gifThe Austin Rage finished second in the division last year and they just missed grabbing a wild card spot. Peyton Manning is coming back for his 15th season. Manning has plenty of offensive help. Running back Teddy Burroughs had his best season as a pro. The third year runner had a career high in carries, yards per carry, and touchdowns. Receiver Will Fritz had a big first season and the sky looks like the limit for him. The middle of the Rage defense is very good. It features defensive tackles Junior Powell and Chris Hovan. Middle linebacker Will Overstreet, a tough run stopper, anchors the linebacking core. The Austin secondary is fairly average. This team could grab a wild card playoff spot if the teams in the NC North beat up on each other.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_pirates.gifThe Louisiana Pirates should be able to crawl out of the cellar this season. They will have a new starting quarterback in Alfred Melsha who has started only 14 games in his career. Like most position groups on this team the offensive line is young. Second year man Derek O’Neal and rookie Brock Bolerjack should start at guards. They will be blocking for power runner Buddy Sommers who needs to start more than 10 games in order for this offense to move the ball. The Pirates should e better on defense. In the offseason they improved their defensive line with the free agent signing of defensive tackle Peter Adams, and the drafting of the 9th overall pick defensive end Glen Nixon. Free Safety Donny Whalen will be a all-leaguer before the end of his career.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_broncos.gifBig changes have been going on in Atlanta. Veteran quarterback Kyle Boller was traded to the Baltimore Burn. The most experienced quarterback on their roster is Ronnie Fornier who didn’t play in 2011 and has only 3 career starts. Running back Korey Hartman is really showing his age but will get to run behind a fairly decent offensive line. The Broncos have a good punter in Dustin Theriault and they will need him. The Broncos have some real defensive line problems but they hope 2nd round picks Kevin Swolley and Tyrus Heath can help get this group headed in the right direction. 4th round pick Bubba Barndt looks like he can be a solid player in the future.
East
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_bees.gifThe Boston Killer Bees finished third in the NC East in 2011. So, why pick this team to win the division? The addition of ex-Louisiana Pirate quarterback Marc Bulger will finally give this team a passing game. Last years starter, Lincoln Lofton, played efficiently but he couldn’t carry the offense. Running back Shaun Ramczyk rebounded from a sub-par season in 2010. Ramczyk may not get 1,000 yards this season because Boston will be able to open up their offense more. The offense will have to be explosive because the Boston defense just isn’t very good.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_invaders.gifThe Erie Invaders should finish second in this division once again. The Invaders drafted running back Norman Meza in the first round. This may have been a shock for some since Erie already has an established back in Ralph Martinez. The big reason they may have wanted to take carries away from Martinez is that he just fumbles the ball too much. He put the ball on the ground 20 times last season. The Invaders should have the best defense in the division this year. They added defensive end Michael Haynes from the Newark Red Dogs.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_burn.gifThe Baltimore Burn should be good enough to move up from the cellar. They added ex-Atlanta Bronco quarterback Kyle Boller. Boller is a big step up from Mike Kirk at this position. The Burn still hope Kirk is their long term solution to the quarterback position. The offense is should also be better with an improved running game because of first round draft pick Les Tait. Tait held out through training camp but so did Steve Beck last year and he had a great season. The Baltimore defense should be better with the additions of 1st round pick Skip Fabrezio, and 2nd round pick cornerback Jay Stephens. Second year man Toby Bassett should have a good year but the rest of their defensive line is suspect.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_diesel.gifThe Hartford Diesel finished first last year and made it all the way to the NC championship game before collapsing to Walker Bowl winner Florida. The Diesel hope that quarterback Junior Skipper will make a full return from his back injury and play a complete season. This team still doesn’t have a running game at all. Two targets for Skipper were added in the draft in first round pick wide receiver Dixon Rounds and tight end Phil Guyon. The defense played over their head because of the coaching of Jose Solymos. Solymos is back but he doesn’t have any better talent to work with in 2012.
West
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_quake.gifThe Sacramento Quake won this division again last year and should win it again in 2012. Floyd Sinclair had his best season last year in his first year as the Sacramento starting quarterback. He will have to have to repeat that performance because it’s hard to see how they can rely on running back Drew Scutaro to continue to produce. The Quake defense is stout in the middle but their defensive ends are below average. The defensive backfield has it’s problems but they look to be headed in the right direction with the addition of JT Jenner.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_dragons.gifThe Portland Dragons hope that they drafted their quarterback of the future in Joey Herrick. In the here and now Joey Harrington will continue to lead the Dragons. The Dragons will once again be a pass happy team on offense. They still don’t have a running back who can be productive. They also hope that they have found their replacement for tight end Dallas Clark in second round draft pick Deon Northcott. The Dragons grabbed the biggest free agent in the offseason when they acquired cornerback Nate Clements. The bad thing is that Clements has already been injured and will miss about 5 games in the regular season. The Dragons hope that middle linebacker John Myers will have his first all-league season in 2012.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_stingrays.gifThe Seattle Stingrays have some of the best young talent on offense. Last year the team grabbed game-breaking wide receiver David Mueller and tight end Don Knight. This year they added running back Nick Warfield who could be the best running back taken in this year’s draft. What holds this group back is a quarterback. Rico Kurko lost his starting job to Marc Berlat. Will Berlat be the answer for this team at quarterback? Good question. The Seattle defense should be better this year with the addition of free agent defensive end Tyronne Witt and the team’s other first round draft pick defensive end Shawn Burns. Defensive rookie or the year in 2010 Rico Dreisach took a small step backwards last year.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_knights.gifThe Arizona Knights struck gold last year with the drafting of running back Jumbo Samuelson. This year they look to have done it again with first round pick offensive tackle RJ Lunney. Lunney will pave the way for Samuelson and protect quarterback Leroy Ardan. Ardan had his best season in 2011 but that wasn’t saying a whole lot. Ardan threw only one more touchdown than interception. This is what will keep this team near the bottom of the NC West. The Knights second round pick, defensive end Marty Christianson, looks like he will be a fixture at defensive end for years to come. The rest of the Knights defense should be good but they need to find a replacement for 12th year defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.
2012 USFL Season Preview
AC
North
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_death.gifThe Denver Death won the North once again. The Death may have a different offensive philosophy this year. Running back Clinton Portis just isn’t the same back anymore. Byron Leftwich, who was the 2011 offensive player of the year, may get to throw the ball even more. The Death will once again have one of the top defenses in the USFL. Their front 7 has quality players at each position. They will have a change at outside linebacker because Perry Cone, a two time all–league selection, will be moved to the weak side. The team is starting to show weakness at the corner position. Quentin Jammer has lost more than a step. This could mean their matchup with the pass happy Fargo Freeze should be interesting.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_hawks.gifThe Minnesota Golden Hawks finished second in the division in 2011 and took a wild cards playoff spot. They should win another wild card selection this year. How does the league’s leading rusher not get an all-league selection? Steve Becker doesn’t know. He didn’t even win the leagues offensive rookie of the year award. The first overall pick in the 2011 draft may have a bigger year in his second year. The Golden Hawks added one of the leagues best run blockers in guard Montrae Holland. Wide receiver Levon Feely hopes to find a home in Minnesota. He was traded twice during the offseason. The Minnesota defense will not allow them to overtake the Death for the division title this year. Age is catching up to the teams front 7.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_thunder.gifThe Champaign Thunder will have a tough time staying out of the cellar of this division. Champaign can run the ball. Rookie Byron Villareal had a very good first season. The Thunder just don’t have a quarterback. Their second round pick in 2011, Derek Sparks, played pretty well in his 3 starts. He threw 5 touchdowns and did not throw a pick. The Thunder do have the best pair of defensive tackles in Tyrell Napiecek and Eric Horner. First round pick free safety Tommy Kramer has a shot at being the defensive rookie of the year.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_freeze.gifThe Fargo Freeze could get out of the cellar of this division if they could play any defense at all. A group of the 11 ugliest women in the world could score at will against this defense. This team will be able to pass. They are led by second year quarterback who played pretty good for a rookie quarterback. He throws to two fine young receivers. The older of the two is Winfred Siglar who caught 112 passes last year and was a second team all-league selection, in his second year in the league. The newcomer is Gary Kemp. Kemp looks like he is going to be a star. This combination could be electric for years. Too bad they will have to score 30 points a game to be competitive.
South
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_squirrels.gifThe Charlotte Fightin’ Squirrels should win this division again this year but not by much. Patrick Ramsey will once again lead a dangerous downfield passing attack. Ramsey had the highest quarterback rating of his career in 2011 with an amazing 109.3. The Squirrels have two nice targets for Ramsey in Andre Johnson and Jay Carranza. The Squirrels tried to get a young target for Ramsey but first round pick Andy Riner doesn’t look like a game breaker. They needed to find someone to replace Ashley Lelie the greatest wide receiver in USFL history who retired in the off-season. That search may take a lifetime. The Charlotte defense should be solid again this year. They would like to get better production out of last years first round draft pick Kim Harmon. The Charlotte secondary is starting to suffer from age but their 2011 second round draft pick, Sean Ellison, looks like he will be a solid pro.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_deltaforce.gifOne key injury really put a stop to the Wichita Delta Force last year. Michael Vick will return from a wrist injury that only allowed him to start two games for the Delta Force in 2011. A full season of Vick and a running game that will feature first round pick Stan Baxter will give the Wichita fans something to cheer for this season. If Vick plays the whole season and Baxter becomes a quality running threat this team will make the playoffs as a wild card team. The Delta Force didn’t have a good downfield receiving threat last year and they hope to remedy it with the addition of second round pick Chris Farner. Don’t expect a whole lot out of Farner this season because he’s just too green. The thing that will keep the Delta Force from getting a wild card spot will be their defense. They have some real issues along the defensive line and at corner. That’s a bad combination especially when you have to play Charlotte twice a year.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_edge.gifThe Jacksonville Edge is the most improved team in the league but after a 2-14 season it’s hard to get much worse. Jacksonville did make one of the biggest mves in the offseason. They traded the number 1 oerall pick in the draft which would have given them the right to draft the best quarterback out of Alabama since Ken Stabler in Lorenzo Shields. The Edge did get a quarterback that they think will be the future of the team in Brett Sanders. They also got grabbed one of the top backs in the draft in Moe Shon. They hope this combination can move the ball better than the Edge did last year. The Edge’s young talented offensive line will also have one more year of experience under their belt. The Jacksonville defense has some young players that will one day be good but they are a year or two away from becoming a solid group.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_generals.gifIt looks like it will be a long season in Richmond. BJ Marsh will lead the offense again this season. the problem is that he doesn’t really have anyone to throw to or to hand off to. The good news is that Richmond has the makings of a good offensive line. The line starts with a couple of good offensive tackles in Keith Copeland and Bernard Correia. At guard they added Richard Green, a former first round pick from the Iowa Bulls, to go with one of the league most underrated guards in Jose Cassidy. Their secondary is porous. They can over come it with a good pass rush Todd Logan and first round draft pick Glen Wooden.
East
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_wardogs.gifThe Columbus War Dogs are coming off their best season in team history. They lost one of the more entertaining Walker Bowls by 4 points. Dante Culpepper took his second team to the Walker Bowl. Culpepper is coming off the best season he’s had and there’s no reason to think that he won’t have another great year. He will be protected by a very good line featuring tackle Robert Gallery and guard Eric Steinbach. He will be throwing to Larry Fitzgerald who was selected to his first all-league team. If the offense has a weakness it’s in the backfield where the carries are starting to catch up to Jay Covington. On defense they look to be good once again. They have one of the best linebacking core’s in the league. They added a couple of rookies in the draft to bolster their secondary. First round pick safety Amos Gebene may not start this year but should be a good player in the future. Third round pick corner Darrell Fillion is a good press corner whose man on man defense should improve in time.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_blizzard.gifThe New York Blizzard ended up taking a wild card spot in the AC playoff last year. The question is who will start at quarterback? Earl Greer missed 3 games due to injury and has not played well in the past two years. 3rd year man Heath Brandon started the 3 games missed by Greer with an efficient 89.6 quarterback rating. Whoever the quarterback is he will have two quality targets in Charles Rogers and Tyrone Calico. The running back job is up for grabs but they hope they drafted their running back of the future in 3rd round pick Fred Foreman. Whoever the runner or the passer is they will enjoy playing behind 2nd round pick offensive tackle Derrick Goulet. The Blizzard may be able to snow out opposing offenses with a very good defensive line. Last years number 2 overall pick Bryce Brunson looks like he will just be toying with opposing guards. Dwight Freeney and Derrick Ussery are a great tandem at defensive end. The Blizzard secondary play may improve with the addition of first round pick corner Marco Marsh.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_destroyers.gifThe Norfolk Destroyers had a very disappointing season in 2011. They hope that the patience they showed in allowing their young talented quarterback Shane Kelly to play through his mistakes. Kelly will be throwing behind a talented line to a pair of quality targets in Ian Dowd and Riddick Otis. The biggest problem with the Norfolk offense last year was that they just couldn’t run the ball at all. Heath McConnell may be given the opportunity to show if he can run the ball. He averaged over 5 yards as a backup with the Detroit Demolition last year. The Destroyer defensive front seven has three very good player on it in defensive end Bo Henry, defensive tackle Vince Bruce, and middle linebacker Willie Vigil. Terrance Newman has lost a step at corner but he’s still a quality player at that position.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_reddogs.gifCan someone tell me what direction the Newark Red Dogs are going on offense? In the offseason they got rid of starting quarterback Brock Franz with no viable replacement on their roster. It looks like Riddick Reynolds will be the starter there. The good thing is that they don’t rely on their passing game. The bruising runner Burt Floyd, who was voted to his first all-league team, will carry this offense on his back. The Red Dogs hope that they have their left tackle of the future in Marshall Rhoden. The Newark defense looks like it will be lights out. They will have to be in order to win with this offense. They have arguably the best pair of defensive ends in Shawn Burns and Cole Rivera. The linebackers are also very good. The secondary boasts a young pair of talented corners in second year man Josh Levine and rookie Grady Monroe.
West
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_roughriders.gifWill this be the year that the Boise Rough Riders finally make it to the Walker Bowl? This team consistently has one of the top teams in talent in large part to their ability to draft. The Riders had another good draft. They picked up cornerback Burt Barber late in the first round and a steal in the early second round in running back Rick Messerly. Tom Brady had another quality season and was voted onto the all-league team. It looks like Messerly will be the long term replacement for running back Rickie McDermott. Dominic Lynch who was voted to his 3rd all-league selection and Bubba Donley will once again be dangerous receivers for Brady. The Boise defense will be one of the best in the league. The only real weakness of the defense is a lack of depth along the defensive line. So will they win the championship this year? Probably not they will find a way to disappoint in the playoffs once again.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_seawolves.gifThe San Diego Seawolves may be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2012. Why? This team is just loaded with young talent and with young talent you get spectacular plays followed by bone head plays. The player that ‘Wolves fans will be watching closely is the first overall pick in the draft quarterback Lorenzo Shields. Shields will throw to another first round pick in wide receiver Antoine Payne. This could be the next great passing combination in the league. Opposing defenses will not be able to sit on the pass because they will have to defend all-league running back F]Grant Northcutt. Northcutt had over 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2011. On defense the Seawolves already had two of the top rookie defenders from 2011 on their team in defensive end Harvey Fox and corner Donnell Ford. To this group they added second round draft pick safety Rodney Sherman.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_riots.gifLast season the Los Angeles fans rioted because of the team’s anemic offense. This won’t change this year. Who is going to play quarterback for this team. It seems a shame that they don’t have a good enough quarterback to get the ball to talented wide receiver Timothy Ellard. Leading rusher Bernard Perkins is back but how will he respond after carrying the ball 300 times. It will also be more difficult for Perkins to find holes to run through because their top run blocking guard Montrae Holland swigned with the Minnesota Golden Hawks in the offseason. The Riot will have a tough front seven this season. They already had very good defensive line with defensive ends Alan Poston and Donny Plake. They added first round draft pick Andrew Grundy to complete this trio. The corners are weak but the push from the defensive line should make up for this deficiency.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_nemesis.gifThe Las Vegas Nemesis are still building for their move to St. Louis. It looks like they have the beginnings of an offense in quarterback Brandon Cromwell and 2011 offensive rookie of the year running back Marc Washington. The offensive line and receivers are still a work in progress. Their defense isn’t going to be very good. They did add a few future stars to their defense. They added 2nd round picks outside linebacker Ray Donovan and cornerback Roderick Howard. They did get bad news when they found out that first round pick defensive end Julio Peters will be out for the season with a rotator cuff injury.
NC
North
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_bulls.gifThe Iowa Bulls should be the best team in the division. Iowa will give the starting quarterback duties once again to Luke Bruce. Bruce was benched last year after a slow start and was replaced by the, now retired Kurt Warner. This year if he falters he will likely be replaced by Brock Franz who started for the Newark Red Dogs last year. The best part of the offense for the Bulls is their deep offensive line lead by guard Claude Houzah who they hope can stay healthy this year. As always, Iowa was very active in the trade market and hope that they helped their defense. They added defensive end Richard Seymour to an already good defensive line. They also added cornerback Marcus Trufant who will line up opposite one of the best defensive rookies in 2011, Roderick Bryant.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_marauders.gifThe Milwaukee Marauders finished second in this division in 2011 and grabbed the top wildcard spot. They did it with great defensive play, a grinding running game, and smart play by their first year starting quarterback Sammie Gray. Gray will once again not have to be the focus of the offense because of the running of Ed Hruby. The Marauders are hopeful that 2nd round draft pick wide receiver Isaac Money will be a consistent target for Gray. The leader of the defense last year had to be shut down corner Moe Irwin. Irwin was a first team all-league corner who had 5 picks and 27 pass defenses last year. The Marauders didn’t have any serious additions to their defense and their defensive line is suspect. The Marauders should win a wildcard playoff birth.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_crusaders.gifThe Chicago Crusaders won this division for the fourth time in a row in 2011. The Crusader fans are happy that Donovan McNabb is back to play in his 14th professional season. McNabb had a career high in touchdown passes with 30 last season. The Crusaders also bring back leading rusher Brandon Cash. Cash was a 1,000 yard back last season in large part to a great offensive line lead by first team all-leaguer Chris Samuels. Chicago doesn’t have a real receiving threat. They will once again have to rely on their defense. The Crusaders have arguably the toughest front three in Julius Peters, Jerome McDougle, and Jimmy Kennedy. They need to get more than three starts out of weak-side outside backer Morris Nickel. The Crusaders should take the last wild card spot.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_demolition.gifIf a team can be a disappointment with a winning record, then the Detroit Demolition have to consider their 2011 season a disappointment. The Brad Harvey to Sedrick Boyer connection worked last year. So did the running of Ryan Reilly. What kept them from having a great season was a lackluster offensive line. The Demolition added guard Walt Fleming from Boise but that’s all they did to improve this group. This team will be stuck in last place until they improve the guys up front. Their defense has good linebackers but they are weak in the middle of their defensive line. First round pick corner Ben Oskia could be good but will need time to develop.
South
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_hurricanes.gifThe Florida Hurricanes won the South for the second straight year and won their first Walker Bowl Championship. In 2012 Florida is the class of this division. David Carr will once again pull the trigger on offense. He has two very good targets in Malcolm Fleck and Vincent Griffith. They do have a weakness in the backfield. The Hurricanes hope 3rd round pick Monty Mueller can have a positive impact on the backfield. The Florida defense has no real weaknesses. They are not deep at defensive ends so injuries to this group could hurt this defense.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_rage.gifThe Austin Rage finished second in the division last year and they just missed grabbing a wild card spot. Peyton Manning is coming back for his 15th season. Manning has plenty of offensive help. Running back Teddy Burroughs had his best season as a pro. The third year runner had a career high in carries, yards per carry, and touchdowns. Receiver Will Fritz had a big first season and the sky looks like the limit for him. The middle of the Rage defense is very good. It features defensive tackles Junior Powell and Chris Hovan. Middle linebacker Will Overstreet, a tough run stopper, anchors the linebacking core. The Austin secondary is fairly average. This team could grab a wild card playoff spot if the teams in the NC North beat up on each other.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_pirates.gifThe Louisiana Pirates should be able to crawl out of the cellar this season. They will have a new starting quarterback in Alfred Melsha who has started only 14 games in his career. Like most position groups on this team the offensive line is young. Second year man Derek O’Neal and rookie Brock Bolerjack should start at guards. They will be blocking for power runner Buddy Sommers who needs to start more than 10 games in order for this offense to move the ball. The Pirates should e better on defense. In the offseason they improved their defensive line with the free agent signing of defensive tackle Peter Adams, and the drafting of the 9th overall pick defensive end Glen Nixon. Free Safety Donny Whalen will be a all-leaguer before the end of his career.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_broncos.gifBig changes have been going on in Atlanta. Veteran quarterback Kyle Boller was traded to the Baltimore Burn. The most experienced quarterback on their roster is Ronnie Fornier who didn’t play in 2011 and has only 3 career starts. Running back Korey Hartman is really showing his age but will get to run behind a fairly decent offensive line. The Broncos have a good punter in Dustin Theriault and they will need him. The Broncos have some real defensive line problems but they hope 2nd round picks Kevin Swolley and Tyrus Heath can help get this group headed in the right direction. 4th round pick Bubba Barndt looks like he can be a solid player in the future.
East
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_bees.gifThe Boston Killer Bees finished third in the NC East in 2011. So, why pick this team to win the division? The addition of ex-Louisiana Pirate quarterback Marc Bulger will finally give this team a passing game. Last years starter, Lincoln Lofton, played efficiently but he couldn’t carry the offense. Running back Shaun Ramczyk rebounded from a sub-par season in 2010. Ramczyk may not get 1,000 yards this season because Boston will be able to open up their offense more. The offense will have to be explosive because the Boston defense just isn’t very good.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_invaders.gifThe Erie Invaders should finish second in this division once again. The Invaders drafted running back Norman Meza in the first round. This may have been a shock for some since Erie already has an established back in Ralph Martinez. The big reason they may have wanted to take carries away from Martinez is that he just fumbles the ball too much. He put the ball on the ground 20 times last season. The Invaders should have the best defense in the division this year. They added defensive end Michael Haynes from the Newark Red Dogs.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_burn.gifThe Baltimore Burn should be good enough to move up from the cellar. They added ex-Atlanta Bronco quarterback Kyle Boller. Boller is a big step up from Mike Kirk at this position. The Burn still hope Kirk is their long term solution to the quarterback position. The offense is should also be better with an improved running game because of first round draft pick Les Tait. Tait held out through training camp but so did Steve Beck last year and he had a great season. The Baltimore defense should be better with the additions of 1st round pick Skip Fabrezio, and 2nd round pick cornerback Jay Stephens. Second year man Toby Bassett should have a good year but the rest of their defensive line is suspect.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_diesel.gifThe Hartford Diesel finished first last year and made it all the way to the NC championship game before collapsing to Walker Bowl winner Florida. The Diesel hope that quarterback Junior Skipper will make a full return from his back injury and play a complete season. This team still doesn’t have a running game at all. Two targets for Skipper were added in the draft in first round pick wide receiver Dixon Rounds and tight end Phil Guyon. The defense played over their head because of the coaching of Jose Solymos. Solymos is back but he doesn’t have any better talent to work with in 2012.
West
1. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_quake.gifThe Sacramento Quake won this division again last year and should win it again in 2012. Floyd Sinclair had his best season last year in his first year as the Sacramento starting quarterback. He will have to have to repeat that performance because it’s hard to see how they can rely on running back Drew Scutaro to continue to produce. The Quake defense is stout in the middle but their defensive ends are below average. The defensive backfield has it’s problems but they look to be headed in the right direction with the addition of JT Jenner.
2. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_dragons.gifThe Portland Dragons hope that they drafted their quarterback of the future in Joey Herrick. In the here and now Joey Harrington will continue to lead the Dragons. The Dragons will once again be a pass happy team on offense. They still don’t have a running back who can be productive. They also hope that they have found their replacement for tight end Dallas Clark in second round draft pick Deon Northcott. The Dragons grabbed the biggest free agent in the offseason when they acquired cornerback Nate Clements. The bad thing is that Clements has already been injured and will miss about 5 games in the regular season. The Dragons hope that middle linebacker John Myers will have his first all-league season in 2012.
3. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_stingrays.gifThe Seattle Stingrays have some of the best young talent on offense. Last year the team grabbed game-breaking wide receiver David Mueller and tight end Don Knight. This year they added running back Nick Warfield who could be the best running back taken in this year’s draft. What holds this group back is a quarterback. Rico Kurko lost his starting job to Marc Berlat. Will Berlat be the answer for this team at quarterback? Good question. The Seattle defense should be better this year with the addition of free agent defensive end Tyronne Witt and the team’s other first round draft pick defensive end Shawn Burns. Defensive rookie or the year in 2010 Rico Dreisach took a small step backwards last year.
4. http://www.fof-usfl.com/newsite/images/team_art/sliver_knights.gifThe Arizona Knights struck gold last year with the drafting of running back Jumbo Samuelson. This year they look to have done it again with first round pick offensive tackle RJ Lunney. Lunney will pave the way for Samuelson and protect quarterback Leroy Ardan. Ardan had his best season in 2011 but that wasn’t saying a whole lot. Ardan threw only one more touchdown than interception. This is what will keep this team near the bottom of the NC West. The Knights second round pick, defensive end Marty Christianson, looks like he will be a fixture at defensive end for years to come. The rest of the Knights defense should be good but they need to find a replacement for 12th year defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.