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1983 USFL season

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Sports season
1983 USFL season
DurationMarch 6 – July 3, 1983
DateJuly 17, 1983
Finals venueDenver, Colorado
Finals championsMichigan Panthers
Seasons
1984 →
1983 USFL season is located in the United StatesBreakersBreakersFederalsFederalsGeneralsGeneralsStarsStarsBanditsBanditsBlitzBlitzPanthersPanthersStallionsStallionsExpressExpressGoldGoldInvadersInvadersWranglersWranglersclass=notpageimage| USFL teams: Pacific, Central, Atlantic

The 1983 USFL season was the inaugural season of the United States Football League.

Rules differences from NFL

  • Optional 2 point conversion after touchdown (the NFL would add this rule in 1994).
  • Optional 1 inch kicking tee for extra points and field goal attempts.
  • Clock stop on first downs within the last 2 minutes of the 2nd and 4th quarters.
  • Intentional and unintentional pass interference.
  • Six member officiating crew (no side judge).
  • The USFL game ball was 3⁄8 inch (1 cm) shorter than the NFL game ball (both made by Wilson).
  • There were no preseason games.

Expansion cities for 1984

During the 1983 season, the USFL announced expansion cities for the 1984 season.

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

 y  = Division Champion,  x  = Wild Card

Atlantic Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA Stadium 1983 Capacity Avg. Att. Avg. % filled Coach
y-Philadelphia Stars 15 3 0 .833 379 204 Veterans Stadium 72,204 18,650 26% Jim Mora
Boston Breakers 11 7 0 .611 399 334 Nickerson Field 21,000 12,817 61% Dick Coury
New Jersey Generals 6 12 0 .333 314 437 Giants Stadium 76,891 35,004 46% Chuck Fairbanks
Washington Federals 4 14 0 .222 297 422 RFK Stadium 54,794 13,850 25% Ray Jauch
Central Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA Stadium 1983 Capacity Avg. Att. Avg. % filled Coach
y-Michigan Panthers 12 6 0 .667 451 337 Silverdome 80,638 22,250 28% Jim Stanley
x-Chicago Blitz 12 6 0 .667 456 271 Soldier Field 65,793 18,133 28% George Allen
Tampa Bay Bandits 11 7 0 .611 363 378 Tampa Stadium 72,812 39,896 55% Steve Spurrier
Birmingham Stallions 9 9 0 .500 343 326 Legion Field 77,000 22,046 29% Rollie Dotsch
Pacific Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA Stadium 1983 Capacity Avg. Att. Avg. % filled Coach
y-Oakland Invaders 9 9 0 .500 319 319 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 54,615 31,211 57% John Ralston
Los Angeles Express 8 10 0 .444 296 370 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 94,000 19,002 20% Hugh Campbell
Denver Gold 7 11 0 .389 284 304 Mile High Stadium 75,123 41,736 56% Red Miller/Charley Armey/Craig Morton
Arizona Wranglers 4 14 0 .222 261 442 Sun Devil Stadium 70,030 25,776 37% Doug Shively

Michigan won the tiebreaker with Chicago based on season series 2-0-0

Playoffs

Away team Score Home team Date
Divisional playoffs
Chicago Blitz 38–44 (OT) Philadelphia Stars July 9, 1983
Oakland Invaders 21–37 Michigan Panthers July 10, 1983
USFL Championship Game
Mile High Stadium, Denver Colorado
Michigan Panthers 24–22 Philadelphia Stars July 17, 1983


Division playoffs USFL Championship
      
A1 Philadelphia 44 (OT)
C2 Chicago 38
A1 Philadelphia 22
C1 Michigan 24
P1 Oakland 21
C1 Michigan 37
This bracket:

Statistics

1983 regular season stat leaders

1983 Passing Leaders (over 100 attempts)
Name, Team Att Comp % yards YDs/Att TD TD % Long INT INT % Rating
Bobby Hebert, MICH 451 257 57.0 3568 7.91 27 6.0 t81 17 3.8 86.8
Fred Besana, OAK 550 345 62.7 3980 7.24 21 3.8 t80 16 2.9 85.1
Greg Landry, CHIC 334 188 56.3 2383 7.13 16 4.8 52 9 2.7 83.5
Jimmy Jordan, TB 238 145 60.9 1831 7.69 14 5.9 49 14 5.9 80.0
Chuck Fusina, PHIL 421 238 56.5 2718 6.46 15 3.6 52 10 2.4 78.1
Alan Risher, ARIZ 424 236 55.7 2672 6.30 20 4.7 t98 16 3.8 74.7
Johnnie Walton, BOS 589 330 56.0 3772 6.40 20 3.4 t86 18 3.1 74.0
Mike Rae, LA 319 175 54.9 1964 6.16 11 3.4 t61 10 3.1 71.9
Mike Hohensee, WASH 190 92 48.4 1297 6.83 9 4.7 t80 7 3.7 71.3
Bobby Scott, NJ/CHIC 374 210 56.1 2813 7.52 11 2.9 t65 19 5.1 68.9
Tom Ramsey, LA 307 160 52.1 1975 6.43 13 4.2 t82 14 4.6 67.4
Mike Kelley, TB 166 81 48.8 1003 6.04 4 2.4 43 5 3.0 63.4
Bob Lane, BIRM 346 175 50.6 2264 6.54 14 4.0 53 18 5.2 63.3
Kim McQuilken, WASH 334 188 56.3 1912 5.72 7 2.1 55 14 4.2 62.4
John Reaves, TB 259 139 53.7 1726 6.66 9 3.5 51 16 6.2 60.4
Ken Johnson, DENV 248 121 48.8 1115 4.50 6 2.4 t56 12 4.8 49.4
Joe Gilliam, WASH 102 40 39.2 673 6.60 5 4.9 t52 12 11.8 39.0
Reggie Collier, BIRM 108 47 43.5 604 5.59 1 0.9 t46 7 6.5 37.7
Dan Manucci, ARIZ 119 52 43.7 577 4.85 2 1.7 t48 8 6.7 36.3
Jeff Knapple, DENV/NJ 213 105 49.3 1191 5.59 3 1.4 41 19 8.9 34.0
1983 Rushing leaders
POS Name, Team Att Yds Avg. Long TDs
HB Herschel Walker, NJ 412 1812 4.4 t83 17
HB Kelvin Bryant, PHIL 318 1442 4.5 45 16
HB Ken Lacy, MI 232 1180 5.1 59 6
HB Tim Spencer, CHIC 300 1157 3.9 25 6
HB Arthur Whittington, OAK 282 1043 3.7 24 6
HB Kevin Long, CHIC 262 1022 3.9 33 12
HB Richard Crump, BOS 190 990 5.2 62 8
HB Ken Talton, BIRM 228 907 4.0 28 5
HB Craig James, WASH 202 823 4.1 24 4
HB Harry Sydney, DENV 176 801 4.6 45 9
HB Billy Taylor, WASH 171 757 4.4 34 5
HB Calvin Murray, ARIZ 179 699 3.9 34 4
HB Greg Boone, TB 174 694 4.0 21 5
HB Allen Harvin, PHIL 139 681 4.9 49 7
HB Larry Canada, DENV 142 631 4.4 t24 3
1983 Receiving Leaders
POS Name, Team Rec Yds Avg. Long TDs
WR Trumaine Johnson, CHIC 81 1322 16.3 56 10
WR Danny Buggs, TB 76 1146 15.1 51 5
WR Ricky Ellis, LA 69 716 10.4 36 6
TE Raymond Chester, OAK 68 951 14.0 57 5
WR Eric Truvillion, TB 66 1080 16.4 46 15
HB Arthur Whittington, OAK 66 584 8.8 3.7 2
TE Mark Keel, ARIZ 65 802 12.3 27 2
HB Billy Taylor, WASH 64 523 8.2 55 2
WR Joey Walters, WASH 63 959 15.2 42 6
WR Jackie Flowers, ARIZ 63 869 13.8 t98 11
WR Neil Balholm, ARIZ 63 703 11.2 27 5
WR Nolan Franz, BOS 62 848 13.7 50 4
WR Gordon Banks, OAK 61 855 14.0 41 2
TE Michael Cobb, MICH 61 746 12.2 31 5
WR Anthony Carter, MICH 60 1181 19.7 t81 9
WR Scott Fitzkee, PHIL 55 731 13.3 44 3
WR Charles Smith, BOS 54 1009 18.7 t58 5
WR Wyatt Henderson, OAK 54 801 14.8 t53 9
HB Herschel Walker, NJ 53 489 9.2 t65 1
HB Kelvin Bryant, PHIL 53 410 7.7 50 1

Awards

Offense

Position Player(s)
Quarterback 11 Bobby Hebert, Michigan Panthers
Running back 34 Herschel Walker, New Jersey Generals
44 Kelvin Bryant, Philadelphia Stars
Wide receiver 2 Trumaine Johnson, Chicago Blitz
84 Eric Truvillion, Tampa Bay Bandits
Tight end 87 Raymond Chester, Oakland Invaders
Offensive tackle 75 Irv Eatman, Philadelphia Stars
74 Ray Pinney, Michigan Panthers
Guard 78 Buddy Aydelette, Birmingham Stallions
63 Thom Dornbrook, Michigan Panthers
Center 67 Bob Van Duyne, Tampa Bay Bandits

Defense

Position Player(s)
Defensive end 79 Mike Raines, Birmingham Stallions
70 Kit Lathrop, Chicago Blitz
Defensive tackle 68 Fred Nordgren, Tampa Bay Bandits
Linebacker 57 John Corker, Michigan Panthers
52 Stan White, Chicago Blitz
54 Sam Mills, Philadelphia Stars
56 Marcus Marek, Boston Breakers
Cornerback 33 Jeff George, Tampa Bay Bandits
34 David Martin, Denver Gold
Safety 27 Luther Bradley, Chicago Blitz
25 Scott Woerner, Philadelphia Stars

Special teams

Position Player(s)
Kicker 5 Tim Mazzetti, Boston Breakers
Punter 10 Stan Talley, Oakland Invaders
Kickoff returner 40 Eric Robinson, Washington Federals
Punt returner 34 David Martin, Denver Gold

Season awards

Award Winner Position Team
USFL Most Valuable Player Kelvin Bryant RB Philadelphia Stars
USFL Most Valuable Player (AP) Kelvin Bryant RB Philadelphia Stars
USFL Player of the Year (TSN) Bobby Hebert QB Michigan Panthers
USFL Man of the Year Raymond Chester WR Oakland Invaders
USFL Coach of the Year Dick Coury Head coach Boston Breakers
USFL Coach of the Year (TSN) Dick Coury Head coach Boston Breakers
USFL Outstanding Running Back Herschel Walker RB New Jersey Generals
USFL Outstanding Quarterback Bobby Hebert QB Michigan Panthers
USFL Leading Scorer Award David Trout K Philadelphia Stars
USFL Leading Receiver Trumaine Johnson WR Chicago Blitz
USFL Defensive Player of the Year John Corker LB Michigan Panthers
USFL Outstanding Lineman Kit Lathrop DL Chicago Blitz
Special Teams Player of the Year Stan Talley P Oakland Invaders
USFL Executive of the Year (TSN) Carl Peterson General manager Philadelphia Stars

References

  1. "Pittsburgh Gets USFL Team". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. April 29, 1983. p. 14B.
  2. "San Diego gets USFL franchise". The Times-News. Associated Press. May 17, 1983. p. 15.
  3. "Tulsa awarded new USFL franchise after San Diego spurns proposal". The Nevada Daily Mail. Associated Press. July 8, 1983. p. 8.
  4. "USFL Selects Houston For Expansion Team". The Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. May 20, 1983. p. 4B.
  5. "Jacksonville Gets USFL Team For 1984 Season". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. June 15, 1983. p. 8C.
  6. "San Antonio Gets USFL Team". Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. July 12, 1983. p. 3B.
  7. "Memphis Gets USFL Franchise". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. United Press International. July 18, 1983. p. 9B.

See also

United States Football League
Teams
Seasons
Drafts
Related
Categories: