1983 USFL season

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

1983 United States Football League season
Regular season
DurationMarch 6 – July 3, 1983
Playoffs
Start dateJuly 9, 1983
Championship
DateJuly 17, 1983
SiteDenver, Colorado
ChampionsMichigan Panthers
USFL seasons

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 of an inch 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
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadium1983 CapacityAvg. Att.Avg. % filledCoach
y-Philadelphia Stars 1530.833379204Veterans Stadium72,20418,65026%Jim Mora
Boston Breakers 1170.611399334Nickerson Field21,00012,81761%Dick Coury
New Jersey Generals 6120.333314437Giants Stadium76,89135,00446%Chuck Fairbanks
Washington Federals 4140.222297422RFK Stadium54,79413,85025%Ray Jauch
Central Division
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadium1983 CapacityAvg. Att.Avg. % filledCoach
y-Michigan Panthers 1260.667451337Silverdome80,63822,25028%Jim Stanley
x-Chicago Blitz 1260.667456271Soldier Field65,79318,13328%George Allen
Tampa Bay Bandits 1170.611363378Tampa Stadium72,81239,89655%Steve Spurrier
Birmingham Stallions 990.500343326Legion Field77,00022,04629%Rollie Dotsch
Pacific Division
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadium1983 CapacityAvg. Att.Avg. % filledCoach
y-Oakland Invaders 990.500319319Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum54,61531,21157%John Ralston
Los Angeles Express 8100.444296370Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum94,00019,00220%Hugh Campbell
Denver Gold 7110.389284304Mile High Stadium75,12341,73656%Red Miller/Charley Armey/Craig Morton
Arizona Wranglers 4140.222261442Sun Devil Stadium70,03025,77637%Doug Shively

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

Playoffs

Away teamScoreHome teamDate
Divisional playoffs
Chicago Blitz38–44 (OT)Philadelphia StarsJuly 9, 1983
Oakland Invaders21–37Michigan PanthersJuly 10, 1983
USFL Championship Game
Mile High Stadium, Denver Colorado
Michigan Panthers24–22Philadelphia StarsJuly 17, 1983

Statistics

1983 regular season stat leaders

1983 Passing Leaders (over 100 attempts)
Name, TeamAttComp%yardsYDs/AttTDTD %LongINTINT %Rating
Bobby Hebert, MICH45125757.035687.91276.0t81173.886.8
Fred Besana, OAK55034562.739807.24213.8t80162.985.1
Greg Landry, CHIC33418856.323837.13164.85292.783.5
Jimmy Jordan, TB23814560.918317.69145.949145.980.0
Chuck Fusina, PHIL42123856.527186.46153.652102.478.1
Alan Risher, ARIZ42423655.726726.30204.7t98163.874.7
Johnnie Walton, BOS58933056.037726.40203.4t86183.174.0
Mike Rae, LA31917554.919646.16113.4t61103.171.9
Mike Hohensee, WASH1909248.412976.8394.7t8073.771.3
Bobby Scott, NJ/CHIC37421056.128137.52112.9t65195.168.9
Tom Ramsey, LA30716052.119756.43134.2t82144.667.4
Mike Kelley, TB1668148.810036.0442.44353.063.4
Bob Lane, BIRM34617550.622646.54144.053185.263.3
Kim McQuilken, WASH33418856.319125.7272.155144.262.4
John Reaves, TB25913953.717266.6693.551166.260.4
Ken Johnson, DENV24812148.811154.5062.4t56124.849.4
Joe Gilliam, WASH1024039.26736.6054.9t521211.839.0
Reggie Collier, BIRM1084743.56045.5910.9t4676.537.7
Dan Manucci, ARIZ1195243.75774.8521.7t4886.736.3
Jeff Knapple, DENV/NJ21310549.311915.5931.441198.934.0
1983 Rushing leaders
POS Name, TeamAttYdsAvg.LongTDs
HB Herschel Walker, NJ41218124.4t8317
HB Kelvin Bryant, PHIL31814424.54516
HB Ken Lacy, MI23211805.1596
HB Tim Spencer, CHIC30011573.9256
HB Arthur Whittington, OAK28210433.7246
HB Kevin Long, CHIC26210223.93312
HB Richard Crump, BOS1909905.2628
HB Ken Talton, BIRM2289074.0285
HB Craig James, WASH2028234.1244
HB Harry Sydney, DENV1768014.6459
HB Billy Taylor, WASH1717574.4345
HB Calvin Murray, ARIZ1796993.9344
HB Greg Boone, TB1746944.0215
HB Allen Harvin, PHIL1396814.9497
HB Larry Canada, DENV1426314.4t243
1983 Receiving Leaders
POS Name, TeamRecYdsAvg.LongTDs
WR Trumaine Johnson, CHIC81132216.35610
WR Danny Buggs, TB76114615.1515
WR Ricky Ellis, LA6971610.4366
TE Raymond Chester, OAK6895114.0575
WR Eric Truvillion, TB66108016.44615
HB Arthur Whittington, OAK665848.83.72
TE Mark Keel, ARIZ6580212.3272
HB Billy Taylor, WASH645238.2552
WR Joey Walters, WASH6395915.2426
WR Jackie Flowers, ARIZ6386913.8t9811
WR Neil Balholm, ARIZ6370311.2275
WR Nolan Franz, BOS6284813.7504
WR Gordon Banks, OAK6185514.0412
TE Michael Cobb, MICH6174612.2315
WR Anthony Carter, MICH60118119.7t819
WR Scott Fitzkee, PHIL5573113.3443
WR Charles Smith, BOS54100918.7t585
WR Wyatt Henderson, OAK5480114.8t539
HB Herschel Walker, NJ534899.2t651
HB Kelvin Bryant, PHIL534107.7501

Awards

Season awards

AwardWinnerPositionTeam
USFL Most Valuable PlayerKelvin BryantRunning backPhiladelphia Stars
USFL Most Valuable Player (AP)Kelvin BryantRunning backPhiladelphia Stars
USFL Player of the Year (TSN)Bobby HebertQuarterbackMichigan Panthers
USFL Man of the YearRaymond ChesterWide receiverOakland Invaders
USFL Coach of the YearDick CouryHead coachBoston Breakers
USFL Coach of the Year (TSN)Dick CouryHead coachBoston Breakers
USFL Outstanding Running BackHerschel WalkerRunning backNew Jersey Generals
USFL Outstanding QuarterbackBobby HebertQuarterbackMichigan Panthers
USFL Leading Scorer AwardDavid TroutPlacekickerPhiladelphia Stars
USFL Leading ReceiverTrumaine JohnsonWide receiverChicago Blitz
USFL Defensive Player of the YearJohn CorkerLinebackerMichigan Panthers
USFL Outstanding LinemanKit LathropDefensive linemanChicago Blitz
Special Teams Player of the YearStan TalleyPunterOakland Invaders
USFL Executive of the Year (TSN)Carl PetersonGeneral managerPhiladelphia Stars

See also

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