Arizona Outlaws
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The Arizona Outlaws were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They were owned by Fresno banker and real estate agent William Tatham, who had briefly owned the Portland Thunder of the World Football League.
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[edit] History
[edit] Oklahoma Outlaws
The Outlaws were originally slated to play in San Diego. However, under pressure from baseball's Padres, the NFL's Chargers and the NASL's Sockers, the city refused to grant Tatham a lease for Jack Murphy Stadium.
Scrambling for a home, Tatham seriously considered playing in Honolulu for its inaugural 1984 season, but settled on Tulsa, Oklahoma--even though the city had not even been included in a list of possible expansion sites for the USFL. However, Tatham had roots in Oklahoma (his father had moved to California during the Great Depression), and felt that putting his team there would give something back to the state. He christened his team the Oklahoma Outlaws. The club was the second major-league sports team to play in the state, after the North American Soccer League's Tulsa Roughnecks.
The team played at Skelly Stadium. However, only two weeks into the season, Tatham's son, Bill, Jr.--the team's general manager, even though he was fresh out of law school--announced that Skelly Stadium was inadequate for the Outlaws' needs and that they would be playing elsewhere in 1985. Attendance was held down considerably by brutal spring weather; they frequently played games in heavy rain or snow. The Outlaws were competitive for much of the first half of the season, starting out 6-2. Unfortunately, two straight blowout losses sent the team into a downward spiral, and they didn't win another game that season, finishing 6-12.
[edit] Arizona Outlaws
Tatham nearly had a deal to merge the Outlaws with the Oakland Invaders. However, the deal collapsed at the last minute because Invaders owner Tad Taube was unwilling to give control of the team to the younger Tatham, who had by this time acquired a reputation as the enfant terrible of the league. Finally, the Tathams merged the Outlaws with the Arizona Wranglers for the 1985 season, and played at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium as the Arizona Outlaws.
The 1985 season was very much a replay of 1984. They jumped out to a 4-2 start, including a 31-13 pounding of the powerful New Jersey Generals. However, they proceeded to drop six in a row, and seven out of eight. They rebounded to win three straight, but didn't get enough help to make the playoffs, and finished 8-10.
Area fans, playing host to essentially their third USFL team in as many seasons, didn't warm up to the Outlaws. They actually drew 4,000 fewer fans than they did in Tulsa or Oklahoma City, even though Sun Devil Stadium was almost double the size of Skelly Stadium. Despite this, the Tathams planned to stick it out. The Outlaws were one of eight teams slated to play in 1986--and the only team west of the Mississippi River left in the league. By this time, the Tathams had become the leaders of a small group of owners hoping to force a merger with the NFL (in which case their investment would more than double). However, the Outlaws, and the rest of the league, shut down as a result of the USFL's unsuccessful antitrust suit against the NFL. Professional football in the Valley of the Sun would not be gone for long: the St. Louis Cardinals moved into Sun Devil Stadium for the 1988 NFL season.
During the team's season in Tulsa, all six of their wins came during inclement weather. Wins against Pittsburgh, Michigan, Houston, Washington and San Antonio came in rainy conditions, and a win against Chicago came in a snow storm. Converseley, All 12 of the Outlaw's losses that year were either in clear weather or played under a dome.[citation needed]
[edit] 1984 Outlaws Opening Day depth chart
OFFENSE:
QB - 12 Doug Williams --- 15 Rick Johnson
RB - 34 Darryl James --- 43 George Ragsdale
FB - 38 Sidney Thornton --- 42 Derek Hughes
WR - 83 Lonnie Turner --- 80 Darryl Crane
WR - 85 Mel Gray --- 87 Jack Steptoe --- 81 Otha Hill
TE - 88 Ron Wheeler
LT - 76 James Taylor
RT - 73 Duane Wilson
LG - 57 Frank Frazier --- 70 Reggie Irving
RG - 63 Alvin Powell
C - 50 Mike Katolin --- 64 Jay Bequette
DEFENSE:
NT - 65 Bob Nelson --- 60 Johnny Lewis
LDE - 90 Curtis Anderson --- 62 Tony Suber
RDE - 67 Jeff Jackson
LOLB - 54 Isaiah West --- 53 Vic Koennig
LILB - 58 Terry Beeson --- 51 Sam Prater
RILB - 56 Tony Hayes --- 94 John Truitt
ROLB - 52 Dewey McLain --- 68 John Mitchell
LCB - 22 Lee Wilson
RCB - 40 Barry Copeland --- 28 Tom Knight
FS - 21 Kelvin Middleton
SS - 44 Herb Williams --- 25 Bonji Bonner
SPECIALISTS:
K - 6 Stu Crum
P - 8 Bob Boris
DEVELOPMENTAL SQUAD: 10. LOYD, Mike (QB) 24. McMILLAN, Rod (CB) 26. SAMPLE, Ted (FB) 35. PITTMAN, Dwayne (RB) 55. BYROM, Bruce (C) 66. ROBERTS, Carl (G) 71. RUYLE, Clay (DE) 72. SPEIGHT, Robert (T) 77. LAMB, Jim Bob (T) 82. McCREARY, Loaird (TE) 84. JACKSON, Cleveland (TE) 86. BLAIR, Ken (WR) 92. BALLARD, Steve (DE)
[edit] 1984 Outlaws player transactions
AFTER WEEK #1
Placed G Carl Roberts on injured reserve
Waived injured WR Jack Steptoe (knee)
Signed LB Daryl Goodlow ('84 Outlaws territorial pick)
Signed CB John Higgins to developmental squad
Activate WR Ken Blair and DE Clay Ruyle from developmental squad
Placed LB John Truitt and LB John Mitchell on developmental squad
AFTER WEEK #2
Placed WR Mel Gray (hamstring) on injured reserve
Traded draft choice to Denver Gold for WR Alphonso Williams (Gold 18th draft choice)
Signed WR Alphonso Williams, P Case deBruijn (Saints camp '83) and TE Jerry Price (Gold camp '84)
Waived WR Ken Blair, CB Tom Knight, P Bob Boris, TE Loaird McCreary, TE Cleveland Jackson, DE Phil Bruneau (injured)
Placed FB Derek Hughes and LB Sam Prater on developmental squad
Activate FB Ted Sample, T Robert Speight, LB John Truitt from developmental squad
AFTER WEEK #3
Announced retirement of K Stu Crum
Signed K Efren Herrera (Blitz camp '83)
Placed T Robert Speight on developmental squad
Activate CB John Higgins from developmental squad
AFTER WEEK #4
Placed RB Darryl James (knee) on injured reserve
Signed RB Andrew Lazarus (Rams camp '83)
Placed CB John Higgins on developmental squad
Activate LB Sam Prater from developmental squad
AFTER WEEK #5
Waived injured DE Tony Suber (broken leg)
Signed DE Mitchell Pounds and WR Jack Steptoe (waived by Outlaws 2/27/84) to developmental squad
Activated CB John Higgins from developmental squad
Placed RB Dwayne Pittman on injured reserve
AFTER WEEK #6
Activate G Carl Roberts from injured reserve
Place C Bruce Byrom (leg) on injured reserve
AFTER WEEK #7
More to come
[edit] 1984 Oklahoma Outlaws game results
Sun.Feb.26 - (W) OUTLAWS 7 vs. PITTSBURGH MAULERS 3 (Att. 15,937)
Sat.Mar. 3 - (L) OUTLAWS 14 vs. DENVER GOLD 17 *OT* (Att. 25,403)
Sun.Mar.11 - (W) OUTLAWS 14 vs. SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS 7 (Att. 24,311)
Sun.Mar.17 - (W) OUTLAWS 17 at Chicago Blitz 14 (Att. 6,206)
Sun.Mar.24 - (L) OUTLAWS 7 at Arizona Wranglers 49 (Att. 29,434)
Sat.Mar.31 - (W) OUTLAWS 31 vs. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 28 *OT* (Att. 17,266)
Sat.Apr. 7 - (W) OUTLAWS 20 vs. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 17 (Att. 21,510)
Sat.Apr.14 - (W) OUTLAWS 20 at Washington Federals 16 (Att. 6,075)
Sat.Apr.21 - (L) OUTLAWS 17 at Birmingham Stallions 41 (Att. 41,653)
Fri.Apr.27 - (L) OUTLAWS 6 vs. JACKSONVILLE BULLS 34 (Att. 29,324)
Sun.May. 6 - (L) OUTLAWS 17 at New Jersey Generals 49 (Att. 34, 917)
Mon.May.14 - (L) OUTLAWS 21 at Tampa Bay Bandits 48 (Att. 45,116)
Sun.May.20 - (L) OUTLAWS 12 at Houston Gamblers 31 (Att. 31,142)
Sat.May.26 - (L) OUTLAWS 14 vs. OAKLAND INVADERS 17 (Att. 16,378)
Sat.Jun. 2 - (L) OUTLAWS 0 vs. CHICAGO BLITZ 14 (Att. 17,195)
Sun.Jun.10 - (L) OUTLAWS 10 vs. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 17 (Att. 22,017)
Mon.Jun.18 - (L) OUTLAWS 24 at Michigan Panthers 34 (Att. 15,838)
Sun.Jun.24 - (L) OUTLAWS 0 at San Antonio Gunslingers 23 (Att. 21,625)
[edit] 1984 Oklahoma Outlaws total roster
1. HARRIS, Lonnie (WR), 1. HERRERA, Efren (K), 3. DeBRUIJN, Case (P), 6. CRUM, Stu (K), 8 BORIS, Bob (P), 10. LOYD, Mike (QB), 12. WILLIAMS, Doug (QB), 15. JOHNSON, Rick (QB), 20. HIGGINS, John (SS), 21. MIDDLETON, Kelvin (FS), 22. WILSON, Lee (CB), 22. YANCY, Bill (CB), 24. McMILLAN, Rodney (CB), 25. BONNER, Bonji (SS), 26. SAMPLE, Ted (FB), 27. BEDFORD, Vance (CB), 28. KNIGHT, Tom (CB), 33. LAZARUS, Andrew (RB), 34. JAMES, Darryl (RB), 34. ANDERSON, Earnest (RB), 35. PITTMAN, Dwayne (RB), 35. TUCKER, Mel (RB), 38. THORNTON, Sidney (FB), 40, COPELAND, Barry (CB), 41. WILLIAMS, Alphonso (WR), 42. HUGHES, Derek (FB), 43. RAGSDALE, George (RB), 44. WILLIAMS, Herb (SS), 45. ROBINSON, Kevin (FS), 46. GOODLOW, Daryl (LB), 50. KATOLIN, Mike (C), 51. PRATER, Sam (LB), 52. McLAIN, Dewey (LB), 53. KOENNIG, Vic (LB), 54. WEST, Isaiah (LB), 55. BYROM, Bruce (C), 56. HAYES, Tony (LB), 57. FRAZIER, Frank (G), 58. BEESON, Terry (LB), 60. LEWIS, Johnny (NT), 62. SUBER, Tony (DE), 63. POWELL, Alvin (G), 64. BEQUETTE, Jay (C), 65. NELSON, Bob (NT), 66. LEVELIS, Joe (T), 66. ROBERTS, Carl (G), 67. JACKSON, Jeff (DE), 68. MITCHELL, John (LB), 70. IRVING, Reggie (G), 71. RUYLE, Clay (DE), 72. PYTEL, Steve (T), 73. WILSON, Duane (T), 76. TAYLOR, James (T), 77. LAMB, Jim Bob (T), 78. SPEIGHT, Robert (T), 80. CRANE, Darryl (WR), 80. McCLAIN, Frank (WR), 81. BENNETT, James (WR), 81. HILL, Otha (WR), 82. McCREARY, Loaird (TE), 83. TURNER, Lonnie (WR), 84. JACKSON, Cleveland (TE), 85. GRAY, Mel (WR), 86. BLAIR, Ken (WR), 86. PRICE, Jerry (TE), 87. STEPTOE, Jack (WR), 88. WHEELER, Ron (TE), 90. ANDERSON, Curtis (DE), 91. POUNDS, Mitchell (NT), 91. McCUNE, Ken (DE), 92. BALLARD, Steve (DE), 94. BRUNEAU, Phil (DE), 94. COLE, Robert (DE), 94. TRUITT, John (LB).
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach: Woody Widenhofer
Offensive Coordinator/QBs - Ed Chlebek; Offensive Line - Charlie Butler; Running Backs - Frank Novak; Receivers/Spec. Teams - Wright Anderson; Defensive Coordinator/Secondary - Jim Johnson; Defensive Line - Ralph Staub; Linebackers - Jim McKinley; Strength & Conditioning - Bert Jacobson; Trainer - Keith Jones, Equipment Mgr. - Bud Turk
[edit] Single season leaders
Rushing Yards: 1031 (1985), Reggie Brown
Receiving Yards: 1087 (1984), Alphonso Williams
Passing Yards: 3645 (1985), Doug Williams
[edit] Season-by-season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Outlaws | |||||
| 1984 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 4th WC Central | - |
| Arizona Outlaws | |||||
| 1985 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 4th WC | - |
| Totals | 14 | 22 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
[edit] Outlaws in video games
The Outlaws' logo can be found in Madden NFL's Create-A-Team Feature. They are also featured in Blitz: The League, the Arizona Outlaws are a Division 3 team and are the first opponents against the player's created team.
[edit] External links
| United States Football League Coaches | Players | Radio coverage | Seasons | Television coverage | Venues |
| Arizona Wranglers (1983-84) | Birmingham Stallions (1983-85) | Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers (1983-85) | Chicago Blitz (1983-84) | Denver Gold (1983-85) | Los Angeles Express (1983-85) | Michigan Panthers (1983-84) | New Jersey Generals (1983-85) | Oakland Invaders (1983-85) | Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars (1983-85) | Tampa Bay Bandits (1983-85) | Washington Federals/Orlando Renegades (1983-85) | Houston Gamblers (1984-85) | Jacksonville Bulls (1984-85) | Memphis Showboats (1984-85) | Oklahoma/Arizona Outlaws (1984-85) | Pittsburgh Maulers (1984) | San Antonio Gunslingers (1984-85) |
