Arizona Wranglers
Overall Regular Season Record: 14-22
Arizona started fairly well, as they went 4-4 over the first eight weeks and were tied for the lead in the Pacific Division. The bottom fell out there, though, and the Wranglers lost the final 10 games in their first year. It's not difficult to see why. Arizona scored the fewest points in the league and tied the Washington Federals (who else?) by giving up the most. QB Alan Risher was steady, throwing for 2,672 yards with 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Jackie Flowers caught 63 passes for 869 yards and 11 scores.
Mirror, Mirror
The Wranglers were actually two different teams, the struggling 1983
squad lead by Doug Shively, and the 1984 team that made it all the way
to the second USFL championship game. This was due to the swapping of the
Arizona and Chicago Blitz franchises after the 1983 season. Dr. Ted Diethrich
of Arizona owned the Blitz and was finally able to work out the trade to
own the team in his neck of the desert. The exchange meant that the strong
Blitz squad became the new Wranglers and the weak Wranglers became the
new Chicago entry.
1984
The 1984 team got off to a slow start after the move from Chicago (a
handful of original Wranglers remained with the club), but righted the
ship and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs with a 10-8 mark. They
traveled to Houston for their first playoff game, and scored two touchdowns
in the final seven minutes to beat the Gamblers, 17-16. Next up was the
Los Angeles Express in the Western Conference championship. L.A. should
have hosted the game, but preparations for the Olympics made that impossible.
Arizona hosted but had to postpone the game several hours because of extreme
heat. When the clubs finally played in 100-plus degree temperatures, the
Wranglers wilted the Express with 21 fourth-quarter points in a 35-23 win.
The season ended bitterly when Arizona was manhandled by the Philadelphia
Stars, 23-3, in the second USFL Championship at Tampa.
Coach George Allen's Wranglers relied heavily on their ground game in 1984. Tim Spencer topped the team with 1,212 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, and Kevin Long added 1,010 yards and 15 scores. Arizona scored the third most points in the league and gave up the second fewest. Veteran QB Greg Landry threw for 3,534 yards with 26 TDs and 15 interceptions, and Trumaine Johnson caught 90 balls for 1,268 yards and 13 scores. Defensively, end John Lee led the USFL with 20 sacks, while end Karl Lorch added 13.5 and tackle Kit Lathrop contributed 13.
Their Finest Hour
Although their journey to the 1984 title game was memorable, particularly
their playoff win over the Gamblers, the 1983 team played a game that won't
be forgotten by anyone who saw it. In week two, the Wranglers, who had
been whipped 24-0 by the Oakland Invaders the week before, played the vaunted
Chicago Blitz, 28-7 winners over Washington the previous week and the favorite
to win it all. Chicago ran out to a 29-12 lead by early in the fourth quarter.
Fans were flooding out of the stadium. Despite the exodus, Arizona quarterback Alan Risher didn't quit. He immediately directed Arizona on an 85-yard TD drive. The crowd was quiet, as QB Alan Risher lined up under center. They had no idea that the USFL allowed the two-point conversion... Risher faded back to pass, and faded, dodged, ducked and faded... At the 30 YD line, he was tripped up, and fired a pass to TE MarkKeel in the endzone for the 2-pointer! Those who were present, that cold evening, had lost their voices for the rest of the week on that miracle play. The fans all held their breaths on the next Arizona drive, as Risher hit a Blitz DB in the numbers, only to see the ball hit the turf...
The Wranglers held the Chicago offense and Risher directed a 55-yard
scoring drive to pull Arizona within two. The Arizona defense stood
tall again, and the Wranglers took over on their own 42 with only 1:06
left in the game. Risher guided the team down the field to the Blitz 16.
Fans rushed to the north stands to witness the kick, where kicker Jim Asmus
nailed a 33-yard field goal with one second left for a 30-29 Wranglers'
win. It took 15 minutes to clear the field of the rabid fans that remained
to see the miraclulous finish at Sun Devil Stadium.
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Following the season, Diethrich decided it was time to join forces
with another team. The Wranglers merged with Bill Tatham's Oklahoma
Outlaws, and the Arizona Outlaws were born.
Arizona
Outlaws
Year of existence: 1995
Owner: Bill Tatham
Stadium: Sun Devil Stadium (70,030)
Colors: Black, red and copper
Overall Playoff Record: 2-1
After nearly combining with the Oakland Invaders, the Oklahoma Outlaws merged with the Arizona Wranglers following the 1984 season to form the Arizona Outlaws. Former Arizona State coach Frank Kush took over the for George Allen, but the talented team was full of underachievers. QB Doug Williams had a very good year with 3,673 passing yards with 21 touchdowns, and Reggie Brown ran for 1,031 yards and 12 scores. Year-long holdout Trumaine Johnson hurt the receiving corps.
The season was perhaps summarized, when the winless Orlando Renegades(formerly,
the Washington Federals) went to Sun Devil Stadium on Frank Kush Day.
Tickets were $1 each, and fans brought out their sun tanning oil.
The Outlaws were destroyed, as Kush and the ASU/Arizona fans looked on.
Even with the talent of two rosters, the Outlaws couldn't make any headway
in the new and improved USFL.
This page was contributed by Paul Reeths.
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