The 1983 season was the inaugural season for the New Jersey Generals in the United States Football League. The Generals were led by head coach Chuck Fairbanks and finished with a 6–12 record.
From the beginning, USFL founder David Dixon placed a premium on putting a team in the New York area. Initially, Donald Trump was tapped to own the team. However, he backed out after paying an initial installment on the franchise fee, hoping instead to buy the struggling Baltimore Colts of the NFL. Needing a credible owner with the means to front a team in the nation's biggest market, Dixon persuaded Oklahoma oil magnate J. Walter Duncan to step in. Duncan had originally been slated to own the USFL's Chicago franchise, as he'd grown up in Chicago. However, he readily agreed to shift to New York.
Duncan took on former New England Patriots coach Chuck Fairbanks as a minority partner; Duncan knew Fairbanks from his days as head coach at the University of Oklahoma. Fairbanks also served as general manager and head coach. They initially had an uphill battle to get a lease at Giants Stadium, but were able to obtain one on condition that they brand their team as "New Jersey" rather than "New York." They named the team the "Generals" after the large number of generals based in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War.
The team made a big splash by signing Heisman Trophy-winning underclassman Herschel Walker, a running back from the University of Georgia. While the USFL had followed the NFL's lead in banning underclassmen from playing, league officials were certain that this rule would never withstand a court challenge. In an even more ominous development, Walker did not sign a standard player contract. Rather, he agreed to a three-year personal-services contract with Duncan. The contract was valued at $4.2 million—more than double the USFL's salary cap of $1.8 million. Nonetheless, the other owners knew having the incumbent Heisman winner in their fold would lend the USFL instant credibility, and allowed the contract to stand.
Despite the signing of Walker, who rushed for 1,812 yards and 17 touchdowns, the Generals finished their inaugural season with a 6–12 record. This was largely due to a porous defense which gave up the third-most points in the league (437) and a feeble passing attack led by ex-New Orleans Saints career backup Bobby Scott.
Personnel
Staff
Roster
https://www.statscrew.com/football/roster/t-USFLNJG/y-1983
USFL draft
Round Pick Player Position School15Gary AndersonRunning BackArkansas222Mark StewartLinebackerWashington224Darryl TalleyLinebackerWashington327Ramsey DardarDefensive TackleLSU446Wes HopkinsDefensive BackSMU551Wayne HarrisGuardMississippi State560Mark CooperOffensive TackleMiami670Randy GrimesCenterBayler775Kent HullCenterMississippi State894Maurice CarthonRunning BackArkansas State999Marlin RussellLinebackerToledo10118Charles BensonDefensive EndBaylor 11123Danny WaltersDefensive BackArkansas12142Bryan MillardOffensive TackleTexas13147Ricky WilliamsonDefensive EndMars Hill14166James BrittDefensive BackLSU
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 March 6 at Los Angeles Express L 15–20 0–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 34,002 2 March 13 at Philadelphia Stars L 0–25 0–2 Veterans Stadium 38,205 3 March 20 Tampa Bay Bandits L 9–32 0–3 Giants Stadium 53,307 4 March 27 Boston Breakers L 21–31 0–4 Giants Stadium 41,218 5 April 3 at Arizona Wranglers W 35–21 1–4 Sun Devil Stadium 31,382 6 April 10 Michigan Panthers L 6–21 1–5 Giants Stadium 17,648 7 April 17 Washington Federals W 23–22 2–5 Giants Stadium 35,381 8 at Chicago Blitz L 14–17 2–6 Soldier Field 32,182 9 May 1 at Denver Gold W 34–29 3–6 Mile High Stadium 47,940 10 Birmingham Stallions L 7–22 3–7 Giants Stadium 38,374 11 at Michigan Panthers L 24–31 3–8 Pontiac Silverdome 32,862 12 May 22 Chicago Blitz L 13–19 3–9 Giants Stadium 33,812 13 May 29 at Washington Federals W 32–29 4–9 RFK Stadium 11,264 14 at Oakland Invaders L 21–34 4–10 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 32,908 15 June 12 Philadelphia Stars L 9–23 4–11 Giants Stadium 20,500 16 Los Angeles Express W 20–12 5–11 Giants Stadium 31,807 17 June 25 Arizona Wranglers W 21–14 6–11 Giants Stadium 30,612 18 July 3 at Boston Breakers L 10–34 6–12 Nickerson Field 15,798 statscrew.com 1983 New Jersey Generals Game-by-Game Resultsusflsite.com 1983 USFL Seasonprofootballarchives.com 1983 New Jersey Generals (USFL)
Standings
Awards Award Winner Position All-USFL Team Herschel Walker RB USFL Outstanding Running Back Herschel Walker RB USFL Rushing Yards Leader Herschel Walker RB USFL Rushing Touchdown Leader Herschel Walker RB
Final statistics Offense Generals Passing C/ATTYdsTDINTBobby Scott167/2962174716Jeff Knapple82/1641017310Dave Boisture16/3516012Gene Bradley7/198111Mike Friede0/1000Generals Rushing CarYdsTDLGHerschel Walker41218121783Maurice Carthon90334314Dwight Sullivan47205420Walter Tullis17123133Thomas lott18110116Bobby Scott1971014Dave Boisture745011Vickey Ray Anderson52909Jeff Knapple425010Larry Coffey620012Mark Slawson218012Sam Bowers21508Lance Olander31106Tom McConnaughey1101Dave Jacobs1–50–5Victor Hicks2–110–11Generals ReceivingRecYdsTDLGHerschel Walker53489165Sam Bowers43719149Tom McConnaughey42691337Mike Friede25379127Victor Hicks20267340Maurice Carthon20170022Dwight Sullivan2099011Larry Brodsky19239131Mark Slawson17259127Larry Coffey656027Vickey Ray Anderson52217Walter Tullis252037
Defense Generals SacksSacksMike Weddington6.0James Lockette4.5Terry Daniels4.0Rod Shoate4.0Tom Woodland3.0Ricky Williamson2.5Mike McKibben2.0Joe Cugliari2.0Richard Murray1.0Mel Lunsford1.0Scott Dawson1.0Maurice Clemmons1.0Donnie Harris1.0Sam Sopp0.5Rod Skillman0.5Steve Hammond0.5
Generals InterceptionsIntYdsTDLGPDMike Williams868026Terry Daniels426023Keith Moody327016Sam Sopp322015Rod Skillman1404Dana Noel1101Rod Shoate250031
Generals FumblesFFFmbFRYdsTDHerschel Walker12400Thomas Lott260–1Bobby Scott7300Jeff Knapple4400Maurice Carthon4000Dwight Sullivan3200Sam Bowers3100Larry Coffy2200Rod Skillman1100William Holliday1100Dave Boisture1000Frank Naylor1000Larry Brodsky1000Victor Hicks1100Walter Tullis1300
Special teams Generals KickingFGM–FGAXPM–XPAJohn Roveto7-1315-15
Generals PuntingPntYdsLngBlckLance Olander541998570Dave Jacobs23788510
Generals Kick ReturnsRetYdsTDLngThomas Lott531160037Larry Coffy6113039Lance Olander689022Dwight Sullivan585023Herschel Walker369027Mike Williams249030Mike Weddington441014Vickey Ray Anderson119019Walter Tullis1707Mike Friede1000
Generals Punt ReturnsRetYdsTDLngThomas Lott25155017Mike Williams558018
References