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World Wrestling Federation co-founder Vince McMahon’s dream has become reality.
The XFL creator has been talking a big game for months about how the league will make
football more exciting for the fans, all the while staying true to the game. On Feb. 3, we
would get a good first glimpse of what the fledgling league is really all about.
Las Vegas bookmakers have tabbed the Los Angeles Xtreme as the early favorites to win
the championship at 5-2.
What follows is an introduction to the XFL’s eight inaugural teams and analysis of
what to expect from each:
Eastern Conference | Western Conference
The Thunderbolts will use a West Coast scheme on offense, the strength of the team.
The Bolts have two capable quarterbacks with a gold mine of pro experience in Casey
Weldon (Redskins ’99) and Jay Barker (CFL the last three seasons).
They also have a sound running attack with James Bostic (former Eagle) and Curtis
Alexander (former Dolphin). The Bolts are so deep at running back that former Heisman
Trophy runner-up Troy Davis (Iowa State and former Saint) is having a hard time finding
playing time.
WR Jahine Arnold provides a deep threat, though he is trying to make a comeback from a
torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in 1999 while playing for the Packers. WR
Stepfret Williams, another former NFL player, is also a burner.
The Bolts play a basic 4-3 defense with an emphasis on blitzing. LB James Willis, the
battle-tested NFL veteran (Packers), is the undisputed defensive leader. CB Chris
Shelling, who previously played in Cincinnati and the CFL, heads the Bolts’
secondary. DT Jimmy Brumbaugh and DE Quinton Reese (sixth-round pick of the Lions in 2000
draft) are key players in the front four.
Despite their experience, it wasn’t easy for any of these players to make the
roster.
"The numbers are really tough in this game," Bolts head coach Gary DiNardo
said. "You’ve got to be one of the best 38 players on the team, and sometimes
you can be a good player, but just by the nature of that position, you still might not
make it."
The Enforcers are looking for a balanced offensive attack that will operate out of
one-back and split-back formations. However, that balance might be hard to achieve.
The Enforcers may have the best ground attack in the XFL with former NFL RBs LeShon
Johnson and John Avery. But head coach Ron Meyer has yet to decide on a starting
quarterback. Tim Lester and Kevin McDougal are in a tight race for the job with Paul
Failla not far behind.
The receiving corps has some NFL experience with former Packer Roell Preston and former
Colt Aaron Bailey.
But Meyer believes the key will be the offensive line.
"Your offensive linemen are at a premium in this league," Meyer said.
"Even the NFL doesn’t have enough of them. So, if you can get some solid
performance there, then that will enable you to keep your offense on the field, and then
that’s reflective of a good defensive team."
The Enforcers will run a base 4-3 defense with a lot of blitzing from their talented
trio of linebackers, led by Jamie Baisley, a former NFL Europe all-star. Don Sasa anchors
the front four at nose tackle. Quincy Coleman is regarded as the best player in the
Chicago secondary. He’ll be joined by DBs Jason Bray and Kerry Cooks.
At the least, the Enforcers will have NFL-trained leadership from Meyer. Meyer coached
the Colts from 1986 to ’91, and the Patriots from 1982 to ’84. He also coached
the Las Vegas Posse of the Canadian Football League in ’94.
| New York/New Jersey Hitmen |
The Hitmen plan to run a West Coast offense with one- and two-back sets. Charles
Puleri, a Bronx native who was in camp with the Cowboys last season, is the leader at
quarterback.
Dino Philyaw, a veteran of four NFL teams, has nailed down the starting RB spot. The
Hitmen also have some talent at wideout with Kirby Dar Dar, the former Chiefs receiver,
and Zola Davis, who was with the Packers and Browns the last two seasons.
On defense, head coach Rusty Tillman plans to run a base 3-4. Tillman believes he has
solid NFL-caliber talent in LB Ron Merkerson, who played for the Patriots and Saints.
DE James Cotton is a promising player from Ohio State. He will have veteran help from
DT Jermaine Smith, who played for the Packers in 1997 and ’99, and Tim Beauchamp. The
secondary features Joey Eloms, a former Seahawk who played in NFL Europe last season.
Tillman has more than two decades of NFL coaching experience, having spent 16 years
with the Seahawks (1979 to ’94). He also coached in Tampa Bay and Indianapolis. He
invited former Seahawks head coach Chuck Knox to training camp as an interim coach.
Tillman spoke about the odd timing of the XFL season.
"Actually, I would’ve rather practiced in New York (rather than Orlando)
because that’s where we’re going to have to be playing," Tillman said.
"Our first game is at Las Vegas. Then we play home in New York, and then we go play
in Chicago on Feb. 23. So think about it: That can be the coldest game in the history of
professional football."
Head coach Galen Hall plans to run a spread offense with one back and three wideouts.
He has three fine running backs, led by Derrick Clark, the NFL Europe career leader in
rushing touchdowns with 21.
WR Mario Bailey is another NFL Europe standout. He will be joined by Kevin Swayne and
Tony Gaiter. Swayne is a former Arena Football League standout who had NFL stints with the
Eagles and Chargers, and Gaiter began the year with the Patriots.
QB Jeff Brohm was most recently with the Browns in the final week of the 2000 season.
On defense, the Rage will run a base 4-3. Hall hopes to get enough pressure from the
front four to make up for any shortcomings in the secondary.
DEs Ken Anderson and Bill Duff, who spent time with the Bears and Browns, respectively,
anchor the defensive front. The top linebacker will be former Bills LB Joe Cummings. The
Rage secondary is headed by DBs Stephen Fisher and Reggie Doster. Fisher is a former NFL
Europe standout, and Doster spent time with the Falcons this past season.
Hall joins the Rage after leading the Rhein Fire to NFL Europe championships in two of
the last three seasons, including the 2000 World Bowl. He also coached the Orlando Thunder
in what was then known as the World League of American Football in ’92, leading the
Thunder to the World Bowl.
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The Outlaws will be a defensive-oriented bunch led by big, athletic defensive linemen
and quick linebackers. Head coach Jim Criner and his son, Mark, the defensive coordinator,
will use an attacking style of defense and rush from different lanes on every play.
The Outlaws concentrated heavily on defense during the league’s draft, and the
team hopes that will result in the unit keeping the club in most games, despite league
rules that favor offenses.
Former Redskins LB Kurt Gouveia, a 13-year NFL veteran, is the biggest name on a
defense that also includes former Rams S Toby Wright, a Pro Bowl alternate in 1996.
But the Outlaws’ strength appears to be the little-known players, such as LB Toran
James, a 250-pounder who was all over the field in training camp.
"We’ve got a lot of young, hungry guys, and it’s going to be a lot of
fun to watch them as they mature into a cohesive unit," Criner said.
The Outlaws are high on DT Angel Rubio, a seventh-round pick of the Steelers in
’98, as well as hulking DE Kelvin Kinney, a 6-7, 270-pounder from Virginia State.
Things aren’t as settled on offense. Former University of Houston star QB Chuck
Clements was in line to be the starter, but he injured his shoulder in camp and was
expected to miss the early part of the season. That leaves a three-way battle for the
starting job between Ryan Clement, Mike Buck and Mike Cawley.
The offensive line appears solid, with Lonnie Palelei and David Diaz-Infante leading
the way, but Criner needs a running back to establish himself.
Oddsmakers tabbed the Xtreme as a 5-2 choice to win the inaugural XFL title. Much of
that speculation comes from the overwhelming offensive talent head coach Al Luginbill has
assembled.
The Xtreme made former Maryland QB Scott Milanovich the first overall pick in the XFL
draft, but Milanovich was in a heated battle for the job with ex-UCLA star Tommy Maddox.
The Xtreme protected Maddox as one of their territorial selections.
Maddox hasn’t played much professional football recently, but he recaptured his
love of the game by playing in the Arena Football League in 2000. Maddox had a superb camp
for the Xtreme and appeared to have a slight edge on Milanovich heading into the season.
Whoever wins the job will direct an explosive attack. Former Chiefs RB Rashaan Shehee
ran strong in the preseason and will handle much of the ball-carrying chores. Damon Dunn
and Damon Gibson are the top threats at wide receiver.
Luginbill said the Xtreme will find ways to take advantage of its overall team
quickness.
"What we’ll try to do is to get a skilled athlete in space and let him do
what he does best," Luginbill said.
In addition to Shehee, Ken Oxendine and Saladin McCullough had strong camps.
Defensively, the Xtreme is big and strong up front, led by Jamal Duff, a 285-pounder
from San Diego State. Matt Keneley of USC and Reggie Lowe of Troy (Ala.) State also figure
big in the Xtreme’s plans.
The Maniax probably have more players with names recognizable to NFL fans than any
other XFL team. The Maniax have five former NFL first-rounders on their roster, including
’94 Heisman Trophy winner and Bears first-round pick Rashaan Salaam.
The other first-rounders are DE Shante Carver (Cowboys ’94), QB Jim Druckenmiller
(49ers ’97), WR Alvin Harper (Cowboys ’91) and OT Bernard Williams (Eagles
’94).
The Maniax have a deep QB crew, with Druckenmiller, Marcus Crandell and former Charger
Craig Whelihan. Crandell is probably the most mobile of the group and was the
Maniax’s first pick in the XFL draft.
Both Whelihan and Druckenmiller performed well in camp, giving head coach Kippy Brown a
tough decision to make.
"We’ve got more than one guy who can play at that position, which is
important," Brown said. "And we have more than one guy who can play at a high
level. It’s a problem, but a nice problem."
Salaam has run well in training camp and is going to get a chance to be the primary
ballcarrier. The Maniax have a lot of choices at wide receiver, including Harper, Russell
Copeland and Darryl Dobbs.
Defensively, the Maniax are looking for big plays from LB Patrick Sapp and DB Corey
Sawyer.
The Maniax should have one of the better kickers in the league in Jeff Hall.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, head coach Jim Skipper didn’t seem to mind that he
was in Las Vegas preparing for the start of the XFL season and not in Tampa, Fla.,
prepping for Super Bowl XXXV with the Giants.
Skipper had been the assistant head coach of the Giants, but he left as the season was
opening to take over the Demons. Skipper has a solid QB situation, with a pair of former
Cal stars, Pat Barnes and Mike Pawlawski, in a fierce battle for the starting job.
Another ex-NFL player, RB Vaughn Dunbar, will get a chance to handle the running
duties. James Hundon has shown playmaking abilities as a receiver.
The most familiar name on Skipper’s defense is CB Dwayne Harper, who played for
the Seahawks, Lions and Chargers and had 24 interceptions in 12 years in the NFL.
Skipper has had an uphill battle because the Demons were plagued by injuries and
illness in the first stage of camp.
"Injuries are a part of the game, but we had so many guys out at one point, it
made it difficult to get anything done," Skipper said. "But I think we’ve
made some progress, and I like what I’m beginning to see from this football
team."
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Also see: XFL season schedule; and
Andy Hanacek gives his take on the XFL's
prospects for success |
