1983 Philadelphia Stars season

Defunct football team in the USFL January 2025 Philadelphia Stars 1983 None None 15–3 1st Atlantic Division Jim Mora Carl Peterson Myles Tanenbaum Veterans Stadium Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Blitz) 44-38 (OT)Lost USFL Championship (vs. Panthers) 22-24 The 1983 season was the inaugural season for the Philadelphia Stars in the United States Football League. The Stars were led by head coach Jim Mora and finished with a 15–3 record en route to the USFL championship. On May 11, 1982, the announcement of the USFL was officially made by league owner and antique dealer, David Dixon.http://www.usflsite.com/history.php USFL History - USFL (United States Football League) The league's Philadelphia team would be owned by real estate developer Myles H. Tanenbaum. He had originally wanted to name the team the Stallions in honor of Rocky Balboa, who was nicknamed "The Italian Stallion." However, when the Birmingham entry snapped up the Stallions name, Tanenbaum settled on "Stars." George Perles was originally named as the team's head coach in July 1982. Perles, previously an assistant coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, never coached a game for the Stars, opting to take the head coach position for Michigan State instead. On January 15, 1983, the Stars hired Jim Mora to be their head coach.http://usflrevisited.webs.com/phi.htm PHI - United States Football League - Revisited 2017-05-08 2015-04-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20150410034457/http://usflrevisited.webs.com/phi.htm dead The Stars began in Philadelphia in the USFL's inaugural 1983 season and played their home games at Veterans Stadium (the "Vet"). They compiled the league's best regular season record of 15 3 y, and advanced to the 1983 USFL championship game. Their "Doghouse Defense" allowed only 204 points in an 18-game season—the least in the history of the league. The Stars were led by fourth-year quarterback Chuck Fusina (1978 Heisman Trophy runner-up), fifth-year wide receiver Scott Fitzkee, rookie halfback Kelvin Bryant of North Carolina, rookie offensive tackle Irv Eatman of UCLA, rookie linebacker Sam Mills, and second-year safety Scott Woerner. The team also featured Towson's all-star rookie punter Sean Landeta. At the conclusion of the regular season, Bryant was named the USFL's Player of the Year by the Associated Press.http://usflrevisited.webs.com/standingsawards.htm Standings/Awards - United States Football League - Revisited 2017-05-08 2015-04-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20150428121411/http://usflrevisited.webs.com/standingsawards.htm dead The Stars entered the playoffs as the top-seeded team. In the Semi-Finals, the Stars defeated the preseason favorites to win the 1983 title—George Allen's Chicago Blitz—by withstanding seven turnovers and erasing a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win 44–38 in overtime.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1983/07/10/page/33/article/blitz-has-big-fall-off-21-point-perch Chicago Tribune Jauss Bill Blitz has big fall off 21-point perch July 10, 1983 1, sec. 3https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TdcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=muMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4308%2C5773119 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Zonca Tony Blitz sees Stars in comeback July 10, 1983 73 In the league title game at Denver's Mile High Stadium on July 17, the Stars lost to Jim Stanley's Michigan Panthers, 24–22.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1983/07/18/page/47/article/michigan-has-magic-touch-in-usfl-title-game Chicago Tribune Jauss Bill Michigan has magic touch in USFL title game July 18, 1983 1, sec. 4 Just as they had against the Blitz, the Stars opened the game sluggishly, but finished with a flourish, after allowing the Panthers to carry a 17–3 lead into the fourth quarter.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OcAxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SeMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2158%2C4791410 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Knight-Ridder Domowitch Paul A final rally for title not in Stars July 18, 1983 17https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Fjo0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=r-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5117%2C1298192 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Lowitt Bruce Panthers tops stars for crown July 18, 1983 13 Many observers of the time believed that the Stars, Panthers and Blitz were almost NFL-quality units. One of the few blemishes on the Stars' first season was the box office. They only attracted 18,650 fans per game. In addition to bad weather, there were lingering memories of a gate-papering scandal involving the World Football League's Philadelphia Bell in 1974. The Bell had claimed that a total of over 120,000 fans had attended their first two games, but it subsequently emerged that all but 19,000 of the tickets had been given away for free or for significantly reduced prices. Personnel Staff 1983 Philadelphia Stars Owner – Myles Tanenbaum General manager – Carl Peterson Head coach – Jim Mora Offensive Coordinator - Joe Pendry Quarterbacks – Joe Pendry Running backs – Jim Skipper Wide receivers – Joe Pendry Tight ends – Carl Smith Offensive line – Jim Erkenbeck Defensive Coordinator - Vince Tobin Defensive line – John Pease Linebackers – Bill Kuharich Defensive backs – John Rosenberg Special teams coordinator – Carl Smith https://www.profootballarchives.com/1983usflphi.html 1983 Philadelphia Stars (USFL) Scores, Roster, Stats, Coaches, Draft Roster Philadelphia Stars 1983 14 Chuck Fusina 11 Jim Krohn 33 Anthony Anderson 44 Kelvin Bryant 22 Allen Harvin 35 David Riley 34 Jeff Rodenberger 32 Booker Russell 86 Willie Collier 87 Tom Donovan 81 Scott Fitzkee 83 Rodney Parker 80 Ken Dunek 89 Steve Folsom 65 Scott Burris G 69 Chuck Commiskey G 75 Irv Eatman T 61 Rich Garza G 55 Joe Happe C/G 50 Bart Oates C 70 Brad Oates T 99 John Alford NT 95 Frank Case DE 96 Don Fielder DE 91 Buddy Moor NT/DE 94 Dave Opfar NT 76 Willie Rosborough DE/NT 53 Jon Brooks OLB 59 John Bunting OLB 56 George Cooper OLB 52 Vince DeMarinis OLB 57 Jeff Gabrielson ILB 51 Glenn Howard ILB 54 Sam Mills ILB 48 Kevin Donnalley CB 23 Antonio Gibson CB 24 Roger Jackson CB 27 Mike Lush FS 20 Mark McCants FS/SS 26 Jon Sutton CB 25 Scott Woerner SS  7 Sean Landeta P  1 David Trout K * 66 Brad Anae DE/DT 58 Rick Donaldson LB 63 George Gilbert G 21 Hugh Jernigan CB 85 Al Kimichik TE 10 Steve Pisarkiewicz QB https://www.statscrew.com/football/roster/t-USFLPHI/y-1983 1983 Philadelphia Stars football Roster on StatsCrew.com www.statscrew.com USFL draft 1983 USFL draft Round Pick Player Position School17Irv EatmanOffensive TackleUCLA217Bart OatesCenterBYU332Greg HillDefensive BackOklahoma State441Antonio GibsonDefensive BackCincinnati556Allen HarvinRunning BackCincinnati665Tony CaldwellLinebackerWashington780Jimmy TurnerDefensive BackUCLA889Richard DentDefensive EndTennessee State893Rich KraynakLinebackerPittsburgh9104James CaverWide ReceiverMissouri10113Don DowOffensive TackleWashington11128Gary WorthyRunning BackWilmington 12137Allama MatthewsTight EndVanderbilt13152John WalkerDefensiveTackleNebraska-Omaha14161Sean LandetaPunterTowson Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 March 6 at Denver Gold W 13–7 1–0 Mile High Stadium 45,102 2 March 13 New Jersey Generals W 25–0 2–0 Veterans Stadium 38,205 3 March 21, 1983 at Birmingham Stallions W 17–10 3–0 Legion Field 12,850 4 March 27 Tampa Bay Bandits L 22–27 3–1 Veterans Stadium 18,718 5 April 3 Washington Federals W 34–3 4–1 Veterans Stadium 14,576 6 April 10 at Los Angeles Express W 17–3 5–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 18,671 7 April 16, 1983 at Oakland Invaders W 17–7 6–1 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 34,901 8 April 24 Boston Breakers W 23–16 7-1 Veterans Stadium 10,257 9 April 30, 1983 at Tampa Bay Bandits W 24–10 8–1 Tampa Stadium 41,559 10 May 8 Denver Gold W 6–3 9–1 Veterans Stadium 14,306 11 May 15 Chicago Blitz W 31–24 10–1 Veterans Stadium 25,251 12 May 22 at Arizona Wranglers W 24–7 11–1 Sun Devil Stadium 18,151 13 May 29 at Boston Breakers L 17–21 11–2 Nickerson Field 15,668 14 June 5 Michigan Panthers W 29–20 12–2 Veterans Stadium 19,727 15 June 12 at New Jersey Generals W 23–9 13–2 Giants Stadium 32,521 16 June 20, 1983 Oakland Invaders W 12–6 14–2 Veterans Stadium 16,933 17 June 26 Birmingham Stallions W 31–10 15–2 Veterans Stadium 17,973 18 July 3 at Washington Federals L 14–21 15–3 RFK Stadium 11,039 Playoff schedule Round Date Opponent Result Record Location Divisional Playoffs July 9, 1983 Chicago Blitz W 44–38 (OT) 1–0 Veterans Stadium USFL Championship July 17 Michigan Panthers L 22–24 1–1 Mile High Stadiumhttps://www.statscrew.com/football/results/t-USFLPHI/y-1983 1983 Philadelphia Stars football Game-by-Game Results on StatsCrew.com www.statscrew.comhttp://www.usflsite.com/1983season.php 1983 USFL Season - USFL (United States Football League) www.usflsite.comhttps://www.profootballarchives.com/1983usflphi.html 1983 Philadelphia Stars (USFL) Scores, Roster, Stats, Coaches, Draft www.profootballarchives.com Standings Awards Award Winner Position All-USFL Team Irv Eatman OT All-USFL Team Kelvin Bryant RB All-USFL Team Sam Mills LB All-USFL Team Scott Woerner S AP USFL Most Valuable Player Kelvin Bryant RB Leading Scorer Award David Trout K USFL Executive of the Year (TSN) Carl Peterson GM Final statistics Offense Stars Passing C/ATTYdsTDINTChuck Fusina238/42127181510Jim Krohn19/3624910Steve Pisarkiewicz6/156900Allen Harvin1/34400Stars Rushing CarYdsTDLGKelvin Bryant31814421645Allen Harvin139681749Chuck Fusina63291318Booker Russell46225023David Riley31139019Anthony Anderson941012Jeff Rodenberger1240110Jim Krohn62012Steve Pisarkiewicz1000Chuck Commiskey1–30–3Sean Landeta1–50–5Stars ReceivingRecYdsTDLGScott Fitzkee55731344Kelvin Bryant53410150Willie Collier41771452Steve Folsom26286145Booker Russell17163239Tom Donovan15219321Rodney Parker13203029Allen Harvin13144123Dave Riley1061015Ken Dunek874023Al Kimichik1707Jeff Rodenberger1707Anthony Anderson1404 Defense Stars SacksSacksDon Fielder8.5Willie Rosborough5.0Sam Mills3.5John Bunting2.5Scott Woerner2.0Dave Opfar2.0Brad Anae2.0Jon Brooks2.0Buddy Moor1.5Frank Case1.5Glenn Howard1.0Antonio Gibson1.0George Cooper0.5Jon Sutton0.5Jeff Gabrielson0.5 Stars InterceptionsIntYdsTDLGPDScott Woerner850022Mike Lush652033Jon Sutton453031Sam Mills313010Antonio Gibson3000Jon Brooks215015Roger Jackson2909Glenn Howard2000Vince DeMarinis116016Willie Rosborough111011John Bunting1000 Stars FumblesFFFmbFRYdsTDChuck Fusina15700Jim Krohn7300Kelvin Bryant4200Dave Riley3100Scott Woerner36160Allen Harvin2100Steve Pisarkiewicz2100Sean Landeta1100Steve Folsom1000Rodney Parker1000Cleo Montgomery1000Booker Russell1100Jon Sutton1400 Special teams Stars KickingFGM–FGAXPM–XPADavid Trout28-4237-40 Stars PuntingPntYdsLngBlckSean Landeta863601721 Stars Kick ReturnsRetYdsTDLngAllen Harvin31723067Booker Russell563022Jeff Rodenberger342016Dave Riley236019Mark McCants117017Ken Dunek1707Jon Sutton1000 Stars Punt ReturnsRetYdsTDLngScott Woerner43360020 References Category:Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars Category:1983 USFL season Philadelphia Stars