1990 AFL HFC Season Preview

Author: Ken Hasselbeck, ESPN AFL Analyst
Date: June 30, 1990

Last week we brought you our exclusive preview of the Continental Conference of the American Football League. This week, the Heritage Conference. Let's get to it...

HERITAGE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE - VALLEY DIVISION

Cincinnati Royals: It may seem weird to say that a team's offensive attack is led by their tight end, and it may even seem like an indictment. In Cincinnati, however, the first part of that sentence is true - and the second is not. TE Hopalong Van Dyke, a rookie, is perhaps the best player ever seen at the position. He's a perfect route runner, has hands of glue, and blocks like a Pro Bowl offensive tackle. It's almost unfair that the Royals also feature WR Andre Phillips, a do-it-all wideout who's practically uncoverable. Throwing Hopalong and Andre the ball will be QB Leonard Smith. The veteran should be one of the more consistent QBs in the league - but who wouldn't be, throwing to those two. The Cincy O-line is anchored by top tackles Mark Sowell (another rookie) and Alvin Primus. Barry Robinson is a solid but unremarkable feature back - look out for FB Fred Bartholomew to get more touches than your average FB. He should develop well. On defense, the Royals are strong inside with big DTs Terrence Munoz and Jacquez Day. ILB Harold Tomlinson is solid, and OLB Earl Porcher is another rookie with tons of potential. CBs Cedrick Broyles and Michael Anglin lead an extremely solid secondary. P Kelly Dowdell gives the Royals an advantage on special teams.
Outlook: This extremely tough team will have a fight on its hands in the tough Valley Division, but they're good enough to take it and will be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs.

Cleveland Blues: Cleveland's running game, led by RB Gary Johnson, should give opponents the blues. It doesn't hurt that their offensive line features 6-7, 329-pound OT Keith Woods, 320-pound OG Alan Wright, fireplug C Wayne Shuler (6-0, 320), and the freakish OT Chad Coleman, who stands 6-10 and weighs 350 pounds. The Blues have one of the top two offensive lines in the AFL, and would be able to ride their running game alone to victory - but they also boast a solid passing attack, led by big QB Aaron Willard (6-4, 233) and big young WR Wes Lamonica (6-5, 190). TE Dan Mathis, at 6-7, continues Cleveland's trend of being oversized on offense. DE Frank Bishop is solid, and the Blues have a workmanlike trio of linebackers in OLBs Phil Hood and Mike Woodall, and ILB Eugene King. CB Lorenzo Seymour is quite good, and Tom Mitchell is one of the better free safeties in the league. K Teddy McQuivey might give Blues coaches heart attacks on a regular basis, however.
Outlook: They'll give Cincinnati a hard fight, and the season's two Battles of Ohio should be extremely entertaining. I see them coming up a bit short, but they could surprise and take the division. If not, they'll make the playoffs as a wild card and show well.

Indianapolis Monarchs: A cursory look at Indianapolis' offense, led by storied QB Cyril Wyche and extremely talented WR DD Downing, might give you the impression that they should blow opposing defenses off the field. They won't. Wyche is getting up there in years, but that's not the real problem. The real problem is the offensive line, which is simply awful. OG Andy Woolfolk is huge (6-3, 356), and extremely promising, but right now he needs some real refinement in his techniques, and he's surrounded by a crew of below-league-average players. Factor in the mediocrity of RB Jim Scott, and teams should be able to control Indianapolis's run game with just their front four, leaving 7 back to defend against the pass with no loss in pressure - or, if they prefer, blitz the Monarchs into oblivion. The news on defense is a bit better, with talented young DT Jim Johnson, good ILB Gail Gammon, and solid OLB Brent Tyler teaming with CB Keena Stamper and dominating FS Eric Byrnes. Still, they won't be able to overcome their poor line play enough to contend.
Outlook: They might have a shot at .500 in a weaker division, but the combination of their poor line and tough competition will make this an unpleasant season in Indy.

Louisville Colonels: RB Bryce Cross should be quite effective running behind FB Tony Husmann and studly OG Alfred McKeller and C Kevin Johnson. The rest of the picture on offense isn't quite as rosy, with a poor line protecting mediocre QB Ross Oliphant. WR Chris McDonald has potential, but needs development. Louisville's fate on offense will depend on whether their two monster O-linemen can make up for the rest of the line's deficiencies. On defense, however, the picture is not just rosy, but positively Pollock-esque - if you're into that sort of thing. If not, insert your favorite artist. Young DEs Gordon Rehberg and Clarence Flanagan are solid now, and have the ability to develop into elite players, as does DT Alton Kooistra. Fellow DT Jermaine Childress is a force in the middle. OLB Dave Finneran is the firey leader of the 'backing crew, backed up by OLBs Bob McGarrahan and Demetrin Sims. CB Pete Capshaw is loaded with potential.
Outlook: Like San Francisco in the CFC, Louisville is a good team stuck in the wrong division. Their defense will give them a shot in every game, though, and with a few breaks, they could steal a playoff spot from one of the Ohio teams.

HERITAGE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE - MIDLAND DIVISION

Baltimore Colts: Baltimore's offense is led by RB Chick Watkins. Watkins should put up very good numbers running up the middle with FB Donnie Morris ahead of him, with massive OG Chris Smith (360 pounds) and OG Marion Downing. The rest of the, however, is a real liability. QB Orante Weinke is a solid if unremarkable game-manager type of QB, while WR Bobby Piller provides him a very solid target. Baltimore's defensive line is their strength, led by 306-pound pass rushing demon veteran DE Ron Frisch, solid DT Dennis Jones, and a franchise DT. With the two big men in the middle, ILB Jeff Kunz will be free to make a lot of plays. The corners are serviceable, but the real star of the secondary is FS Cecil Hall, who excels at everything free safeties are asked to do.
Outlook: Baltimore will count on their defense to carry them. In the parity-driven HFC, a couple breaks could put them in the playoffs.

Carolina Cougars: Carolina has a pair of young skill-position superstars in RB Wesley Price and WR Buck Cunningham. Price and Cunningham will post real problems for all of Carolina's opponents, but they can't do everything themselves. One has to wonder if the two stars have enough players surrounding them. QB Rob Gilmore, from last year's Big Ten Champion Michigan team that also produced Oakland DT Derrick Strey and Louisville C Kevin Johnson, has the potential to be alright, but right now, he's mediocre, and could easily give way to fellow rookie Lorenzo Shell or journeyman Larry Farley - both of whom are equally unremarkable. Carolina has two solid players on their line in OT James Diem and OG Lamar Hayes. The D-line boasts DT George Gardner, who is good now and could be great. He'll help clog the middle for star ILB Steve Mason to make all kinds of plays. OLB Sean McCaffrey has the potential to be good, but needs to improve his techniques. The secondary, led by CB Lamar Brunson, is unremarkable.
Outlook: Carolina has the core to be very good, but they need to surround that core with secondary players. They don't have that right now. They should, at least, have a good enough to pick to come out of the next draft with a franchise QB.

Nashville Nightmare: This team might be better off moving to Florida, with all of its senior citizens, but the old men have (mostly) still got it. Nashville's offense is led by dangerous WR Andre Eisenhauer, a hard man to handle at 6-5 with 4.3-40 speed. He'll draw double-teams from every team Nashville faces, which could leave TE Delvin Allen open to make plays. The backfield isn't anything to write home about, with creaky veterans in QB Josh Stanley and RB Cliff Howley. James Claitt is a force at OG, but it's usually a problem when a 33-year-old OG is the star of your line. DE Curtis Hall, once again, is hard to stop when he's on, but how much gas does the future Hall of Famer's 34-year-old motor have left? At 273 pounds, he might be ill-suited to play 3-4 end. The other possible DEs are big enough but not talented enough. JJ Barnes is OK in the middle. The strength of the team is the linebacking corps, with superstar Justin Strong (at 29, just a kid in Nashville) and Lawyer May in the middle, and Cliff Thompson manning an outside position. CB Zach Thompson is 32 and calling him 5-10 might be stretching it, but those handicaps haven't derailed his HOF career in the past. He's just flat-out tough, and equally comfortable running with a 6-5 receiver or punching him in the mouth at the line. SS Lincoln Haze is known as "The Next Generation", and he's exactly that. He'll be a superstar for years.
Outlook: If Nashville can avoid seeing their old bones crumble into dust, their defense should be able to carry them to success. They don't have the ideal line for a 3-4, but the linebackers and secondary make up for it. They could be there at the end.

Pittsburgh Pride: Pittsburgh's offensive success will start or end at QB, where Billy Rolovich has the talent to develop into a good QB, but at 27, needs to develop now or never. RB Drew Anderson could become one of the best ever, but like Rolovich, he hasn't reached that level yet. Anderson, at least, has time to become that kind of player. FB Dan Clark is one of the league's more overlooked players, while TE Willie Thrash provides real veteran savvy to the position. The O-line... well, OT Gene Williams (6-6, 348) is very large. The defense is led by Jason Molden, the consensus #2 DE in the entire AFL. His partner, rookie Tommy Jones, could become as good as Molden is now - though Molden will continue to get better. Pittsburgh has always been known as the home of the 3-4, and this is no exception. Jones, at 301, is big enough to play end, and DT Jay Coslet is big enough - though his talent could be better. Molden is undersized but is so strong and aggressive it won't make a difference. With their unremarkable crew of linebackers, however, one wonders why Pittsburgh chose to run a 3-4. CB Ickey Barnes will be very important in a division with Buck Cunningham and Andre Eisenhauer. He can hang. Wille Boydston is a very good punter.
Outlook: If Rolovich and Anderson reach their potential, they have a shot at a wild card. If not, they don't. It's as simple as that. With their offensive line, bet that they won't. They could also use either a scheme change or players that fit the scheme better on D.

HERITAGE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE - GULF DIVISION

Atlanta Locomotives: The good news: QB Tyler Farmer, like Cyril Wyche of Indianapolis and Houston's Steve Banks, is simply a legendary player. The bad news: the former EWU Eagles superstar, who still holds most NCAA passing records, is 36 years old. Can he keep it up? Next year, probably. The future's a different story, but we're not previewing the future here. Farmer's top target will be WR Dennis Teig, a big target who has all the tools. RB Mark McGee is another very talented player who's getting up there in years. TE Heath Dottley is hard to cover (6-8), but needs to develop now or be relegated to mediocrity. The O-line is pretty weak with the exception of OG Terry Reed. The defense is anchored by young ILB Adam Alstott and solid SS Adrian Patrick. The DTs, Michael Brammer and Marcellus Dar, are workmanlike. K Tim Jones is one of the best in the league.
Outlook: Farmer-to-Teig will be an exciting connection, but Atlanta needs to improve their OL and defense before they can be any more than a .500 team.

New Orleans Knights: When you talk about the New Orleans Knights' offense, you start with RB Christian Fortuna, the unquestioned franchise player. Fortuna is a bruiser at 6-0, 236, but has the moves of a scat back. The scary thing is, as time goes by, he'll actually get better. Outside of Fortuna, the top player on the Knights' offense is WR Trevor Loud, a challenge for any corner who's matched up with him. He'll be consistently double-teamed, and it's unfortunate for the Knights that the rest of their receivers are pretty weak, or they could take better advantage of it. QB George Ingram is a game manager with a strong arm. The NO OL could be better... OG Richard "Dick" Duckworth is the anchor, and the rest are spare parts. DE Joe Jauron has a bunch of potential, and with DT Tom Guman drawing a double-term on every play, Jauron and DT Marcus Woodson will be able to make plays. Guman, a 9-year vet, is the best DT in the AFL. He does it all, and dominates at it all. ILB Jeff Miller will make a ton of tackles with Guman and Woodson in the middle. New Orleans boasts the best pair of corners in the league in Keith Reid and Steve Jones, a necessity in this division. P Fran Pierce will help the Knights control field position.
Outlook: The Knights have a defense that can shut anybody down, and that'll make all the difference for them. The offense could use some players to surround Fortuna and Loud, but the D will carry them to the division title this year.

Miami Blitz: There's just not that much to talk about on offense for Miami... they should have a good core for running up the middle with monstrous (6-1, 351) C Scott Smith and franchise OG Sean Smith, and RB Ahmad Davis still has gas left in the tank. It should be interesting to see how QB Darrell Hickerson, a Michigan State Spartan, gets along with his Wolverine tailback. The rest of the offense, such as WR Ricky "F-It" Duckett and TE Adam Lemek, doesn't draw much attention from previewers or opposing defenses. The picture isn't much brighter on defense, where not a single player was rated at 4 stars or higher by our in-house scouting crew. DT Chad Dibble, ILB Brian Wilson, and OLB Steven Hogan are the best of the bunch, along with CB Doug Kanell. The special teams are quite good, with K Ben Russell and P Steve Delhomme both among the best at their positions.
Outlook: To put it simply, Miami needs playmakers. They don't have any, except maybe Davis, right now. It could be a long, hot year in south Florida.

Tampa Blazers: It's Nashville that's called the nightmares, but it's Tampa's offensive attack that'll give opposing coordinators nightmares. "The Great One", QB Dick Dinkins, throwing to WRs Gary Thompson and Jason McCall... absolutely terrifying. No wonder New Orleans went all out to get two five-star CBs. Dinkins will be working behind a top line, featuring 351-pound OT Tyrone Hobson, OT Josh Cannon, OGs Dale Lawson and Fred Bown, and C Josh Dixon. Patrick Putzier is the back, and while he's not that special, does he need to be? FB Randy Barton is a stud as well, and will see more touches than most fullbacks. The Tampa defense, outside of their top DE, isn't that special, however. DT Dave Hunter is good, but the other two line players won't be good enough to take advantage of the fact that one of them will be double-teamed at all times. The LB crew is not very good - OLB Bill Vigorito didn't live up to his brother Steve's Pac-10 legacy, and won't match him as a pro. The secondary is weak. K Mike Mitchell is solid.
Outlook: The offense is incredible, and so is the defense - but not in a good way. Fortunately for Tampa, The Great One and company will be enough to overcome it and lead the Blazers to a playoff spot.

HERITAGE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE - PACIFIC DIVISION

Arizona Rattlers: Before we get started, why is Arizona-Denver-LA-SD the Pacific and Oakland-Portland-SF-Seattle the Frontier? Seems a bit backwards to me. Anyway, Arizona's focus on offense will be QB Lamar "Geordi" Burton, a crazy-legged playmaker who is the guy most predict Monte Meier will develop into. Burton has become well-known for his incredible runs, and is a real fan favorite. He doesn't have many targets to throw to, however, with WR Jack McDaniel and big (6-7, 270) TE Otis Williams being the focus of the Rattler passing game. Burton'll have the time in the world in the pocket - not that he needs it - with OT Rulon Serwanga, star OG Kyle Ohlmiter, OG Chester Romero, and C Leon Harper all being above-average to great. Jim Martin is a quietly productive RB. The DL is a little undersized, with DEs Jim Washington (266) and Mike Willhite (266) and DTs Ed Sacca (298) and Nate Thompson (285) all weighing in under 300. ILB David Wilson is a good all-around player. CBs Glenn Thomas and Rudi Fazande are talented but untested, as is FS Lou Dorsett.
Outlook: "Geordi" Burton will be the man who will have to carry Arizona, and he might just be able to do it. They'll be a tough opponent for anybody and will be pesky in the wild card race.

Denver Drifters: The face of Denver's offense is... well... do they have one? It's WR Leon Hill, I suppose. Leon has all the talent in the world and could become a star, but needs time to reach his potential. He won't have anybody to take the D's attention off him, and could have some problems reaching his potential with a pretty weak supporting cast. Rookie QB Frank Boyette doesn't have much business starting in this league, and could give way to fellow rookie QB Martin Fields, who has less polish but more potential. RB Todd Blackwell should be a #2. The OL is alright, featuring a franchise C, and you have to like a line that boasts an Ofenheusle, a Nofsinger, and a Jurgensen (OT Matt, OT Erik, and OG Jeff). Young DE James Barber is good already and will only get better, as will his linemate DT Lance Ross, who, like Hill, could become truly great. Ditto for SS Jim Campbell. The real top man on D is CB Tom Tuitele. It's not because I'm short on space that I'm not discussing their linebackers, though ILB Trace Groom should develop into a fine player and may as well start now.
Outlook: I hate to snow on Denver's parade, but this is going to be a long year in the mountains. In a few years, though, with a good draft or two to supplement their talented youngsters, they could become a force.

Los Angeles Marshalls: The Two Sammys. Anybody that follows pro football knows them - QB Sammy Baw and RB Sammy Hoambrecker. The rookies out of Minnesota and Kansas fought for the Heisman last season (it went to Baw), then battled it out in the Fiesta Bowl (both ripped it up, but Hoambrecker led his Jayhawks to the biggest victory in school history), but now they're teammates, and two of the most dangerous players in the AFL. Baw will have weapons in WR John Newman and young TE Lenvil White, while Hoambrecker will have FB Otis Tyler blocking for him. LA's only weakness on offense is a non-descript line, led by OT Shawn June. DE Marcus Milne is a real force, who will require double-teaming on every play - though the rest of LA's DL could allow that without much loss for opposing offenses. LA's LBs and secondary are workmanlike but faceless. K Leon Taylor is a stud, and he and P Erik Stephens, both out of UCLA, will be fan favorites in their hometown.
Outlook: The Two Sammys will make this team hard to beat, even though they could use some better line play. Expect the dynamic duo to lead LA to a division title, and make them super-dangerous in the postseason.

San Diego Express: The Express offense begins with their wideouts. Patrick Connell and Bo Jackson are two of the top receivers in the league, and put together, they'll give secondaries fits. QB Ladell Suggs should be able to get them the ball behind a good OL led by 6-4, 340-pound OT Lawyer Glass, 330-pound C Robert Young, and potential-laden OG Ola Fasani. Savvy veteran RB Kareem Wood could get overlooked with Connell and Bo, but behind that line, he'll put up numbers. The downfall of the Express, however, will be their defense. Their line is putrid, and their LBs, if possible, are even worse. Nobody in their secondary is worth writing home about either. Their best defensive player is CB Brian Gordy, a 5-9 scrapper who would be lucky to be a #2 on most teams. But, they do have K Herman Webster, one of the best in the league.
Outlook: I don't care how good your receivers are, when you've got the worst defense in the league, you aren't going to contend.

PREDICTIONS

VALLEY
1. Cincinnati Royals
2. Cleveland Blues
3. Louisville Colonels
4. Indianapolis Monarchs

MIDLAND
1. Nashville Nightmare
2. Baltimore Colts
3. Pittsburgh Pride
4. Carolina Cougars

GULF
1. New Orleans Knights
2. Tampa Blazers
3. Atlanta Locomotives
4. Miami Blitz

PACIFIC
1. Los Angeles Marshalls
2. Arizona Rattlers
3. San Diego Express
4. Denver Drifters

PLAYOFFS
NEW ORLEANS over Tampa
Cleveland over NASHVILLE

LOS ANGELES over Cleveland
New Orleans over CINCINNATI

LOS ANGELES over New Orleans

AFL BOWL
Seattle over Los Angeles: This would be a hell of a way to cap the first season of AFL action. The secret weapon for Seattle would be line play - Mike Bean would be able to handle Marcus Milne, and the rest of the LA DL would get stoned by Seattle's OL, leaving Monte Meier with all day to make plays and Quincy Jones with big holes to hit. Similarly, LA's offensive line would have trouble with the Tritons' hard-charging DL, which could make life miserable for the Two Sammys - and if Sammy Hoambrecker got past the DL, he'd have Dwight Rowe to deal with. Seattle's strengths match up against LA's weaknesses, which I see leading to the Tritons becoming the first ever AFL Champion.

There you have it, all 32 of the AFL's teams previewed for your own knowledge and entertainment. The season starts tomorrow, and we couldn't be more excited. It should truly be a great first year for the American Football League.