Once the season closed, it seemed as if the only USFL team active in signing players was the NJ Generals. New Jersey has added nine new players, the most in the league. Their activity so far outpaced that of the rest of the USFL in the early going, some were left to openly wonder, are the Generals the only team allowed to sign free-agent players, or what?
I posed that very question to Generals’ Offensive Coordinator Steve Smith, and he laughed, saying that’s not the case at all. NJ doesn’t have some unfair advantage, rather, Coach Smith says, the Generals are just executing their plan to prepare for next season. Whatever other teams are doing or not doing has no bearing on NJ’s plans, nor is Coach Smith privy to other team’s plans.
The rest of the USFL has finally picked up the pace and we are seeing other teams begin to sign free agents, but none with the ferocity the Generals attacked free agency. And the Generals are not done yet. Coach Smith has been making the rounds in search of the next player that will help NJ take that step towards the title. Feeling very much like a college recruiter in some ways, one of the things that has helped attract new guys, Smith said, was the league’s increased credibility among young players. “They see my Generals hat or gear, when I show up to a practice or workout and it’s ‘Hey coach, don’t miss out on me now’, things like that”. So, the players are fully aware of the impact the USFL can have on their careers and after seeing the past years’ successes, they want to be part of it.
NJ Offensive Coordinator Steve Smith
Most of the Generals signings have been on offense, four of them HUGE offensive lineman. It’s no secret the Generals will continue to run the ball first. Throw in a couple of new WR’s a new QB, along with two pass rushers and it’s going to be a nice mix of old and new for NJ at OTA’s come this fall. It’s uncertain how many more players the Generals will bring in before the USFL draft, but it’s clear they are not resting on the laurels of their 9-2 record or taking anything for granted. Their aggressiveness in acquiring players shows this organization is committed to winning.
Comments