1997 USC Trojans football team
Encyclopedia
The 1997 University of Southern California Trojans football team (variously "Trojans" or "USC") represented the University of Southern California
during the college football
season of 1997
, finishing with a 6–5 record and tied for fifth place in the Pacific-10 Conference with a 4–4 conference record; despite a qualifying record, the Trojans were not invited to a bowl game
. The team was coached by John Robinson
, in his second stint as head coach of the Trojans, and played their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
. The Trojans had a top 10-ranked recruiting class with 18 high school players and two transfer players from junior college
programs; 16 of the 20 incoming players were All-Americans at previous levels. The Trojan running game, led by Delon Washington, hoped to improve a ground game that was ranked 90th in the nation; considered very disappointing at a school that had been known as "Tailback U". USC brought in Hue Jackson
as the new Offensive Coordinator
; Jackson had previously served as offensive coordinator for California
under Steve Mariucci
, who had been hired to coach the NFL's San Francisco 49ers
.
Seminoles
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
, under long-time coach Bobby Bowden
, in the first ever game between the two programs.
The Seminoles entered the game as a dominant force in college football, having finished in the top four of the final poll for 10 consecutive years behind teams famous for their speed and depth; the previous season the Seminoles went 11–1. The Trojans entered the with a new quarterback, sophomore John Fox, after the graduation of veteran quarterback Brad Otten. The #23-ranked Trojans were a departure from Florida State's recent trend of season-opening opponents, which tended towards low-ranked teams in games played either at their home field or on a neutral field. The Trojans hoped to reestablish their running game, which had been anemic the previous season; however the Seminoles had allowed an average of only 59 yards rushing in 1996.
The Seminoles defeated the Trojans, 14–7, in a competitive, defense-oriented game. Florida State scored first: After recovering a fumble by USC Delon Washington at the USC 36, the Seminoles scored on a two-yard quarterback sneak with 2:10 left in the first quarter. The Trojans were able to respond in the second quarter, tying the score, 7–7, with 13:42 left in the half. The pivotal moment in the game came on a 97-yard Seminoles drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in the go-ahead score with 10:40 left in the game. The drive was almost stopped when cornerback Brian Kelly dropped a near-interception about 11 yards from Florida State's end zone. USC had two more drives, with the second reaching the Florida State 26 yard line before turning the ball over on downs.
USC was pleased with the performance of Fox, who in his first start completed 18 of 32 passes for 159 yards with one interception that came on a fourth-down play. However the running game did not produce, totaling 25 yards with starting tailback Washington going for only 16 yards in 18 carries. The defense performed well, led by sophomore linebacker Chris Claiborne
who had eight tackles, including two sacks. USC held the Seminoles to 89 yards rushing. Kelly broke up four passes, made five tackles and had an interception that was wiped out by an offside penalty against USC. Neither team did very well on third-down conversions; USC was 4 of 17, Florida State went 4 of 14.
Despite losing the game, the Trojans' performance was seen as a positive sign that the team was approaching the season with a drive not present until the very end of the previous season. USC remained ranked #23. Florida State would go on to a 11–1 record, winning the ACC conference and ending the season ranked #3 in the AP Poll.
Cougars
under coach Mike Price
. The Cougars arrived after a bye week; they defeated UCLA in their opening game, led by junior quarterback Ryan Leaf
who passed for 381 yards and three touchdowns in a 37–34 victory. USC entered the game favored by a touchdown, and with a 10 game winning streak against Washington State, since 1986, and a home winning streak stretching back to 1957. The game was framed as the Trojans opportunity to set the tone of their season: They didn't drop in the polls after a close loss to highly ranked Florida State; a win against Cougars would help them start rising in the polls; a loss would likely undo any good will left over in voters.
The Cougars defeated the Trojans, 28–21; it was the first time the Cougars had ever defeated UCLA and USC in the same season, and the first time they had won in the Coliseum in 40 years. Washington State had a strong first half, leading 21–6 at the end of the second quarter; the Trojans only touchdown had the extra-point blocked. John Fox fumbled a snap that led to Washington State's third touchdown. R. Jay Soward returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, spurring a USC rally. Early in the fourth quarter, the Trojans used a halfback pass for a touchdown, then went on to make a two-point conversion to tie the score, 21–21, with 12:44 remaining in the game. The USC defense held the Cougars for most of the second half; but Washington State finally moved ahead late in the fourth quarter, when Leaf connected with a receiver for a 51-yard touchdown with 4:18 left in the game.
Fox did not show the same level of poise as his start against Florida State; he completed 23 of 42 passes for 229 yards. Leaf completed 21 of 40 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns, though he was intercepted twice by Brian Kelly. The Trojans running game continued to be a non-factor, totaling 31 yards at approximately one yard per carry. The concern started to focus on the offensive line, as Delon Washington rushed for 20 yards in eight carries; and given an opportunity, freshman Malaefou MacKenzie managed only 14 yards in 11 carries. USC had 10 penalties for 92 yards, often placing the offense in long second down situations.
Although the Cougars entered the game unranked, they would go on to have an excellent season, finishing 10–2, sharing the Pac-10 title and playing in the Rose Bowl
for only the third time in school history. Leaf would go on to have a strong year, throwing for a school-record 3,968 yards and 34 touchdowns, being named a first team All-American and finishing third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
.
The Trojans fell out of the rankings; the loss marked the fifth time in 104 years of football that USC opened a season 0-2, prior to the season the only Trojan teams that began a season with two defeats were those of 1896, 1902, 1957 and 1960.
, at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. The Golden Bears had defeated the Trojans the previous season, and hoped to make it a second year in a row for the first time since 1958.
The Trojans defense made seven sacks and forced Cal to punt eight times in a 27-17 victory. The Trojans surged to a 24-point halftime lead, but were held scoreless in the second as California tried to close the gap. R. Jay Soward caught two touchdown passes of 33 and 65 yards from John Fox; LaVale Woods rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns. California receiver Bobby Shaw
, who entered the game leading the nation, finished with five catches for 98 yards and one touchdown. The Trojans continued to have problems on special teams; kicker Adam Abrams missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt and an extra point, and allowed a blocked punt against punter Jim Wren.
Trojans offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who had served in the same role for the Golden Bears the previous season, called plays from the field instead of the press box at head coach Robinson's request. USC entered the game ranked 112th among 112 Division I-A schools in net rushing yards. The offensive line reacted by inscribing the number "112" on their wrist bands before the game. The team made progress, gaining 123 yards in net rushing. The game allowed them to rise to 109th in rushing offense. On defense, USC held California to 31 rushing yards and ranked fifth nationally in rushing defense, giving up 54.3 yards a game.
The Trojans' victory ensured they would not go 0-3 for the first time since 1960.
, under head coach Jeff Horton
. The Trojans entered the game as 25-point favorites against the Rebels.
Running back LaVale Woods sprained his left ankle on the second possession, placing the running game back on freshman Malaefou MacKenzie and senior Delon Washington, who had been Woods had replaced for the previous game against California. MacKenzie ran for 104 yards in 19 carries and two touchdowns. The kicking game improved, with Adam Abrams making the Trojans' first field goals of the season from 27 and 37 yards before the end of the first half. Cornerback Daylon McCutcheon was used successfully on offensive plays, taking advantage of his overall athletic abilities.
The victory was coach John Robinson's 100th college victory.
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
during the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season of 1997
1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
, finishing with a 6–5 record and tied for fifth place in the Pacific-10 Conference with a 4–4 conference record; despite a qualifying record, the Trojans were not invited to a bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
. The team was coached by John Robinson
John Robinson (football coach)
John Alexander Robinson is a former American football player and coach best known for his two stints as head coach of the University of Southern California football team and for his tenure as head coach of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
, in his second stint as head coach of the Trojans, and played their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Before the season
USC entered the preseason with 75 players from its 1996 squad that went a disappointing 6–6; it returned starters at 14 positions, eight on offense and six on defense along with both the punter and placekickerPlacekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
. The Trojans had a top 10-ranked recruiting class with 18 high school players and two transfer players from junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
programs; 16 of the 20 incoming players were All-Americans at previous levels. The Trojan running game, led by Delon Washington, hoped to improve a ground game that was ranked 90th in the nation; considered very disappointing at a school that had been known as "Tailback U". USC brought in Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson is an American football coach who is currently head coach of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League after previously serving as the team's offensive coordinator in 2010....
as the new Offensive Coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
; Jackson had previously served as offensive coordinator for California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
under Steve Mariucci
Steve Mariucci
Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and most recently for the Detroit Lions.-Early career:...
, who had been hired to coach the NFL's San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
Schedule
Roster
Wide Receiver
Center
Offensive Guard
Offensive Tackle
Tight End
|
Quarterback
Tailback
Fullback
Defensive Tackle
Defensive End
|
Cornerback
Linebacker
Safety
Long Snapper
Punter
Place Kicker
|
||||
Sources: TributeToTroy Online Encyclopedia of Trojan football and The various articles cited throughout the article. ++ indicates that the player is a transfer who is ineligible to play 2007 season but is allowed to practice with scout team Players who left the team are struck out |
||||||
Coaching staff
| 1997 USC Trojans coaching staff | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Year at USC | Alma mater (Year) |
| John Robinson | Head Coach | 12th | Oregon (1958) |
| Mike Barry | Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line | 5th | Southern Illinois (1969) |
| Keith Burns | Defensive Coordinator/Secondary | 5th | Arkansas (1983) |
| Hue Jackson Hue Jackson Hue Jackson is an American football coach who is currently head coach of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League after previously serving as the team's offensive coordinator in 2010.... |
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks | 1st | Pacific (1987) |
| Jeff McInerney Jeff McInerney Jeff McInerney is the current head college football coach for the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils located in New Britain, Connecticut. He has held that position since the 2006 season and is the 12th football coach at the school. His coaching record at Central Connecticut was 14... |
Defensive Line | 2nd | Slippery Rock (1982) |
| David Robinson | Linebackers | 5th | Long Beach State (1986) |
| Doug Smith | Offensive Line | 5th | Bowling Green (1978) |
| Dennis Thurman Dennis Thurman Dennis Lee Thurman is a retired American football cornerback in the National Football League.- Early life :... |
Secondary | 5th | USC (1978) |
| Charles White Charles White (American football) Charles White is a former professional American football running back. He had a distinguished college career and later played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.-College football:... |
Running Backs | 5th | USC (1993) |
| Mike Wilson Mike Wilson (wide receiver) Michael Ruben Wilson is a former professional American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers from 1981 to 1990. He played football collegiately at Washington State University and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 9th round of the 1981 NFL Draft... |
Wide Receivers | 1st | Washington State (1981) |
Florida State
USC opened its season hosting the #5-ranked Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, under long-time coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, in the first ever game between the two programs.
The Seminoles entered the game as a dominant force in college football, having finished in the top four of the final poll for 10 consecutive years behind teams famous for their speed and depth; the previous season the Seminoles went 11–1. The Trojans entered the with a new quarterback, sophomore John Fox, after the graduation of veteran quarterback Brad Otten. The #23-ranked Trojans were a departure from Florida State's recent trend of season-opening opponents, which tended towards low-ranked teams in games played either at their home field or on a neutral field. The Trojans hoped to reestablish their running game, which had been anemic the previous season; however the Seminoles had allowed an average of only 59 yards rushing in 1996.
The Seminoles defeated the Trojans, 14–7, in a competitive, defense-oriented game. Florida State scored first: After recovering a fumble by USC Delon Washington at the USC 36, the Seminoles scored on a two-yard quarterback sneak with 2:10 left in the first quarter. The Trojans were able to respond in the second quarter, tying the score, 7–7, with 13:42 left in the half. The pivotal moment in the game came on a 97-yard Seminoles drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in the go-ahead score with 10:40 left in the game. The drive was almost stopped when cornerback Brian Kelly dropped a near-interception about 11 yards from Florida State's end zone. USC had two more drives, with the second reaching the Florida State 26 yard line before turning the ball over on downs.
USC was pleased with the performance of Fox, who in his first start completed 18 of 32 passes for 159 yards with one interception that came on a fourth-down play. However the running game did not produce, totaling 25 yards with starting tailback Washington going for only 16 yards in 18 carries. The defense performed well, led by sophomore linebacker Chris Claiborne
Chris Claiborne
Christopher Ashone Claiborne is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent.-High school career:...
who had eight tackles, including two sacks. USC held the Seminoles to 89 yards rushing. Kelly broke up four passes, made five tackles and had an interception that was wiped out by an offside penalty against USC. Neither team did very well on third-down conversions; USC was 4 of 17, Florida State went 4 of 14.
Despite losing the game, the Trojans' performance was seen as a positive sign that the team was approaching the season with a drive not present until the very end of the previous season. USC remained ranked #23. Florida State would go on to a 11–1 record, winning the ACC conference and ending the season ranked #3 in the AP Poll.
Washington State
Opening Pac-10 Conference play, the USC hosted the Washington StateWashington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
Cougars
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
under coach Mike Price
Mike Price
Mike Price is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso , a position he has held since 2004...
. The Cougars arrived after a bye week; they defeated UCLA in their opening game, led by junior quarterback Ryan Leaf
Ryan Leaf
Ryan David Leaf is a former American football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons...
who passed for 381 yards and three touchdowns in a 37–34 victory. USC entered the game favored by a touchdown, and with a 10 game winning streak against Washington State, since 1986, and a home winning streak stretching back to 1957. The game was framed as the Trojans opportunity to set the tone of their season: They didn't drop in the polls after a close loss to highly ranked Florida State; a win against Cougars would help them start rising in the polls; a loss would likely undo any good will left over in voters.
| "We were extremely disappointing. We choked in a thousand areas [. . .] We did it again to ourselves on offense. We weren’t nearly as efficient as we were last week. We botched a number of things. People seemed to be confused. [. . .] It was one of the most disappointing running performances I’ve been involved with. [. . .] We botched everything |
| — John Robinson describing his team's performance against Washington State |
The Cougars defeated the Trojans, 28–21; it was the first time the Cougars had ever defeated UCLA and USC in the same season, and the first time they had won in the Coliseum in 40 years. Washington State had a strong first half, leading 21–6 at the end of the second quarter; the Trojans only touchdown had the extra-point blocked. John Fox fumbled a snap that led to Washington State's third touchdown. R. Jay Soward returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, spurring a USC rally. Early in the fourth quarter, the Trojans used a halfback pass for a touchdown, then went on to make a two-point conversion to tie the score, 21–21, with 12:44 remaining in the game. The USC defense held the Cougars for most of the second half; but Washington State finally moved ahead late in the fourth quarter, when Leaf connected with a receiver for a 51-yard touchdown with 4:18 left in the game.
Fox did not show the same level of poise as his start against Florida State; he completed 23 of 42 passes for 229 yards. Leaf completed 21 of 40 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns, though he was intercepted twice by Brian Kelly. The Trojans running game continued to be a non-factor, totaling 31 yards at approximately one yard per carry. The concern started to focus on the offensive line, as Delon Washington rushed for 20 yards in eight carries; and given an opportunity, freshman Malaefou MacKenzie managed only 14 yards in 11 carries. USC had 10 penalties for 92 yards, often placing the offense in long second down situations.
Although the Cougars entered the game unranked, they would go on to have an excellent season, finishing 10–2, sharing the Pac-10 title and playing in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
for only the third time in school history. Leaf would go on to have a strong year, throwing for a school-record 3,968 yards and 34 touchdowns, being named a first team All-American and finishing third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
.
The Trojans fell out of the rankings; the loss marked the fifth time in 104 years of football that USC opened a season 0-2, prior to the season the only Trojan teams that began a season with two defeats were those of 1896, 1902, 1957 and 1960.
California
The Trojans played their first Pac-10 road game of the season, visiting the California Golden Bears, under first-year coach Tom HolmoeTom Holmoe
Thomas Allen Holmoe is the current athletic director at Brigham Young University. He is a former college and professional American football defensive back and coach.-College:...
, at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. The Golden Bears had defeated the Trojans the previous season, and hoped to make it a second year in a row for the first time since 1958.
The Trojans defense made seven sacks and forced Cal to punt eight times in a 27-17 victory. The Trojans surged to a 24-point halftime lead, but were held scoreless in the second as California tried to close the gap. R. Jay Soward caught two touchdown passes of 33 and 65 yards from John Fox; LaVale Woods rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns. California receiver Bobby Shaw
Bobby Shaw
Bobby T. Shaw is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Shaw has played for 4 NFL teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers and 1 team in the ACFL . Shaw attended Galileo High School and played college football at...
, who entered the game leading the nation, finished with five catches for 98 yards and one touchdown. The Trojans continued to have problems on special teams; kicker Adam Abrams missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt and an extra point, and allowed a blocked punt against punter Jim Wren.
Trojans offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who had served in the same role for the Golden Bears the previous season, called plays from the field instead of the press box at head coach Robinson's request. USC entered the game ranked 112th among 112 Division I-A schools in net rushing yards. The offensive line reacted by inscribing the number "112" on their wrist bands before the game. The team made progress, gaining 123 yards in net rushing. The game allowed them to rise to 109th in rushing offense. On defense, USC held California to 31 rushing yards and ranked fifth nationally in rushing defense, giving up 54.3 yards a game.
The Trojans' victory ensured they would not go 0-3 for the first time since 1960.
UNLV
Next hosted UNLV of the Western Athletic ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
, under head coach Jeff Horton
Jeff Horton
-External links:*...
. The Trojans entered the game as 25-point favorites against the Rebels.
Running back LaVale Woods sprained his left ankle on the second possession, placing the running game back on freshman Malaefou MacKenzie and senior Delon Washington, who had been Woods had replaced for the previous game against California. MacKenzie ran for 104 yards in 19 carries and two touchdowns. The kicking game improved, with Adam Abrams making the Trojans' first field goals of the season from 27 and 37 yards before the end of the first half. Cornerback Daylon McCutcheon was used successfully on offensive plays, taking advantage of his overall athletic abilities.
The victory was coach John Robinson's 100th college victory.
Arizona State
Notre Dame
Oregon
Washington
Stanford
Oregon State
UCLA
1997 Team Players in the NFL
- Chris ClaiborneChris ClaiborneChristopher Ashone Claiborne is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent.-High school career:...
- Travis ClaridgeTravis ClaridgeTravis Claridge was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he played for the Atlanta Falcons between 2000 and 2003 and for the Carolina Panthers in 2004....
- Rashard CookRashard CookRashard Cook is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League.-Professional career:...
- Ennis Davis
- David Gibson
- Brian Kelly
- Malaefou MacKenzieMalaefou MacKenzieMatthew Mark Maleafou Anesi MacKenzie is an American football fullback who played in the National Football League in 2003.-career:...
- Daylon McCutcheonDaylon McCutcheonDaylon McCutcheon is a retired National Football League cornerback who played his entire career with the Cleveland Browns-High school career:...
- Billy MillerBilly MillerBilly RoShawn Miller is a retired American football tight end won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
- Zeke MorenoZeke MorenoEzekiel Aaron Moreno is a professional American football linebacker.-Early years:Moreno attended Castle Park High School in Chula Vista and was a letterman in football and baseball. In football, as a senior, he led his team to a state championship in 1996...
- Chad MortonChad MortonChad Akio Morton is a former American football running back and kick/punt returner in the National Football League...
- Ifeanyi OhaleteIfeanyi OhaleteIfeanyi Ohalete is a former American football strong safety in National Football League. He attended and played football for Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, CA.-College career:...
- R. Jay SowardR. Jay SowardRodney Jay Soward is a football player who currently plays for the IFL's Wenatchee Valley Venom as a wide receiver.-College career:...
- Antuan SimmonsAntuan Simmons-Professional career:Undrafted in 2002, Simmons signed with the San Diego Chargers, but did not survive the final cuts. In 2003, he played for the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe and signed with the San Francisco 49ers but again did not make the roster...