Joe Urso
Encyclopedia
Joseph David Urso is an American football
quarterback
who has played Professional Arena football
/Indoor football in 3 leagues; as well as brief stints in the National Football League
with the New York Giants
and Seattle Seahawks
after coming out of college as an undrafted free agent. He played college football at Lycoming College
and then transferred to Wilkes University
.
in Bethesda, Maryland
. He was the starting
quarterback
on the varsity team from his sophomore season on. Urso lettered 3 years in football
, and also excelled in other sports, lettering 3 years in basketball
, and 1 season of baseball
. His senior season, he was also Captain
of both the football and basketball teams. In the 1995 season, Urso led B-CC to their first ever 10-0 regular season record as a junior. The team won their first ever road playoff game, defeating Milford Mill Academy
, of Baltimore County, 29-14; pushing their record to 11-0. Urso led the way passing for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns of 82 and 78 yards, respectively. The following week Bethesda Chevy-Chase hosted the first ever home playoff game in the football program's 60 year history, but fell to eventual State Champion Linganore High School
24-6.
In 1996 Urso finished his high school career with 3,969 yards passing, 51 Touchdowns, and the Maryland Public Schools
State passing record for both completions in a career and attempts in a career, while finishing second all-time (as of 1996) in passing yards and touchdowns in a career.
Following his senior season Urso was named 1st team All-County, All-Gazzette, All-league, and also named to the All-State and The Washington Post
All-Metropolitan teams. He was also invited to play in the Chesapeake Classic All-Star game (Maryland high school all-stars vs. Virginia high school all-stars).
to attend Lycoming College
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
, to play football. After his freshman season, he transferred to Wilkes University
in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
. By the conclusion of his college career he had compiled 5,423 yards passing and 73 Touchdowns.
. During the preseason he was released and then signed a week later by the Seattle Seahawks
. He was then released before the beginning of the 2001 season
.
Urso was the starting quarterback for the 2007 inaugural season of the expansion Baltimore Blackbirds
of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) coached by Head Coach Chris Simpson. Urso threw the first touchdown in team history, on the road at the Reading Express
. It was a 15-yard strike to WR Kevin Dixon. In the team's first home game at 1st Mariner Arena versus the Carolina Speed, Urso accounted for every touchdown his team scored with the exception of 1 (an int return for a touchdown by DB Milton Harris), passing for 3 Td's and rushing for 1 more. At the conclusion of the 2007 season the Blackbirds organization folded and the team was dissolved, making Urso a free agent.
In 2008 he signed with the Chesapeake Tide
of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). Coached by Head Coach Matt Steeple, and Offensive Coordinator Chris Armstrong
, he went on to lead the team in passing and rushing for the season—112-191 (58.6%), 1206 yards, and 26 touchdows passing and rushing for 226 yards and 6 touchdowns. Other statistical leaders on the team include (WR/RB) Darryl Overton Jr., (WR) Joe Able, (WR) Ray McCarter Jr., and (DB) Jeff Overton. In the Tide's final game of the 2008 season, Urso had a career game in defeating the New Jersey Revolution, 55-47. On the day Urso went 20-24, with 276 yards passing and a team record 7 touchdown passes.
In the offseason following the 2008 season, the Chesapeake Tide
organization moved to the Indoor Football League
(IFL
) for the 2009 season, under the name Maryland Maniacs. Urso then signed with the Maniacs for the 2009 season.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who has played Professional Arena football
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
/Indoor football in 3 leagues; as well as brief stints in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
after coming out of college as an undrafted free agent. He played college football at Lycoming College
Lycoming College
Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus...
and then transferred to Wilkes University
Wilkes University
Wilkes University is a private, non-denominational American university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students...
.
High school years
Urso attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High SchoolBethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School is a Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, public school named for two of the towns it serves along with Kensington and Silver Spring, Maryland. It is located at 4301 East-West Highway, in Bethesda, an unincorporated community in Montgomery County...
in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
. He was the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
on the varsity team from his sophomore season on. Urso lettered 3 years in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, and also excelled in other sports, lettering 3 years in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and 1 season of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. His senior season, he was also Captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of both the football and basketball teams. In the 1995 season, Urso led B-CC to their first ever 10-0 regular season record as a junior. The team won their first ever road playoff game, defeating Milford Mill Academy
Milford Mill Academy
Milford Mill Academy is a four-year public high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is located on the west side of the county close to the Baltimore City border just outside of the Baltimore Beltway.-About the School:...
, of Baltimore County, 29-14; pushing their record to 11-0. Urso led the way passing for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns of 82 and 78 yards, respectively. The following week Bethesda Chevy-Chase hosted the first ever home playoff game in the football program's 60 year history, but fell to eventual State Champion Linganore High School
Linganore High School
Linganore High School is an American high school located in Frederick County, Maryland, near the city of Frederick. The school's mascot is the Lancer, and its colors are red and black.-History:...
24-6.
In 1996 Urso finished his high school career with 3,969 yards passing, 51 Touchdowns, and the Maryland Public Schools
Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association
Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Associationor , is the association that oversees public high school sporting contests in the state of Maryland. Organized in 1946, MPSSAA is made up of public high schools from each of Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City...
State passing record for both completions in a career and attempts in a career, while finishing second all-time (as of 1996) in passing yards and touchdowns in a career.
Following his senior season Urso was named 1st team All-County, All-Gazzette, All-league, and also named to the All-State and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
All-Metropolitan teams. He was also invited to play in the Chesapeake Classic All-Star game (Maryland high school all-stars vs. Virginia high school all-stars).
College years
In the spring of 1997 Urso signed a National Letter of IntentNational Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
to attend Lycoming College
Lycoming College
Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus...
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, to play football. After his freshman season, he transferred to Wilkes University
Wilkes University
Wilkes University is a private, non-denominational American university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students...
in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. By the conclusion of his college career he had compiled 5,423 yards passing and 73 Touchdowns.
Professional career
Out of college Urso was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. During the preseason he was released and then signed a week later by the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. He was then released before the beginning of the 2001 season
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
.
Urso was the starting quarterback for the 2007 inaugural season of the expansion Baltimore Blackbirds
Baltimore Blackbirds
The Baltimore Blackbirds were an indoor football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. They played the 2007 season as an expansion member of the American Indoor Football Association, at the 1st Mariner Arena.-History:...
of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) coached by Head Coach Chris Simpson. Urso threw the first touchdown in team history, on the road at the Reading Express
Reading Express
The Reading Express are a professional indoor football team based out of Reading, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Indoor Football League, having begun play as a member of the American Indoor Football League 2006...
. It was a 15-yard strike to WR Kevin Dixon. In the team's first home game at 1st Mariner Arena versus the Carolina Speed, Urso accounted for every touchdown his team scored with the exception of 1 (an int return for a touchdown by DB Milton Harris), passing for 3 Td's and rushing for 1 more. At the conclusion of the 2007 season the Blackbirds organization folded and the team was dissolved, making Urso a free agent.
In 2008 he signed with the Chesapeake Tide
Chesapeake Tide
The Maryland Maniacs are an Indoor Football team based in College Park, Maryland, the team plays its home games at Cole Field House. Inaugural season home games were held at The Show Place Arena...
of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). Coached by Head Coach Matt Steeple, and Offensive Coordinator Chris Armstrong
Chris Armstrong (Canadian football)
Chris Armstrong was a Canadian Football League receiver who played 9 seasons for five different teams. In 2008, he was named offensive coordinator of the Maryland Maniacs of the Indoor Football League....
, he went on to lead the team in passing and rushing for the season—112-191 (58.6%), 1206 yards, and 26 touchdows passing and rushing for 226 yards and 6 touchdowns. Other statistical leaders on the team include (WR/RB) Darryl Overton Jr., (WR) Joe Able, (WR) Ray McCarter Jr., and (DB) Jeff Overton. In the Tide's final game of the 2008 season, Urso had a career game in defeating the New Jersey Revolution, 55-47. On the day Urso went 20-24, with 276 yards passing and a team record 7 touchdown passes.
In the offseason following the 2008 season, the Chesapeake Tide
Chesapeake Tide
The Maryland Maniacs are an Indoor Football team based in College Park, Maryland, the team plays its home games at Cole Field House. Inaugural season home games were held at The Show Place Arena...
organization moved to the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
(IFL
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
) for the 2009 season, under the name Maryland Maniacs. Urso then signed with the Maniacs for the 2009 season.