Wiggins Sees UFL As Viable Alternative for Former NFL Players

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Jermaine Wiggins entered professional football when the New York Jets took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent 11 years ago and signed him to their practice squad.

It was the beginning of a long NFL career for Wiggins, during which he caught a Vinny Testaverde pass for a touchdown as part of the Jets’ Monday Night Football comeback dubbed the “Miracle at the Meadowlands,” won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI, and played against the Patriots with the Panthers two years later in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Wiggins left Carolina and spent three years with the Vikings before signing with the Jaguars in March of 2007. He suffered a concussion during a preseason game in August that same year and was released. In short, by almost any definition, Wiggins has had a successful and impressive NFL career.That success leads one to ask an obvious question. Why would a player who achieved the highest honor of his sport sign with an unproven league, which Wiggins did after being drafted by the Florida Tuskers in the UFL’s Premiere Season Draft in 2009?

“It’s the opportunity to continue doing what it is that I do, and that’s playing professional football,” Wiggins said. “It’s a way to keep my career going and have the opportunity to make a living. The NFL only has so many jobs and the UFL is giving guys the opportunity to continue their careers, whether on the field, as a coach or working in the front office.”

After signing with the Tuskers, Wiggins had only an abbreviated time in training camp to get familiar with the offense. Luckily, he had some help from a former teammate.

“When I was in Minnesota I worked with [quarterback] Brooks [Bollinger],” Wiggins said. “I had a good relationship with him there. He’s smart, he’s a competitor, and he knows the game of football. He was able to come in and make the transition very smooth. He didn’t miss a beat, he just got into it.”

That chemistry and experience helped lead the Tuskers to an undefeated regular season and a chance for Wiggins to play in a third championship game. An overtime loss to the Las Vegas Locos was not what Wiggins and the team had envisioned, though.

“We played well last year but we obviously didn’t attain our goal, which was winning a championship,” Wiggins said. “To me, in order to be successful you have to win a championship.”

Wiggins is enthusiastic about the opportunity the UFL has given him and other players. “The one thing I really want to get out there is that the UFL is a great opportunity for guys to create a career,” he said. “Look at the UFL and say ‘Hey, I’m fortunate enough to be in the UFL. Let me try to build a career here.’ If you’re blessed enough to get that opportunity [to play in the NFL], that’s great but the main focus is building that career with the UFL.”

Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden understands what it means to the veterans in the UFL. “I think one, they love to play the game and two, they feel like they have a lot more football left in them despite people telling them they don’t,” Gruden said. “Jermaine proved he has a lot more football left in him.

For his part, Wiggins sees the opportunity long-term. “I’m trying to build a fan base where fans will look at like ‘Hey we’re going to get to know these guys who will play for our teams for four, five, six years,’” Wiggins said. “I’m a sports fan myself. I’m a die-hard Red Sox and Celtics fan and it’s good to see some consistency with your players.”

Charity Starts at Home for Carter

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Florida Tuskers safety Jerome Carter never had a football camp to attend when growing up in Lake City, Fla. And that has been a motivating factor for him as each July he hosts a free clinic for underprivileged kids in the small community.

“First, it’s about getting the kids out there and having fun. It’s a way for me to get involved and give back to the community,” Carter said. “Second, I never had the chance to interact with football players growing up, so that’s another reason why I do this.”

“Overall, I think It’s important for professional athletes to get involved,” Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden said. “You’re creating relationships with the kids, which is a good thing. Jerome has done a great job in getting involved in his community.”

Carter’s football credentials were established early in his career. The Gainesville Sun named Carter its State Player of the Year for 2001, and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association named him the Class 5A Player of the Year his senior year.

“He’s a talented guy,” Gruden said. “He’s been coached by great coaches and for this reason Jerome can offer a lot to these young kids both from his experiences off the field and on the field. Anytime you can better the place where you grew up, man, it’s an important thing to do.”

Carter would go on to Florida State and in 2002, his first year of football there, scored on a blocked punt against Wake Forest. Carter was an honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a junior, and was the defensive team captain his senior year. Carter finished his career at FSU with 257 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions.

After being drafted into the NFL in the fourth round by the St. Louis Rams in 2005, Carter finished his rookie season with 38 tackles, including 12 in one game against the Houston Texans. He added 18 more tackles to his career numbers the following year plus two interceptions for 39 yards, including a big pick against the Detroit Lions.

After missing the next year with an injury, Carter was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2009, but was waived in August that same year, just in time to sign with the Florida Tuskers. He played in all six regular-season games for the Tuskers last season with five starts. His 24 tackles and 2 interceptions for 98 yards were enough to get protected status from the Tuskers for this upcoming season.

“It’s very important to get him back,” Gruden said of Carter’s return to the Tuskers. “Jerome’s a smart guy. He’s always in the right place at the right time. He has a year of experience under his belt at the safety position in our defense which is huge, because we ask a lot of our safeties. It’s going to be good to have a guy back there experienced with the terminology and the system that we run. He’s a great leader and he’s shown that he’s a great player.”

The Tuskers, who went undefeated in the 2009 season with a 6-0 record, open training camp in mid-August. The team will play four regular season home games at the Citrus Bowl. Season tickets start as low as $60 and can be obtained at 407-545-8123.

"Year of the Pitcher" is actually end of steroid era

Baseball pundits across the country are calling 2010 "the year of the pitcher," and it's not hard to see why. Baseball fans have been treated to the first season with two perfect games since 1880, a no-hitter, and perhaps the most infamous one hit shut-out in baseball's history, and it's not even July.
Statistics bear out the claim as well. Runs per game are at the lowest point (through June 20) since 1992. Home runs per game are down to 1.85, the lowest since 1993. Batters are striking out in 18.2% of their plate appearances.
Pitchers are dominating headlines as well. Ubaldo Jiminez's dominance on the mound has replaced Mark McGwire's dominance at the plate in the box scores. The inevitability of Cliff Lee wearing pinstripes in the Bronx is the water cooler topic of choice. Stephen Strasburg's rocket arm is the new Barry Bonds' hot air balloon head.
But what baseball fans are seeing is not so much "the year of the pitcher" as it is the end of the steroid era.
President George W. Bush's 2004 State of the Union speech called for increased scrutiny and investigation into allegations of performance-enhancing drug use in Major League Baseball. At the time, many thought it to be a non-sequitur, a trivial concern for a nation at war. But now it seems mandatory testing may be one thing Bush can count as a lasting legacy of his time in the White House.
Bonds, McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Jose Canseco and the other sluggers whose names have asterisks permanently affixed are out of the game voluntarily. Perhaps they saw this coming. For now they can rest on their laurels and needle-scarred backsides, knowing that official baseball statistics carry no parenthetical remarks about doping allegations.
But baseball is cyclical, to be sure. In fact, a quick Google search for "year of the pitcher" brings up a Time magazine article from 1963 which posits atomic testing could be the reason for defensive dominance.
It is probably safe to say that by the time the Rays' lease at Tropicana Field runs out in 2027, fans will see a resurgence in offensive numbers. Future players might use nanotechnology to mechanically enhance muscle fibers or repair torn ligaments to rebound quickly from injury. New chemicals to mask drugs could be synthesized in labs around the world. Perhaps the next Babe Ruth will find beer and hot dogs really are the answer, or the next Ty Cobb will succeed with sheer orneriness.
One thing is certain though, and that is this is the end of the steroid era. Baseball purists who bemoaned Bonds' 756th can breathe easy and enjoy the game of baseball as it was meant to be played.
At least until the next loophole is found.

Knights thrash Green Wave 49-0

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The University of Central Florida Knights closed out their home season with a 49-0 thrashing of the Tulane Green Wave in front of an announced crowd of 31,390 at Bright House Networks Stadium Saturday afternoon.The Knights' offense, defense, and special teams all did their part to send the departing seniors out with a win.
The offense racked up seven total touchdowns, including four in the third quarter. UCF had not scored 28 points in a quarter since Sept. 22, 2007 against Memphis.
The defense could have given the vaunted Florida Gators' defense fits, holding Tulane to -30 yards rushing and 50 total offensive yards on 51 plays in the game.
The kicking game was a perfect 7 of 7 on extra points by Nick Cattoi and Jamie Boyle, and the punt coverage team forced a fumble which gave UCF possession on the Tulane 22 and set up a score for the offense.
"Each week we are getting better as a team. I feel we did a lot of good things on offense and defense and in the kicking game. I was very pleased with the execution of the team, and being able to put that many points on the board," said UCF head coach George O'Leary.
Knights quarterback Brett Hodges went 19 of 28 for 234 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Rob Calabrese, who relieved Hodges at the start of the fourth quarter, only threw one pass for a 6-yard touchdown reception by Brendan Kelly.
"Brett Hodges did an excellent job at making his reads," O'Leary said.
UCF's running backs did their part too, with Brynn Harvey scoring three touchdowns while gaining 129 yards on 16 carries, including a 50-yard score on UCF's opening drive. Johnathan Davis also had 16 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown with 47 seconds left in the third quarter.
"Brynn Harvey and Jonathan Davis both had great games running the ball," O'Leary said. "Harvey made a few reads in the first half where he was cutting too early, but as the game progressed, he made some excellent cuts and got through the hole."
The Knights were not perfect on offense, however, as a 13-play, 65-yard drive ended with a Hodges pass being picked off by Tulane cornerback Phillip Davis in the end zone.
UCF's offense was back on the field six plays later though, as Reggie Weams intercepted Ryan Griffin in the end zone.
The Knights got their second quarter touchdown after Tulane punter Ross Thevenot bobbled the ball while trying to punt. Running back Ronnie Weaver fell on the ball at the Tulane 3. Harvey ran it in two plays later from 2 yards out, giving the Knights a 14-0 lead with 1:31 left in the first half.
Tulane got the ball to start the second half, but Griffin was sacked by Justin Boddie and lost the ball. Senior defensive tackle Travis Timmons scooped the loose ball up and ran for 10 yards to the Tulane 13.
Harvey got the third quarter scoring bonanza started by crossing the goal line on another 2-yard run.
Griffin had another pass intercepted on Tulane's next possession, this time by freshman corner Josh Robinson who brought it to the Tulane 29 before being forced out of bounds.
Hodges connected with receiver Kamar Aiken for a 29-yard score on the next play, giving UCF a 28-0 lead with 10:37 left in the third.
"Brett is going to keep looking for me," Aiken said. "Brett told me in the first half to keep running my routes and he would find me. He did that and kept coming to me."
Kemal Ishmael forced a Jordan Sullen fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Weaver had another fumble recovery. Hodges and Aiken connected again two plays later on a 16-yard throw. Boyle came in to kick the extra point. UCF had scored 21 points in less than three minutes.
UCF's final third quarter score came after a 14-play, 97-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. Davis, who had an earlier touchdown called back on a holding penalty, capped the drive off with a 9-yard run for six. Boyle's extra point made it 42-0 with less than a minute left in the third.
Tulane benched Griffin in favor of Joe Kemp at quarterback, though Kemp was not able to start anything for Tulane's offense. Kevin Moore was inserted at quarterback for Tulane's final possession.
"I was very happy for our seniors," O'Leary said. "It was an awesome game for them to come out and all get in there and pitch the shutout."
UCF's final game of the season is Nov. 28 at UAB. UCF's likely bowl destinations are the St. Petersburg Bowl, the EagleBank Bowl, and the New Orleans Bowl, with a possibility of the Hawaii Bowl or the Armed Forces Bowl.

Knights clinch bowl bid with first win against ranked team

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The University of Central Florida Knights defeated No. 13 Houston 37-32 in front of an announced crowd of 34,437 at Bright House Networks Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The victory marks the first time UCF has beaten a ranked opponent in 30 years of football, and also gave UCF the requisite six wins needed to be considered bowl eligible.
"It was a great win for our players and being able to stay in the hunt. My hat's off to the players for getting the win and becoming bowl eligible. The players and coaches alike are both ecstatic about the win," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. ""It's definitely a huge game, but it's even bigger because it was a conference game."Senior quarterback Brett Hodges outplayed Houston's Case Keenum, completing 21 of 25 pass attempts for 241 yards and one touchdown.
"It is huge for us now that we are bowl eligible and huge for us to keep our conference championship hopes alive. It really was a team effort today and a huge win," Hodges said.
Keenum, who had been considered a Heisman Trophy candidate going into Saturday's game, completed 33 of 57 attempts for 377 yards and one touchdown and one interception.
Sophomore running back Brynn Harvey ran for 149 yards on 35 attempts and scored three touchdowns.
Houston (8-2, 4-2 Conference-USA) struck first with a field goal and a 51-yard touchdown pass from Keenum to Tyron Carrier, showing the explosive potential of a Cougars offense that had posted over 500 yards in its past two games.
UCF (6-4, 4-2 C-USA) stuck to the game plan of offensive ball control at the start of the second quarter, orchestrating a 15-play, 62-yard drive that took over eight minutes off the clock and resulted in a 35-yard Nick Cattoi field goal to make the score 10-3.
"I thought we would definitely have a shot if we could just control the clock and move the ball on them," O'Leary said.
Houston showed special teams prowess on the ensuing kickoff, as return man Devin Mays took the ball 100 yards for a quick score.
UCF maintained their composure, however, as they put together another long scoring drive, this one 10 plays for 62 yards that also took more than five minutes off the clock. Freshman running back Johnathan Davis capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, and Cattoi's extra point brought the Knights to within seven again.
The teams went into the locker room with the score 17-10 at halftime.
"We held them to only four plays in the second quarter, and that is essential against a team that averages 100 or so plays a game," O'Leary said.
UCF again proved to be a second half team, as their first drive of the third quarter went 51 yards in eight plays. Harvey scored on a 1-yard run, but Cattoi's extra point was blocked by Cougars wide receiver L.J. Castille, leaving UCF one point short of the tie at 17-16.
The Knights' defense forced a three-and-out for Houston, and the offense took over on their own 15.
Hodges showed his own quick-strike abilities with a 27-yard rocket to freshman Quincy McDuffie. Two plays later, Knights fans may have had flashbacks to the Kevin Smith era as the offensive line opened a huge hole for Harvey, who ran for 41 yards and six points on the play. Cattoi's extra point was good, and the Knights had a six-point lead with 5:06 left in the third quarter.
Houston started the fourth quarter on UCF's 4-yard line, but an incomplete Keenum pass forced a 21-yard Matt Hogan field goal.
UCF's next drive was an 11-play, 79-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock. Hodges and McDuffie connected for a 24-yard score and, following Cattoi's extra point, a 10-point lead with 9:03 left in the game.
"That was the plan going in, and it really just came down to execution," Hodges said about his team's ability to put so many long drives together. "We controlled the ball because we executed."
The Knights' defense forced a key turnover for the second game in a row as junior cornerback Justin Boddie picked Keenum off and returned the ball to Houston's 7-yard line. Harvey ran the ball the remaining 7 yards on the next play, giving UCF a commanding 17-point lead with 8:27 left to play.
The Cougars were able to put together two consecutive scoring drives late, with Carrier catching a 31-yard Keenum pass for six and Chaz Rodriguez bringing in a 15-yard Keenum pass for a touchdown.
Both scores were marred by failures to add points, however, as Hogan missed an extra point and Keenum failed to complete a pass for two points, respectively.
An onside kick attempt failed and, with 8 seconds left, UCF took a knee to seal their historic victory.
"This was a total team victory. Coach [Charlie] Taaffe, his staff and those offensive kids fought their butts off. Our special teams gave us great field position. This was just a total team victory and an amazing win for our program," said UCF defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable.
UCF's next game is at home against the Tulane Green Wave (3-7, 1-5 C-USA) Nov. 21. It will be the final home contest of the regular season for the Knights, who close out the year Nov. 28 at UAB (5-5, 4-2 C-USA).

Knights squeak by Herd in last-minute win

ORLANDO, Fla. — The University of Central Florida Knights eked out a literal last-minute 21-20 victory against the Marshall Thundering Herd in front of an announced crowd of 35,676 at Bright House Networks Stadium in a crucial Conference USA match-up Sunday night.

“It wasn’t pretty but it’s a good win, a good team win. It’s a 60-minute game for a reason," said UCF head coach George O'Leary. “Anytime you get a win against a 5-3 football team, I think it’s a good win. It’s a good conference win.”

The Knights struggled offensively through three quarters of play and trailed 20-7 going into the fourth quarter, but a late Brynn Harvey rushing touchdown and a touchdown pass from Brett Hodges to Rocky Ross with just 23 seconds left in the game propelled UCF to victory over their division rival.The fourth quarter rally began when UCF took possession with 10:16 left in the game on Marshall's 43. Hodges connected with Ricky Kay for 16 yards and a Harvey run for three yards brough UCF to the 24.
Two incomplete passes later and the Knights were looking at 4th and 7. Hodges threw a 21-yard pass to Ross, putting UCF on Marshall's 3. Two plays later, Harvey's run and a Nick Cattoi extra point brought the Knights to within six of Marshall with 7:45 left to play.
The Knights' defense forced a Marshall three-and-out and, following a Kase Whitehead punt for 50 yards, UCF took over on their own 33.
UCF again faced a fourth down situation seven plays later, this time from Marshall's 18. Hodges' pass to receiver A.J. Guyton fell incomplete, however, and Marshall took over on downs.
Darius Marshall ran for four yards and an offisdes penalty against UCF moved Marshall to second and 1. Marshall quarterback Brian Anderson called his own number and rushed for two yards, but UCF defensive end Bruce Miller ripped the ball from Anderson's hands and cornerback Josh Robinson fell on it, giving UCF a first and 10 on Marshall's 30.
Miller also recorded 2.5 sacks in the game and earned C-USA defensive player of the week.

“He’s like every good pass rusher: they’re always great second effort players," O'Leary said about Miller. "He was on the sideline saying ‘Just hold him up, I’ll get it out,’ and he did.”

"Somebody just had to make a play and fortunately I was in a position where I could get the ball out, and that is what happened," Miller said.
From third and 10 on Marshall's 20, Hodges completed a 19-yard pass to Kamar Aiken. The next play was Ross' one yard reception to tie the game at 20. Cattoi's extra point was the go-ahead score.
“I was worried about running [the ball], not making it, and then clock, clock, clock. We had no timeouts left. You say we should have time to run another play, but it would have been hurried. They didn’t even cover [Ross]. There was no one on him," O'Leary said.
"It was a little play action sprint play," Hodges said. "I walked up to the line at first and nobody was guarding [Ross]. It confused me a little bit and I was wondering if they were tricking me. We sent A.J. [Guyton] in motion and [Ross] was still open so I just put a nice little touch pass out there for him."
Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter. Marshall struck first with a seven play, 91 yard drive capped off by an Anderson pass to Cody Slate for four yards.
UCF was able to respond on their next drive, an eight play, 72-yarder capped by a four yard Hodges pass to Aiken. Cattoi's extra point tied the game at 7 all with 7:51 left in the first half.
Marshall (5-4, 3-2 C-USA) regained the lead following their next possession as kicker Cra Ratanamorn scored a field goal from 30 yards.
The Herd scored a second touchdown in the second quarter as Marshall ran into the end zone from three yards out, giving the Herd a 10 point advantage going into halftime.
Ratanamorn kicked a second field goal with 3:25 left in the third quarter, following a nine play, 32 yard drive.
UCF's (5-3, 3-2 C-USA) next game is Nov. 7 when the Knights travel to No. 2 Texas (8-0, 5-0 Big 12).

Tuskers clinch championship berth with second win over Locomotives

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A scoreless first quarter gave way to an offensive slugfest that nearly resulted in the first overtime game in United Football League history, but the Florida Tuskers held on to win 27-24 over the Las Vegas Locomotives at Tropicana Field in front of an announced crowd of 11,354 Friday night, moving to 4-0 on the season and clinching a spot in the UFL championship game.

“When you lose the turnover battle and they outrush you by a massive yardage and you play probably your worst game out of the four games and you still win the game, it says you have a little bit of character in your room," said Tuskers head coach Jim Haslett.Locomotives quarterback J.P. Losman had a chance at leading a final scoring drive late in the fourth, but after an 8-yard run on first down, the Florida defense forced a sack of six yards and two incomplete passes to turn the ball over on downs. Tuskers quarterback Brooks Bollinger came out and took a knee with 13 seconds left in the game to seal the victory.

“As far as being the first of the two teams to go to the UFL championship, it's great. It’s exciting," said Tuskers receiver Marcus Maxwell, who had two touchdown catches in the game.
Florida had two turnovers in the first quarter, a Jermaine Wiggins fumble forced by Las Vegas linebacker Brandon Moore and a Brooks Bollinger interception in the end zone by defensive back Trey Young.
"I heisted, threw late to [Pittman]. If I’d thrown it early it would have been a touchdown. As a quarterback you can’t have turnovers in the red zone," Bollinger said.
The Tuskers defense held Las Vegas scoreless in the first as well, forcing two punts. Defensive back Jerome Carter intercepted Losman as well, returning the ball 83 yards before being tackled by Locomotives wide receiver Samie Parker.
Florida had possession at the start of the second quarter and continued an eventual 10 play, 80 yard scoring drive capped off with a Bollinger pass to Maxwell from 9 yards out.
Las Vegas kicker Graham Gano missed a 41 yard field goal attempt on the next possession, and the Locos defense forced a Tuskers three-and-out.
The Locos' next play was a flea-flicker trick play. Losman tossed the ball to his running back, who tossed the ball back to Losman. Losman then fired a 60-yard bomb to a wide open Tab Perry for six, and Gano's extra point tied the game at 7 all.
Florida's next possession ended in a turnover as tight end Keith Heinrich coughed the ball up after a hit by Las Vegas defensive back Joe Porter. Nick Turnbull scooped up the loose ball and scampered 43 yards to the Florida 22.
The fumble was especially frustrating because the Tuskers had successfully converted a 4th-and-6 with a fake punt run by running back Shaud Williams, who gained 29 yards on the play.
“We run that once in a while," Haslett said of his own trick play. "We’ve been working on it for about a month, so I told ‘em ‘We’re gonna run this thing come hell or high water.' The opportunity arose today and we ran it."
The next Locomotives play was a hand-off to running back DeDe Dorsey, who ran the 22 yards into the end zone, giving Las Vegas the lead and marking the first time the Tuskers trailed in a game in two games.
Florida's next score came on their second possession of the third quarter as Bollinger and Maxwell hooked up again, this time for 46 yards. Matt Bryant's extra point tied the game at 14 with 11:56 left in the third.
Florida and Las Vegas traded field goals.
Gano scored first for Las Vegas from 40 yards out with 9:01 left in the third, followed soon after by a Bryant kick from 31 with 4:51 left in the third.
Florida running back Tatum Bell scored the go-ahead touchdown with a 1-yard run to make it 24-17, capping a 7 play, 86 yard drive with 8:08 left in the game.
Las Vegas needed just three plays to tie the game again, including a 71-yard run from Dorsey, setting up the scoring 2-yard pass from Losman to tight end John Madsen.
Florida's next drive was capped off with a 40 yard Bryant field goal to give the Tuskers their slimmest margin of victory in four games.
Bollinger finished the night with 22 completions in 35 attempts (62.8%) for 321 yards and two touchdowns and one interception.
The Tuskers are on the road for their next three games, two regular season contests against the New York Sentinels on Nov. 12 and against the California Redwoods Nov. 19 and the championship game in Las Vegas.

“I told ‘em I’d be disappointed if we don’t go undefeated. If we go 5-1 going to the championship, you know what? You’re good enough that you should win ‘em all,” Haslett said.

The Tuskers have previously beaten both of their upcoming opponents, 35-13 over New York Oct. 10 and 34-7 over California Oct. 22.