1984 Los Angeles Express season

1984 Los Angeles Express season
Head coach	John Hadl
Home stadium	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	10–8
Division place	1st Pacific Division (USFL)
Conference place	2nd, Western Conference
Playoffs	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Michigan Panthers) 27–21 Lost Western Conference Championship (vs. Arizona Wranglers) 25–35

The 1984 season was the second season for the Los Angeles Express in the United States Football League. The Express were led by new head coach John Hadl and finished with a 10–8 record, clinching the Pacific division and qualifying for the playoffs and improving on their record from the previous season by two games. The Express faced and defeated the Michigan Panthers, the Central division wildcard team, 27-21, at home in the divisional playoff game. They then faced their division rivals, the Arizona Wranglers, whom had upset the heavily favored Central division champion Houston Gamblers in a divisional playoff matchup, in the Western Conference title game. The Express had finished the regular season tied with the Wranglers with a record of 10-8 before winning the Pacific division on a tie breaker. The Express lost the game, which was played in Sun Devil Stadium, 35-25.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	February 26	Denver Gold	L 10–27	0–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	32,082
2	March 4	Birmingham Stallions	L 14-21	0-2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	14,789
3	March 11	at Oakland Invaders	W 10–0	1-2	Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum	23,479
4	March 17	at San Antonio Gunslingers	W 13-12	2–2	Alamo Stadium	9,821
5	March 25	Jacksonville Bulls	L 7-13	2-3	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	8,000
6	April 1	New Jersey Generals	L 10–26	2-4	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	19,853
7	April 9	at Denver Gold	L 27–35	2–5	Mile High Stadium	19,115
8	April 14	Memphis Showboats	W 23–17 (OT)	3–5	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	10,049
9	April 20	at Chicago Blitz	L 29–49	3–6	Soldier Field	11,713
10	April 30	at Houston Gamblers	W 27–24 (OT)	4–6	Astrodome	30,727
11	May 5	Pittsburgh Maulers	W 20–12	5–6	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	16,789
12	May 13	at Philadelphia Stars	L 14–18	5–7	Veterans Stadium	22,391
13	May 20	Michigan Panthers	W 24–17	6–7	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	10,193
14	May 26	Arizona Wranglers	W 24-17	7–7	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	11,702
15	June 3	at Washington Federals	W 35–21	8-7	RFK Stadium	5,263
16	June 10	at Oklahoma Outlaws	W 17–10	9-7	Skelly Stadium	22,017
17	June 15	Oakland Invaders	W 24–19	10-17	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	14,794
18	July 3	Arizona Wranglers	L 10–35	10–8	Sun Devil Stadium	35,258

Sources

Playoff schedule

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Location
Divisional Playoffs	June 30	Michigan Panthers	W 27–21 (3 OT)	1–0	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Western Conference Championship	July 17	Arizona Wranglers	L 25–35	1–1	Sun Devil Stadium

Rosters

Opening Day roster

1984 Los Angeles Express Opening Day roster
Quarterbacks 8 Steve Young 15 Tom Ramsey 10 Frank Seurer Running backs  3 Kevin Nelson FB 27 Kevin Mack FB 25 Mel Gray RB 24 Tony Boddie RB 32 LaRue Harrington FB 31 Reggie Brown FB 81 David Hersey RB/TE Wide receivers 87 Anthony Allen 26 JoJo Townsell 83 Duane Gunn 87 Freddie Scott 84 Malcolm Moore Tight ends 88 Ricky Ellis RB/TE 86 Mike Sherrod WR/TE 89 Darren Long		Offensive linemen 70 Derrick Kennard G 78 Gus Coppens LT 60 Mike Durrette LG 72 Jeff Hart RG 66 Chris Foote C 67 Michael Wilson G/T 66 Terry Crouch G 55 Mike Ruether OL /TE/LB 62 Greg Loberg OL Defensive linemen 61 Eddie Weaver DT/DE 92 Rich Dimler 71 Dewey Forte DT 90 Fletcher Jenkins DE /DT 95 Ivan Lesnik DT 99 James Robinson DT 79 Charles Ussery RDT 73 Lee Williams RDE		Linebackers 52 John Truitt LB 53 Danny Rich LLB 56 Greg Williams MLB 58 David Howard 54 Howard Carson 50 Kevin Turner LB 57 Dan Lute LB 55 Jerome Franey LB 58 Rickey Orange LB Defensive backs 22 Wymon Henderson 20 Tyrone Justin RCB 27 Mike Fox FS 43 Dwight Drane DB 43 Gary Lowell CB/WR 46 Darrell Patillo CB 23 Ed Scott DB 47 Troy West S 34 Aaron Mitchell FS Special teams 11 Tony Zendejas K  16 Jeff Partridge P		Developmental squad 55 Sam Norris LB 65 Wayne Jones G 63 Doug West LB 14 Tom Ramsey QB 76 Denver Johnson T 75 George Achica DT		Injured reserve rookies in italics 55 Active, 5 Developmental

Final roster

1984 Los Angeles Express final roster
Quarterbacks 8 Steve Young 15 Tom Ramsey 10 Frank Seurer Running backs  3 Kevin Nelson FB 27 Kevin Mack FB 25 Mel Gray RB 24 Tony Boddie RB 32 LaRue Harrington FB 31 Reggie Brown FB 81 David Hersey RB/TE Wide receivers 87 Anthony Allen 26 JoJo Townsell 83 Duane Gunn 87 Freddie Scott 84 Malcolm Moore Tight ends 88 Ricky Ellis RB/TE 86 Mike Sherrod WR/TE 89 Darren Long		Offensive linemen 70 Derrick Kennard G 78 Gus Coppens LT 60 Mike Durrette LG 72 Jeff Hart RG 66 Chris Foote C 67 Michael Wilson G/T 66 Terry Crouch G 55 Mike Ruether OL /TE/LB 62 Greg Loberg OL Defensive linemen 61 Eddie Weaver DT/DE 75 George Achica DT 71 Dewey Forte DT 90 Fletcher Jenkins DE /DT 95 Ivan Lesnik DT 99 James Robinson DT 73 Lee Williams RDE		Linebackers 52 John Truitt LB 53 Danny Rich LLB 58 David Howard 54 Howard Carson 50 Kevin Turner LB Defensive backs 22 Wymon Henderson 20 Tyrone Justin RCB 27 Mike Fox FS 48 David Rackley DB 43 Dwight Drane DB 43 Gary Lowell CB/WR 46 Darrell Patillo CB 23 Ed Scott DB 47 Troy West S 34 Aaron Mitchell FS Special teams 11 Tony Zendejas K  16 Jeff Partridge P		Developmental squad -- John Barnett RB -- Kirby Warren RB 55 Sam Norris LB 65 Wayne Jones G 56 Greg Williams MLB 63 Doug West LB -- Timmy White WR / RB 85 Gordon Hudson WR 14 Tom Ramsey QB 76 Denver Johnson T 57 Dann Lute LB		Injured reserve None - N/A rookies in italics 50 Active, 11 Developmental