1968 Free Agency

1968 Free Agency

Free agency opened up with a lot more talent than usual due to the tightened cap. However, that didn’t seem to stop teams from offering out big money, especially for the top players. 

1 - WR Zachariah Pembroke
Pembroke had spent the last 6 seasons with the Buffalo Blue Wings where he won 3 McCallister Cups. Now, he was easily the best player available in free agency. Of course, there were several teams making bids for his services. Boston, Indiana, Long Island, Montreal, Pittsburgh, and Toronto all made an offer to Pembroke. As the bidding for Pembroke’s services continued the price just went up to the point where only Boston, Pittsburgh, and Toronto were willing to pay Pembroke that high of a salary. Pembroke still wanted to compete along with getting paid, so the decision was much easier simply looking at the rosters, where Boston, despite missing the playoffs, had a better foundation. Pembroke would ink a 2-year, $52,000 contract with the Independents. Boston has been in desperate need of a top-tier WR and Pembroke should absolutely provide that. Pembroke also makes a return to Massachusetts, having played his first 3 seasons as a member of the Worcester Athletics. 

2 - DL Tournel Guay
Guay was the next player to leave the Blue Wing Dynasty. With defensive line being a high-demand position, there were many teams in the hunt for Guay, and even some that just threw a deal in just to be considered. London, Montreal, and Toronto would be the highest bidders, but the veteran DL would decide to head home and sign a 2-year contract with the Montreal Rouge. The Montreal native should be a great addition to the Rouge defence, who will be looking to improve on last season. 

3 - OL Richard Justice
Justice ended the 1967 season in Indiana after his longtime team, Toronto, had traded him at the deadline. For a while, many linked Justice to be one to return to Toronto this offseason, however, it appears that Justice was not interested in going back. Despite getting a pretty significant offer from the Steelheads, Justice elected to take a different route and signed with the London Tigers. Justice had enjoyed his time around London the few times the Steelheads played there, and thought it would be a great place to end his career. Justice will likely take recently-retired OL Magnus Gunnersson’s spot on the line for the 1968 season. 

4 - QB Stanley Troyer
Troyer was unable to ink a new deal with the Raiders prior to free agency. He has started almost every game for the Raiders over the last 5 seasons, leading them to 3 McCallister Cup appearances and 1 win. However, GM Wayne Tillman was not confident in his abilities to be counted on in big moments, so he was not looking to pay the QB anything more than what he was making. Troyer of course wanted a raise. Unfortunately, outside of the Raiders, there were not any NAAF teams all that interested in Troyer, at least for a starting role. Tillman offered a cheaper deal in free agency, hoping that Troyer did not get many good offers and would just sign back with the team. Pittsburgh was the only other team rumoured to be making an offer in hopes of adding a little veteran stability behind QB Louis Vaughn. Neither of the contracts Troyer got were anywhere close to being what he wanted. However, he got a very good deal from outside the NAAF. In a shocking move, Troyer would ink a 3-year contract with the GLFL’s Cleveland Captains. Troyer is expected to be the starter for the team next season and will be paid $28,000 a season, $3,000 more than his NAAF salary. Captains' owner, Jack Attwood, was very excited about poaching an NAAF QB to the GLFL.

5 - RB Théodore Lemieux
Running backs were getting a lot of offers from several teams in the NAAF. Whether teams were looking for a new starter or some insurance as a #2 option, big offers were being sent to any of the top RBs available. Théodore Lemieux’s breakout performance in the 1967 playoffs made him the most sought-after RB. He would receive deals from Boston, Buffalo, Long Island, Louisville, Montreal, and Pittsburgh. Boston and Louisville stood out as teams looking for a starter, while Buffalo remained in the conversation due to the potential desire to keep playing with his brother. However, Louisville kept making a push to try and get Lemieux on their team. After all, they got to see what he could do firsthand when he scored 3 touchdowns against them in the West Division Final. In the end, Louisville would sign Lemieux to be their new starting RB on a 2-year, $46,000 deal. 

6 OL Harrison Ward
Ward was traded to the Mariners last season to be given a chance at winning the McCallister Cup. Unfortunately, the Mariners failed to make the playoffs. Ward was considering retirement but still wanted to go for the cup. He would return and get a few offers, even one to return to Montreal where he spent his entire career up to last season. However, Ward’s hunt for the cup would top the desire for familiarity and he would sign a new 1-year deal with the defending champs in Buffalo, who add Ward to probably their weakest position.  

7 - LB Quinn Masters
Masters’ situation seemed to create controversy in Toronto after the former 19th overall pick decided to not even consider the Steelheads’ offer following the expiration of his rookie deal. Masters entered free agency knowing exactly where he wanted to go. The Pittsburgh native grew up with the dream to be on the Pittsburgh Hammers but had decided to head to the NAAF following many controversies surrounding the ACFL and the Hammers. He still hoped he could play for the NAAF's new Pittsburgh team at some point in his career. He took the risk this offseason to enter free agency and it would pay off, landing a 3-year deal with the Pittsburgh Blacksmiths.

8 - RB Tresean Jones 
Following Lemieux’s signing, many of the remaining RBs started to find contracts fairly quickly. Jones had not played up to par for the Independents over his rookie contract, so he was left out of a deal despite being a former 8th overall pick. Jones got a lot of the same teams as Lemieux did interested in his services, but he would decide to head to Pittsburgh on a new 2-year deal. Jones will pair up with RB Carter Roy as a tandem in Pittsburgh. The interesting thing here is Jones’ contract is worth more than Roy’s which may not sit well with the current starting RB. 

9 - WR Russell Wilcox
Wilcox is easily one of the more underrated WRs in the league. He has spent his entire career with the Tigers, and has been arguably their best WR the past couple of seasons. Only Indiana and Montreal offered contracts to Wilcox. Both were very enticing with both teams needing a 3rd WR. In the end, Montreal was offering a slightly better contract and better position as likely the #2 WR for the team, so he inked a 2-year deal with thwm.

10 - LB Calvin Hardy
The last member of the top 10 was the most hotly sought-after linebacker. Hardy has been the Thunder’s top LB for a couple of seasons, and along with a high demand for LBs, Hardy became a very valuable piece. Many teams made offers, but a team with only 1 true starter on their roster, the Montreal Rouge, would land the linebacker. Hardy would sign a new 1-year contract with the Rouge worth $18,750.

The Rest
Montreal would continue to be busy, signing LB George Yokoi to pair up with Hardy and Conrad Kurst to form a strong LB core for next season. They would also sign DB William Quincy, DL Theo Conte, OL Paul O’Doherty, and WR Denis Langlois. 

Boston was aggressive as well, especially after missing out on some of the other high-end targets. They would give LB Joe Larkin a lucrative deal, and then would add RB Rodney Clark as their new starting RB. Clark has spent the last 7 seasons with the Thunder and has done quite well, although he did see a decline in production last season. Boston would also add DL Chuck Charleston III and OL Brian O’Leary to shore up the lines. 

The last of the busy teams would be Toronto. They did struggle to get any of the top free agents, due to their 2-10 finish last season, but they got some solid pieces in DL Dexter Barbarcos, OL Fabrice Beaufort, and OL Wolfgang Vander Waal. They would also get WR Samuel Petri to return to Toronto after 1 season in Louisville. 

Some other interesting moves would see DB Nick Ulbach swap from the Blue Wings to the Raiders, WR Orlando Barrack would bring his speed to the Blacksmiths’ offence, and DB Ty Boone would sign quite a large contract with the Gold Stars, which many view as an overpay. 

There were also a couple of QBs changing teams with Lee Rogers heading to Indiana to back up Tom Applewhite and QB Magnus Torrensen hoping to potentially take advantage of a Kiernan retirement by joining the Tigers for a pair of seasons. 

Top 25 Free Agents - Format: OLD TEAM -> NEW TEAM Length (Y), Annual Salary ($)
1 - WR Zachariah Pembroke BUF -> BOS 2Y, $26,000
2 - DL Tournel Guay BUF -> MTL 2Y, $26,000
3 - OL Richard Justice IND -> LDN 1Y, $16,500
4 - QB Stanley Troyer LI -> GLFL CLE 3Y, $28,000
5 - RB Théodore Lemieux BUF -> LOU 2Y, $23,000
6 - OL Harrison Ward HFX -> BUF 1Y, $15,000
7 - LB Quinn Masters TOR -> PIT 3Y, $17,500
8 - RB Tresean Jones BOS -> PIT 2Y, $20,000
9 - WR Russell Wilcox LDN -> MTL 2Y, $18,250
10 - LB Calvin Hardy LOU -> MTL 1Y, $18,750
11 - LB Joe Larkin OTT -> BOS 1Y, $19,000
12 - LB George Yokoi LDN -> MTL 1Y, $18,000
13 - RB Rodney Clark LOU -> BOS 1Y, $20,000
14 - DL Dexter Barbarcos LI -> TOR 1Y< $17,500
15 - DB William Quincy HFX -> MTL 1Y, $17,500
16 - DB Nick Ulbach BUF -> LI 1Y, $18,500
17 - WR Derek Cross MTL
18 - DB Ty Boone PIT -> PRO 2Y, $19,000
19 - QB Magnus Torrensen PIT -> LDN 2Y, $17,000
20 - OL Wolfgang Vander Waal HFX -> TOR 2Y, $17,500
21 - WR Orlando Barrack IND -> PIT 2Y, $20,000
22 - QB Ulysses Lawyer LDN
23 - S Peter Sellers PRO
24 - QB Lee Rogers HFX -> IND 1Y, $14,500
25 - OL Brian O’Leary LI -> BOS 1Y, $16,000

1968 Re-Sign Stage

1968 Re-Sign Stage

1968 Salary-Cap: $630,000
The cap was increased an additional $5,000 in order to accommodate the minimum salary of the additional roster slots for this season.

BOSTON INDEPENDENTS
The Independents seem to be heading for another large overhaul this offseason, as they head into free agency with the fewest players under contract. The biggest bit of drama coming out of Boston was surrounding RB Tresean Jones. The former 8th overall pick was looking to make starting RB money this offseason, but Boston did not have the confidence to give him the significantly higher salary, so the two sides were at a stalemate heading into free agency.

Roster: 21/42
Cap Space: $245,500

Signings
QB Oscar Rigano - 1Y, $17,500
TE Tobias Lindholm - 1Y, $17,500
DL Timmy Kerr - 1Y, $20,000 - NTC
DL Allen St.Benson - 1Y, $15,000
DL Moses Abraham - 3Y, $16,000-$17,000
S Jack Simon - 1Y, $14,000

BUFFALO BLUE WINGS
The cap crunch caused some issues for the NAAF Champions. The team was able to lock up several key pieces in OL Johannes König, DL Lonnie Vincent, and DL William Sanderson, however, they are also losing some key pieces in DL Tournel Guay, WR Zachariah Pembroke, and RB Théodore Lemieux. Lemieux is still keeping Buffalo in consideration, but after his breakout playoff performance, he is aiming to see if there is a good opportunity out there.

Roster: 27/42
Cap Space: $160,600

Signings
QB Jack Owens - 1Y, $16,000
OL Garth Brooklyn - 2Y, $12,500
OL Johannes König - 2Y, $15,000
WR Jimmy Jack - 2Y, $15,000
TE Paul Arturberry - 2Y, $17,000
TE Jean-Pierre Beaumont - 1Y, $8,500
DL Lonnie Vincent - 2Y, $30,000-$25,000 - NTC
DL William Sanderson - 1Y, $35,000
LB Billy Frederick - 2Y, $10,000
DB Michael Cornell III - 1Y, $10,000
S Manuel Ray - 1Y, $8,500
K Ryan Perch - 3Y, $14,500 - NTC

HALIFAX MARINERS
The hiring of HC Ben McMillan helped the Mariners keep some important players with the team through the extension period. The most important signings being OL Flint Boyer, LB Bear Donnelly, and DB Aquilio Ruiz. However, there are still going to be some holes to fill with players like OL Harrison Ward and DB William Quincy hitting free agency.

Roster: 28/42
Cap Space: $133,000

Signings
QB Jace Beleren - 1Y, $14,500
RB Adam Zingaro - 2Y, $10,000
OL Flint Boyer - 2Y, $17,500
WR Dwayne Alexander - 1Y, $15,000
TE Dylan Chowder - 2Y, $12,000
LB Bear Donnelly - 2Y, $21,000
LB Hector Greenville - 1Y, $10,000
DB Aquillio Ruiz - 2Y, $22,500
DB Finnegan Pike - 1Y, $10,000
S Frankie Munster - 1Y, $10,500

INDIANA VICTORS
Indiana had an easy offseason last year with the fewest expiring contracts, but this season, they had a lot more to do. GM Everett Henderson did a good job at keeping the bulk of the team together, inking up his two top WRs in Ed Edwards and Silas Peyton, and keeping several important young defenders in DL Brandon Hall and LB Marshall Langenbrunner. However, the toughest decision was surrounding the run game, where the Victors have a strong RB in Raymond Green, but they also have a former 6th overall pick in Reggie Whitehead who is itching to see the field. In the end, the team decided to extend Green, having more confidence in the veteran, but it could mean that Whitehead is at risk of walking away next offseason.

Roster: 29/42
Cap Space: $138,500

Signings
RB Raymond Green 2Y, $27,000
OL Jimmy McKay - 1Y, $17,000
OL Taylor Alexander - 2Y, $12,500
WR Ed Edwards - 2Y, $30,000 - NTC
WR Silas Peyton - 1Y, $22,500 - NTC
TE Emmanuel Hines - 1Y, $17,500
DL Ilya Mikaelov - 2Y, $21,000
DL Brandon Hall - 2Y, $18,000
DL Douglas Jackson - 1Y, $10,000
LB Marshall Langenbrunner - 2Y, $17,500
LB Lucas Gladwell - 1Y, $10,000
DB Kelly Kirkland - 1Y, $26,000 - NTC
DB Adam Levesque - 2Y, $14,000
DB Tim McGovern - 2Y, $12,000
S Tom Parrish - 2Y, $18,500

LONDON TIGERS
The Tigers had a tough decision to make at QB. The question for GM Joseph Johnson was: Do we go with a younger option Ulysses Lawyer or stick to the veteran in Riley Kiernan? In the end, Johnson would go with Kiernan on a 1-year contract at a much cheaper cap hit, over the younger and inexperienced QB. Due to the Kiernan signing, Lawyer decided to walk away and enter free agency. Outside of the QB decision, the Tigers did lock up several other important veterans in WR Joshua Lafleur, DB Jackson Miles, and of course K Nimrod Handsworth. 

Roster: 28/42
Cap Space: $183,500

Signings
QB Riley Kiernan - 1Y, $34,000 - NTC
OL Jeffery Uduike - 3Y, $19,000
OL Terrence Patterson - 1Y, $10,000
WR Joshua Lafleur - 2Y, $20,000
WR Max Sutton - 1Y, $16,000
WR Lannor Doris - 1Y, $7,500
TE Bob Friesen - 1Y, $9,000
DL Teddy Piper - 1Y, $10,000
LB Gideon Jura - 1Y, $17,500
DB Jackson Miles - 1Y, $28,000 - NTC
DB Jacques Gaul - 1Y, $14,500
DB Rob Risker - 1Y, $12,500
S Neil Graham - 1Y, $18,000
K Nimrod Handsworth - 4Y, $17,500 - NTC

LONG ISLAND RAIDERS
More QB drama was occurring in Long Island ahead of free agency. QB Stanley Troyer has been a solid QB for the team over the years being a part of the team’s run of 3 McCallister Cup appearances in 4 years. However, GM/Owner Wayne Tillman has not been all that impressed with the QB’s play. With the success that the team has had with Troyer, it is no surprise the QB wants a raise in salary. However, Tillman does not have any interest in increasing Troyer’s pay by a significant amount. In the end, the two sides could not come to terms on a new deal, leaving Troyer out of Long Island. Tillman did still sign QB Landon Ross to an extension, feeling like he isn’t much different than Troyer and is much cheaper. Ross will likely compete with 3rd-year QB Ivan Sanchez for the starting job.

Roster: 30/42
Cap Space: $147,500

Signings
QB Landon Ross - 1Y, $18,000
RB Dareion Fields - 1Y, $30,000 - NTC
OL Elliot Winterbottom - 1Y, $20,000
OL Leroy Hankins - 1Y, $10,000
WR Chad Anderson - 2Y, $16,000
WR Otto Washington - 1Y, $14,500
TE Christopher Gist - 1Y, $15,000
DL Abraham Evans Jr. - 1Y, $12,000
LB Deon Wiggins - 1Y, $18,000 - NTC
LB Ed Krzano - 2Y, $18,000
LB Damien Savoie - 1Y, $10,000

LOUISVILLE THUNDER
Louisville ended up signing 3 huge extensions this season. They first brought back DL Bjorn Sigmarsson on a 2-year deal. Then, they focused on their duo of young WRs. Breakout WR Lloyd Lane would ink a 4-year deal while WR Casey Coleman was convinced to stay with the Thunder on a new 3-year deal. The rebuild looks to be continuing in the right direction for GM Robbie Wilson and company.

Roster: 26/42
Cap Space: $171,000

Signings
RB Lando Blake - 1Y, $8,500
OL Bernhard Altermann - 1Y, $14,000
OL Benedict Benedicto - 1Y, $16,000
OL Jordan Bryson - 2Y, $12,000
WR Lloyd Lane - 4Y, $25,000 - $27,500 - NTC (in Year 3)
WR Casey Coleman - 3Y, $27,500 - NTC
TE Davis Langer - 1Y, $8,500
DL Bjorn Sigmarsson - 2Y, $27,000 - NTC
LB Dolph Vindslow - 2Y, $7,500
DB Jayden Mills - 1Y, $25,000
S Tom McDougall - 2Y, $17,500
K Frank Hughes - 2Y, $13,000

MONTREAL ROUGE
The Rouge were pretty quiet during the re-sign stage. They made a couple of important signings in bringing back MVP S Garet deVale for 2 more years, DB Jayson Klyde for a couple more, and breakout LB Conrad Kurst. They didn’t do a whole lot on the offensive side of the ball, but they could be big hunters in free agency having the 2nd largest amount of cap space.

Roster: 22/42
Cap Space: $261,500

Signings
OL Ross Guillebeaux - 1Y, $11,000
WR James Hess - 1Y, $12,000
TE Hunter Ziegelbauer - 2Y, $15,000
TE Sylvain Leblanc - 1Y, $9,000
DL Albert Kirk - 1Y, $8,500
LB Conrad Kurst - 2Y, $19,500
LB Greg Manson - 1Y, $9,00
DB Jayson Klyde - 2Y, $25,000
S Garet deVale - 2Y, $28,500
K Arthur Kettinger - 1Y, $16,000

OTTAWA ROYALS
A lot of familiar faces will be returning to Canada’s capital for this upcoming season. Youngins like LB Sam Wheeler and OL Amos Sewell inked new deals while some veterans like Captain S Randall Green and Alternate Captain WR Marshall Leonard are also re-signed. The most interesting piece might be DL Lawrence Armstrong, who many thought would retire after last season. However, the DL was out to prove to his old Steelheads squad that he was not done yet. He also liked the atmosphere in Ottawa and wanted to give it one last go. 

Roster: 30/42
Cap Space: $174,000

Signings
QB Tyrion Gainsborough - 2Y, $12,500
RB Robert Jack - 1Y, $11,000
OL Amos Sewell - 2Y, $14,000
WR Marshall Leonard - 2Y, $22,000 - NTC
TE Wayne Bruce - 1Y, $10,000
DL Lawrence Armstrong - 1Y, $20,000 - NTC
LB Sam Wheeler - 2Y, $17,500
LB Aristofane Zuccaro -2Y, $14,000
DB Wesley Nires - 1Y, $19,500
S Randall Green - 1Y, $24,000 - NTC
S Clancy Scott - 1Y, $10,000
K Ira Foster - 2Y, $16,500

PITTSBURGH BLACKSMITHS
The Blacksmiths made a lot of solid signings, although they needed to overpay a little on some players in order to keep them around. They do bring back most of the key building blocks from the team with DL Sammy Pickett, LB Red Clarkson, and most importantly OL Erik Nelson. They still have a lot of cap room which should help them in the hunt for players in free agency. 

Roster: 26/42
Cap Space: $252,500

Signings
QB Travis Jackson - 1Y, $12,000
RB Ed Finley - 1Y, $12,000
OL Erik Nelson - 4Y, $22,000 - NTC (in Year 3)
WR Justin Dubuque - 1Y, $13,000
TE Bobby Clark - 1Y, $10,500
DL Sammy Pickett - 1Y, $20,000
DL Tyrone Powers - 2Y, $14,000
DL Austin Antonio - 1Y, $15,000
LB Red Clarkson - 2Y, $22,000
LB Patrick Hamilton - 3Y, $18,000
LB Dylan Hill - 1Y, $14,000
DB Ike Vander Waal - 1Y, $15,000
DB Corey Ross - 1Y, $16,000
K Al Highlander - 1Y, $13,000

PROVIDENCE GOLD STARS
Providence is hoping to make it back-to-back playoff seasons, so GM Peter Brooks and HC Garrett Boone were busy trying to bring back the best of the best from their team last season. It would take a bit of negotiation, but they were able to bring back OL Joseph Samberg, as well as WR Cedric Peterson to keep the offence intact. Then they would bring back DL Craig White and DL Ryan Sargent on lucrative deals to keep their strong defence rolling. 

Roster: 27/42
Cap Space: $159,000

Signings
QB Terry Bourbon - 1Y, $18,500
OL Joseph Samberg - 4Y, $20,000
OL Nicholas Waller - 1Y, $17,500
OL Ted Cole - 2Y, $12,000
OL Byron Foster - 1Y, $11,500
WR Cedric Peterson - 1Y, $27,500 - NTC
WR Leonard Green - 1Y, $8,500
TE Ronald Orwer - 1Y, $10,000
DL Craig White - 2Y, $30,000 - NTC
DL Ryan Sargent - 2Y, $22,000
LB Caruso Robinson - 1Y, $14,500
K Elvis Franklin - 2Y, $13,000

TORONTO STEELHEADS
The front office of the Steelheads are in a position they are not used to being in. In the OFU, this was the place to play, so now that they are a bottom dweller in the NAAF, they have to work a bit harder to keep players around. They did an okay job with this, however, most of the big names returning are the veterans, who have been in Toronto for a while in DL Allen Barrera, DB Orville Blake, and LB Sebastian Andrews III. They were able to keep S Charles Clerk on a big 4-year deal worth $100,000, however, 2nd round LB Quinn Masters has decided to not even consider signing with the Steelheads and will walk after the end of his contract. Toronto did voice some concerns with the league on key younger players just walking away after their rookie contracts. 

Roster: 22/42
Cap Space: $263,000

Signings
QB Matt Fletcher - 1Y, $17,500
RB Lukas Ivarsson - 1Y, $17,000
OL Evan Kilgore - 1Y, $10,000
OL Elliot Owen - 1Y, $12,000
WR Kyle Hatherly - 1Y, $12,000
DL Allen Barrera - 2Y, $22,000
LB Sebastian Andrews III - 1Y, $23,000
DB Orville Blake - 1Y, $25,000 - NTC
S Charles Clerk - 4Y, $25,000 - NTC (in Year 3)

Top 25 Free Agents
1 - WR Zachariah Pembroke BUF
2 - DL Tournel Guay BUF
3 - OL Richard Justice IND
4 - QB Stanley Troyer LI
5 - RB Théodore Lemieux BUF
6 - OL Harrison Ward HFX
7 - LB Quinn Masters TOR
8 - RB Tresean Jones BOS
9 - WR Russell Wilcox LDN
10 - LB Calvin Hardy LOU
11 - LB Joe Larkin OTT
12 - LB George Yokoi LDN
13 - RB Rodney Clark LOU
14 - DL Dexter Barbarcos
15 - DB William Quincy HFX
16 - DB Nick Ulbach BUF
17 - WR Derek Cross MTL
18 - DB Ty Boone PIT
19 - QB Magnus Torrensen PIT
20 - OL Wolfgang Vander Waal HFX
21 - WR Orlando Barrack IND
22 - QB Ulysses Lawyer LDN
23 - S Peter Sellers PRO
24 - QB Lee Rogers HFX
25 - OL Brian O’Leary LI

1968 Staff Changes

1968 Staff Changes

Joseph Curry’s retirement left Ottawa with a hole they have not had to fill since 1954. However, everyone knew the man that would replace the league’s longest-serving head coach. Once Jean Matieau had been hired as the Offensive Coordinator right out of retirement, it seemed pretty obvious that the team was aiming to have Matieau be the eventual successor to Curry. So within a week of Curry’s retirement, the Royals introduced Matieau and the team’s 3rd Head Coach. 

Around the rest of the league, many coaches and GMs were extended. Maurice Evanson extended with the Blue Wings, GM Joseph Johnson and HC Roy Aguirre are staying with the Tigers, GM Peter Brooks and HC Garrett Boone are continuing with the Gold Stars, HC Jimmy Sargent earned a new contract with Montreal, and Toronto is bringing back GM Howard Stinton and HC Ronald Martin.

There were not many coaches being let go, but there were still some changes. The biggest being out of Halifax. The Mariners officially let go of HC Urick Wilkins, despite the 3-year extension he signed last season. The firing comes after back-to-back seasons where the team has struggled in the second half of the season, which led to the team missing the playoffs this past season despite being looked at as a championship contender. Halifax’s search for a new coach took a little more effort than the Royals’. They interviewed several candidates: their own OC Alfred Denieu and DC Phillip Little, Buffalo coordinators OC Soni Dionne and DC Steve Pallard, and a pair of free agents in Ben McMillan and Perry Powell. The finalists for the job ended up being Denieu, Dionne, and McMillan. Denieu certainly had the disadvantage over the other candidates, having not had any head coaching experience, but the Mariners still really like him as a coach. However, in the end, the Mariners would go for a coach that absolutely deserves a job in the league and has surprisingly been out of the loop for a couple of seasons, Ben McMillan. 

McMillan has quite the resume as he served as the head coach of the Independents for 6 seasons where he had a 45-25-2 regular-season record. He was able to win a championship with the team, but his continued playoff losses led to his firing in 1965. There will be questions about whether or not McMillan can get the team success in the postseason, but they need to get there first, which their previous coach was unable to do.

Urick Wilkins would not stay unemployed for long as a spot would open up in a dramatic fashion in Indiana. Johnathan Fox has been one of the most controversial coaches in the NAAF over the past couple of seasons. Fox joined the NAAF as a well-known college coach as the DC of the Victors. After just one season, Fox was hired as the Head Coach of the Independents. Fox’s season with Boston was brutal and he would be fired after having several outbursts with his coordinators and posting a horrid 2-10 season. He returned to Indiana, but this season did not go as smoothly as his first. Over the first half of the season, Fox and HC Dannell Willis reportedly continuously butted heads which did not help the Victors during their 1-5 start. Eventually, Willis cut down on Fox’s contributions as the team rolled back to 6-6. Fox quit immediately after the season where he said he would not return to the NAAF. Within a few days of Wilkins’ firing, the Victors would announce the former Mariners’ coach as their new Defensive Coordinator. Wilkins does have an old connection to Dannell Willis, as he was his Defensive Coordinator in Buffalo during the late 1950s.

The remainder of coaches stayed put, leaving Jean Matieau to fill his Offensive Coordinator role. As he began his search, he would find out he also needed a Defensive Coordinator as Matthew Carson decided to take a head coaching role in college after 9 seasons with the Royals. Matieau personally thanked Carson, a coach he worked with over all 9 of those seasons and wished him the best of luck in his new endeavours. 

Matieau refocused on the job at hand and quickly began interviewing for the roles. He ended up interviewing 7 coaches for the Offensive Coordinator role. Those coaches were former NAAF Head Coaches Perry Powell and Dean Parrish, former NAAF Offensive Coordinators Kent Winters, Theodore Ortiz, and Wayne Ball, and finally a pair of former players, Johnnie Stafford and Jean Mathieu-Baptiste. Overall, Matieau was looking more for a coach that would be able to focus more on the development of players, while Matieau himself would be focused on the play-calling and strategy. That cut a few out of the mix, but the finalists became Ortiz, Stafford, Ball, and Mathieu-Baptiste. After deliberation, Matieau finally went with Wayne Ball. Ball had previously spent a couple of seasons with the Halifax Mariners in 1963 and 1964, where he helped a struggling QB Caldwell Higgins III to easily one of his best seasons. Ball should provide a good level of development for younger players and be able to support Matieau’s offensive game-plan. 

As for the defensive spot, there would only be 5 coaches interviewed. Those coaches are former NAAF Defensive Coordinator Jerome Morris, a younger college coach in Colton Forrest, and 3 former players in Olaf Viktorsson, Aengus Lynch, and Frazier Brooks. With the rumours of Viktorsson being interviewed, the rumblings that Matieau’s former teammate had the job locked down started to spread. However, the world would be shocked when former London Tiger, Aengus Lynch was named the Defensive Coordinator. Lynch was known for being a general on the field, directing the Tigers’ defence over his long career with the team. Matieau saw that as the key difference-maker in the decision and hopes that Lynch can translate that ability to a building a great defensive strategy with one of the best young defences in the league.  

“Look, I love Olaf just as much as everyone, but I have to make the best decision for this team, and I felt that Aengus brought that extra element to the team,” said Matieau in response to some of the outrage that he didn’t give Viktorsson the job. Of course, this was before the public found out that he had hired Viktorsson as a Defensive Development Coach.  

TL;DR

HALIFAX
OUT
HC Urick Wilkins
IN
HC Ben McMillan - from Rhode Island State University (previously BOS)

INDIANA
OUT
DC Johnathan Fox
IN
DC Urick Wilkins - from HFX HC

OTTAWA
OUT
HC Joseph Curry
DC Matthew Carson
IN
HC Jean Matieau - from OTT OC
OC Wayne Ball - from Haynes University (previously HFX)
DC Aengus Lynch - former LDN Tiger

1968 Brand Changes

1968 Brand Changes

TORONTO STEELHEADS

Last season, as part of Canada’s centennial celebration, each Canadian team had added the centennial logo to their jerseys for the season. Steelheads’ owner, Jerry Anderson, loved the leaf so much, that he wanted to make it a part of the uniform full time. Of course, they couldn’t just use the centennial logo, so a leaf based on one of the rejected Canadian flags from 1965 was added to the sleeves of the jerseys. Now that would not be the only change. The primary logo got a refresh with the leaf being added in between the fish and the “T”. The style of the ”T” was changed to be bolder, and the smaller details of the steelhead were adjusted with the update. 

The new logo appears as the first helmet logo for the team, although without the steelhead. As for the Jerseys, the maple leaf was added to both sleeves of the home and away jerseys, the silver numbers on the home jersey were changed to white for greater contrast, and the double silver stripe was changed to a silver stripe and white stripe on the home jersey. 

Another notable change is that the Hamilton Steelers Alternate jersey will no longer be worn by the team as they will move forward with just two jerseys next season. 

BOSTON INDEPENDENTS

Along with the 50th McCallister Cup, Boston will also be celebrating their 50th season of competition. They will celebrate this with an anniversary patch on the right side of the chest. The patch is similar to that of the Royals and Gold Stars before that with a 50 mixed with an element in their logo. For Boston, this was their “I” within the logo, but they also added “B.F.C” to the “I” which stands for the team’s original name “The Boston Football Club”. 

1968 Retirements

1968 Retirements

HC Joseph Curry - Oshawa, ON
Teams/Positions: OC Ottawa Royals (1952-1953), HC Ottawa Royals (1954-1967)
McCallister Cups: 4 (1954, 1955, 1956, 1959)
Awards: Coach of the Year (1958)
Regular Season Record: 94-62-6
Playoff Record: 14-5
Curry is easily one of the greatest coaches in the NAAF’s history. He joined the Royals back in 1952 as the offensive coordinator, the same season Jean Matieau took over as starting QB. After just 2 seasons, HC Otis Ward stepped away from the head coaching role and promoted Curry. In Curry’s first 7 seasons as a head coach, he took the Royals to the McCallister Cup in each and every one of them, taking home 4 Cups in those years and having an overall record (regular season and playoffs) of 72-19-3. He won his lone Coach of the Year Award in 1958 after leading the Royals to the only perfect 12-0 regular season, however, he probably should have won more Coach of the Years considering his resume. After those first 7 seasons, the Royals fell into old age and Curry certainly was not as dominant, but still managed to never win less than 4 games in a season once in his career. Curry is a legend, there’s no doubt about that.

DB Alexander Bradley - Newark, NJ - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
Drafted: 1954 WOR - Round 1, Pick 2
Teams: Worcester Athletics (1954-1958), Louisville Thunder (1959-1963), Long Island Raiders (1964-1967)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1962, 1965)
Captaincy: LOU - A (1959-1963)
Awards: Rookie of the Year (1954), Defensive Player of the Year (1959)
All-Stars: 11 (1954-1957, 1958-1962, 1964-1966)
Player of the Week: 7
Bradley has been a superstar DB for almost his entire career. He burst onto the scene in Worcester, taking home Rookie of the Year after being selected with the 2nd overall selection in the 1954 draft. He was a part of a talented Worcester team that went to the McCallister Cup in 1956. However, following the run, Bradley butted heads with the ownership and was low-balled over a new contract with the team. He then decided to move on from the organization and signed with an up-and-coming Louisville Thunder squad. He became a star on the young team, winning Defensive Player of the Year in his first season. He would eventually be paired up with Oliver Langstrom, Jayden Mills, and Johnny Berger to create one of the scariest secondaries the league has ever seen. That crew helped the Thunder to their 1962 McCallister Cup win. After just one more season with the Thunder, Bradley would move on once again and head close to home, signing with the Raiders. He would help to give Long Island easily one of, if not the best defences in the league. In his 4 years with the team, they would head to the McCallister Cup 3 times, coming away with one win. Bradley always seemed to not only dominate himself, but made those around him better. He was a leader, not in a vocal way, but in the way he played. Bradley is unsure of what he will do next, but coaching might be right up his alley. 

RB Scott Mallard-White - Oshawa, ON - Creator: ThisIsFine
Drafted: 1956 - MTL - Round 1, Pick 1
Teams: Montreal Rouge (1956-1967)
McCallister Cups: 0
Captaincy: MTL - A (1963-1966)
Awards: 2x Offensive Player of the Year (1958, 1963), Playoff MVP (1962)
All-Stars: 5 (1958-1960, 1962, 1963)
Player of the Week: 10
Mallard-White had a lot to live up to when he was taken first overall by the Rouge back in 1956. Not only did he need to prove that he was worth a #1 pick, but also that he had to eventually fill the shoes of HOF RB Élisée Marchal. You can say that he did that very well, taking home his first Offensive Player of the Year in just his 3rd season, 2nd as the full-time starter. He continued to be a huge piece of the Rouge offence over many seasons, eventually winning his second OPOY in 1963, one season after a stellar playoff performance that took the team to their first McCallister Cup appearance since 1953. Mallard-White was a hard-working player throughout his career, always keeping his head down and pushing to be the best. He would eventually be an alternate captain for 4 seasons while helping Montreal reach another McCallister Cup in 1966. 

LB Konrad Aust - Staten Island, NY - Creator: ZO82
Drafted: 1956 - BOS - Round 1, Pick 2
Teams: Boston Independents (1956-1967)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1961)
All-Stars: 9 (1957-1960, 1962-1966)
Player of the Week: 6
For the longest time, the Independents had a dynamic duo in their LB core with Konrad Aust and Brent Harper. Harper was the leader and the one with all the techniques and Aust was the highly skilled guy that created mind-blowing plays. Throughout his career, Aust made some pushes as a dark horse in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, however, he never came away with the award. He did, however, have 9 All-Star seasons starting in just his second season in the league. Aust ended up playing his entire career with Boston, winning 1 championship in 1961.

DL Calias McDonough - Brooklyn, NY - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 - PRO - Round 1, Pick 2
Teams: Providence Gold Stars (1955-1967)
McCallister Cups: 0
Captaincy: PRO - A (1959-1967)
All-Stars: 7 (1956-1962)
Player of the Week: 6
McDonough will go down as a legend among the Gold Star fans. Ever since the team took him 2nd overall, he had been a dominant force on the D-line. He had 7 All-Star seasons in his 13-year career. He spent all 13 seasons with the Gold Stars as a menace on the edge. Not only was his play on the field good, but he had a great personality. He was quick-witted and often threw around trash talk, and made many laugh with his humour. His personality fit in very well with the fanbase in Providence which easily made him a fan favourite. While he may never admit that he’s in love with the fanbase, it is very clear he loved playing in Providence, hence why he declined to get traded earlier this season. McDonough may not end up as one of the greatest DL of all time, but he will certainly be in the conversation for the greatest in Gold Stars history. 

DB Quentin Xavier - Dorchester, MA - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 - MTL - Round 1, Pick 3
Teams: Montreal Rouge (1955-1967)
McCallister Cups: 0
Captaincy: MTL - A (1957-1962), MTL - C (1963-1966)
All-Stars: 6 (1956-1961)
Player of the Week: 7
Xavier burst into the NAAF as an interception machine, having around 5-7 interceptions a season during the bulk of his career. He was often in the conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year throughout his early career. While the stats and performance were amazing, his leadership is what made Xavier great. Xavier came from a rough background in his childhood, but through football, he was able to stay out of trouble. The family he gained from the sport was vital in how he grew up. That love for his teammates made him into a great leader. He took everything that he learned and became a vital leader of the Rouge throughout his career. He helped the team to reach 2 McCallister Cups in his career and would become the team’s 3rd captain in 1963 and serve for 4 seasons. Xavier’s connection to the game will not likely keep him away from the field for long, expect to see him back in the NAAF soon.

OL Magnus Gunnersson - Bar Harbor, ME - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 - WOR - Round 1, Pick 4
Teams: Worcester Athletics (1955-1957), London Tigers (1958-1967)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 6 (1958-1963)
Gunnersson started his career after being drafted 4th overall by the Athletics. He quickly became a vital part of the Athletics line and helped them to a McCallister Cup appearance in 1956. In his time with the Athletics, Gunnersson became very close friends with QB Riley Kiernan. When Kiernan was traded to London in 1958, Gunnersson did not appreciate the move, and after arguing with the front office he decided he would not play for them anymore and would go to join Kiernan with the Tigers. The two helped make the Tigers into one of the best teams in the league’s history over the early 60s. They won 2 McCallister Cups in that time while Gunnersson became a 6-time All-Star. Gunnersson retires after 13 seasons and will be looking for a new career to dive into.

K Johnnie Berg - Lancaster, PA - Creator: Wallflower
Drafted: 1952 - BOS - Round 2, Pick 15
Teams: Boston Independents (1952-1967)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1961)
Captaincy: BOS - A (1966)
Awards: 2x Special Teams Player of the Year (1957, 1963)
All-Stars: 5 (1957, 1960-1963)
Johnnie Berg was the first kicker to ever be selected in an NAAF draft. In the end, Boston made a good pick as Berg was consistently one of the league’s best kickers throughout his career. He would go on to play 16 seasons with Boston, winning the Special Teams Player of the Year twice and being an All-Star 5 times. Berg was overall a calm and collected guy that never seemed fazed by pressure and that was reflected in his clutch ability. He did become an alternative captain in 1966, becoming just the second kicker to wear a letter in the league behind HOF K Thomas McFadden. Berg’s plan after retirement is up in the air, but he has been known to be a pretty good griller by his teammates, so he may follow that hobby of his.

OL Maxence Castex - Gatineau, QC - Creator: ZO82
Drafted: 1955 - MTL - Round 4, Pick 29
Teams: R.Montreal Rouge (1955), Montreal Rouge (1956-1967)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 5 (1958-1961, 1963)
Many teams passed on Castex during the 1955 draft, and they all made a mistake. Montreal on the other hand got the amazing benefit of drafting a career starting OL in the 4th round. Castex was a consistent anchor on the line over his 12 seasons with Montreal. 5 of those 12 seasons would earn him an All-Star nod. In the locker room, Castex was very quiet, but a lot of his teammates liked that about him. He seemed calm and was always a good presence on the team. It is unclear what Castex is expected to do in retirement, as well he hasn’t said anything about it, well much of anything at all.

OL Georgio Stephan - Fall River, MA - Creator: ZO82
Drafted: 1956 - BUF - Round 1, Pick 6
Teams: Buffalo Blue Wings (1956-1967)
McCallister Cups: 4 (1957, 1964, 1966, 1967)
Captaincy: BUF - A (1964-1967)
All-Stars: 3 (1961-1962, 1964)
Stephan’s 12-year career was spent entirely in Buffalo. He had 3 All-Star seasons during his career before being named an alternate captain in 1964. Despite seeing his playing time dwindle over his last couple of seasons, he was still an important leader in the team’s 3 championships over the past 4 seasons. Despite being hard-nosed when it came to playing football, often getting on players who slacked off, he was still very kind, being especially involved in the Blue Wings’ community efforts outside of the game. Stephan’s career moving forward is likely as a trainer to try and help younger players achieve their dream of playing in the NAAF. 

WR Sammy Moss - Cortland, NY - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
Drafted: 1956 - PRO - Round 1, Pick 4
Teams: Providence Gold Stars (1956-1963), Louisville Thunder (1964-1965), Providence Gold Stars (1966), R.Louisville Thunder (1967)
McCallister Cups: 0
Awards: Breakout Player of the Year (1957)
All-Stars: 3 (1957, 1962, 1963)
You could say that Moss didn’t quite live up to the hype a 4th overall pick can bring, but he had a very strong career as a star WR for the Providence Gold Stars. He spent his first 8 seasons with the Gold Stars where he had led the team in touchdowns on multiple occasions and earned 3 All-Star nods. One of those seasons, where he led the team in touchdowns, was his 8th year in which he left the team in the offseason to go get paid. He got paid alright in a pretty rough overpay on the Thunder’s part as Moss was not the same WR after signing that contract. He only caught 6 touchdowns over the two seasons with Louisville, compared to 9 he scored in the season before. Moss returned to Providence after the deal, but saw minimal snaps, and would finish his career in a return to Louisville where he sat on the reserve list for the season. Despite the rough end to his career, Moss was still a strong WR for the Gold Stars and should still get recognition for his play. 

LB Sam Fitzroy - Loudon, NH - Creator: DireBear
Drafted: 1957 - MTL - Round 1, Pick 4
Teams: Montreal Rouge (1957-1967)
McCallister Cups: 0
Captaincy: MTL - A (1960-1966)
All-Stars: 2 (1963, 1965)
Fitzroy was not quite a star, but always was a steady player in the Rouge LB core. Similar to Moss, he didn’t quite reach the high-end level that some hoped for from a 4th overall pick. However, Fitzroy still brought 4th overall pick value in his leadership, which gave him an “A” for 7 seasons, and smarts on the field. He became the perfect player to lead the Jimmy Sargent defence which was more calculated and required the defence to play as a unit. He still ended his 11-year career with 2 All-Star seasons but was unable to win the McCallister Cup.

RB Stavros Black - Gary, IN - Creator: Dan O’Mac
Drafted: 1957 - LOU - Round 2, Pick 20
Teams: Louisville Thunder (1957-1961), The Athletics/Halifax Mariners (1962-1964), Pittsburgh Blacksmiths (1965-1967), Halifax Mariners (1968)
McCallister Cups: 0
Captaincy: HFX - A (1962-1964), PIT - C (1965-1967)
Stavros Black was never a superstar RB in the NAAF, but the guy continuously was a starting RB throughout his career. He worked his way up from a 2nd round pick to become the starter in Louisville for several seasons. However, that changed when he was dealt to The Athletics in the infamous Scotty Williams deal. With his new team, Stavros became a leader and would become an alternate captain and a steady presence in the backfield. After 2 more seasons following the move to Halifax, Stavros would get picked up in the Pittsburgh expansion draft. He would be named the first and only captain of the Blacksmiths and become the starter over the first 2 seasons. While he sat back as a backup in his final season, he would return to Halifax in search of a title, but came up short. Stavros is expecting to retire and stay in Halifax but might be open to coaching down the line.

QB Stanislav Ovechkin - Brooklyn, NY - Creator: ZO82
Drafted: 1954 - LI - Round 4, Pick 25
Teams: R.Long Island Hawks/Raiders (1954-1955), Long Island Raiders (1956), Montreal Rouge (1957-1960), Buffalo Blue Wings (1961), Louisville Thunder (1962-1965), Indiana Victors (1966), Buffalo Blue Wings (1967)

Captaincy: MTL - C (1957-1960)

McCallister Cups: 2 (1962, 1967)
Awards: Breakout Player of the Week (1958)
Player of the Week: 1
Ovechkin made quite the career out of a late-round pick. After he was picked in the 4th round by Long Island in 1954, Ovechkin would spend his first 2 seasons on the reserve list. He put in the work over those two seasons and made it as the backup to Lyle Painter in 1956. Painter would get hurt during the season allowing Ovechkin to show what he had led the Raiders to a 2-2 record over his 4 starts. Montreal liked what they saw and traded for Ovechkin, signed him to a 4-year deal, and named him captain. Ovechkin would serve as the Rouge starter over those 4 seasons. He would win the Breakout Player of the Year award in 1958, but his first 3 seasons as the starter were not spectacular, but he did lead the team to the playoffs in his final year of the contract. Unfortunately, GM Virgil Gross had his eyes on Gene Bishop, so Ovechkin would be released and would sign with Buffalo. He started the first half of the season before Charles Lemieux was handed the reins. After that, Ovechkin was traded to Louisville where he was a part of the ‘62 championship team and started the majority of the ‘63 season after Leonidas Dumont was injured. He continued as a backup for Louisville, Indiana, and Buffalo over his last 4 seasons. He retires a champion with Buffalo ending a pretty respectable career for a 4th round QB.

Other Notable Retirements
DL Robin Hill - Burlington, VT - Creator: Thehealthiestscratch - Drafted: 1956 - BOS R1: P5
Teams: BOS (1956-1965)*, MTL (1966-1967)
S Drew Porter - Baltimore, MD - Creator: Captain Mort 3D - Drafted: 1956 - ON R2: P11
Teams: R.ON (1956), ON (1957), BOS (1958-1965)*, IND (1966-1967)
RB Kendall Morgan - Frankfort, KY - Creator: MyTeamIsDr.Pepper - Drafted: 1957 - BOS R1: P3
Teams: BOS (1957-1966, 1967)*, LI (1966)
WR Ben Roland - Williamsport, PA - Creator: DireBear - Drafted: 1957 - OTT R1: P10
Teams: OTT (1957-1958), LOU (1958-1963)*, PRO (1964), TOR (1965-1967)
LB Wilson Rockwood-Barnes - Creator: MyTeamIsDr.Pepper - Drafted: 1957 - ON R1: P7
Teams: ON/LDN (1957-1962)*, IND (1963-1964), MTL (1964-1966), PRO (1967), OTT (1967)
LB Killian Reed - Boston, MA - Creator: Dan O’Mac - Drafted: 1957 - OTT R3: P30
Teams: OTT (1957-1963)*, BOS (1964, 1966-1967), PIT (1965), BUF (1967)*