Team History
The Blitz were one of the twelve charter franchises of the USFL. The owner was originally slated to be J. Walter Duncan, an Oklahoma oil magnate who had grown up in Chicago. However, league founder David Dixon persuaded Duncan to take on ownership of the New York City franchise–which became the New Jersey Generals–after its original owner, Donald Trump, pulled out.[1]
With Duncan’s withdrawal, legendary NFL coach George Allen and Southern California developer Willard Vernon Harris, Jr. applied for the vacant Chicago franchise. A search for capital led them to renowned heart surgeon Dr. Ted Diethrich, who had originally expressed interest in a franchise for his hometown of Phoenix. Allen and Diethrich had been friends since the 1970s, when Diethrich gave a talk on heart disease to Allen’s Washington Redskins.[1] However, he agreed to join Allen and Harris’ group in return for controlling interest. Diethrich served as president, with Harris as executive vice president and Allen as chairman of the board and head coach.
Coaching Staff and Front Office
Owner: Dr. Ted Diethrich
| Head Coach: Marv Levy |
| Charley Armey | Defensive Coordinator |
| Tom Beck | Offensive Backs |
| John Butler | Offensive Line Assistant |
| Jim Colbert | Defensive Backs |
| Whitey Dovell | Offensive Line |
| Robert Egley | Defensive Assistant-Linebackers |
| John Huard | Special Teams |
| Mike Murphy | Defensive Line |
| Ron Waller | Offensive Coordinator |