Scooby played LB for Arizona and saw playing time right out of the gate as a true Freshman in 2013.
In 3 years (27 games), he had 236 total tackles, 38 TFL, 14 sacks, and 6 FF.
Drafted by the Browns late in the 7th round (2016), Scooby has seen much of his NFL career on and off the practice squad.
Joined the Cardinals late in 2016, and was on and off the regular season squad and practice squad through 2018.
In 2018, Wright was a territorial allocation of the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF and played with the team during its abbreviated season in 2019 (8 tackles).
Spent 2019 on the practice squad of the New England Patriots.
2020, saw Scoob take his game to the XFL where he played for the DC Defenders, notching 17 tackles, before the league ended operations due to COVID.
After playing for the Alphas of the Spring League that year, Scoob reappeared on the radar of Spring Football in 2022 with the Birmingham Stallions.
It was with the Stallions, Scoob etched his name into Spring Football lore.
He had 52 TT, 3 sacks, and 2 FF for Birmingham in ’22.
During the Championship game that year, Shark-Dog had a spectacular pick 6 for the go ahead score.
Spent 2023 on IR.
ACCOLADES:
USFL 2022 Defensive Player of the Week – Week 4
NOTES:
I am very glad to finally close the book on Scooby. After the Hotshots beat the Commanders in that final game, I tried to get him but he was quick to go to the locker room but I had no luck. In 2020, when he joined the Defenders, my friend Seth, offered to get his autograph at the Defenders team event. He came through in spades and I was able to get him in this beautiful gold pen.
Later Mark (Mark’s Signing Bonus), helped me out with Shark-Dog’s address. I finally got around to sending this XFL 2020 card to him, after I found out that there was going to be no USFL card of him. He was nice enough to sign both XFL 2020 cards I sent, as one was for my friend Seth.
I sorta blew it though because I had a Leaf Draft card I could’ve sent among others, but I guess I’ll just have to get him after the USFL and XFL merge.
During his time in the USFL Scooby has earned the nickname ‘Shark-dog’ based on his unique defensive celebration. As he put it to the sideline reporter: “I had to go Shark-Dog on them. Half Shark, half Dog.”
Picking up where we left off, Mike ended up back at Oregon State, where he became the school’s most winning coach. In 2014, he’d be pried off the Beavers by Nebraska. After a difficult tenure at Nebraska, Mike was welcomed back to Corvallis with open arms as an assistant coach.
When the Alliance of American Football was announced, I knew he’d be at the top of their list. I was excited to see Mike return to SA (from his days with the Riders of the WLAF) to coach the team. He was excited to take a walk down memory lane with me when I showed up with my Riders hat on at the Commanders unveiling. The team very much resembled the Riders, and finished 5-3 during the AAF’s season.
I had narrowly missed getting Mike’s autograph on his Topps AAF card during pregame warmups against the Salt Lake City Stallions. I had sideline passes and thought that he’d be a shoe-in to get later TTM. Oddly though, he’s dodged my TTM requests since then.
After the AAF folded, much to everyone’s dismay, Mike was hired on to be the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Dragons of the XFL in 2020- just because it wasn’t more local to Texas.
Recently it was brought to my attention that Mike and head coach Jim Zorn had a disagreement about who should be starting quarterback. The row was so bad between the two that Mike left the team for the first 3 games of the season.
He joined the new USFL as head coach of the New Jersey Generals, and led the team to a 9-1 record in 2022. The team zoomed out to a 2-1 record in 2023, before dropping their next 5, en route to a 3-7 record.
When the XFL and the USFL combined to form the new UFL, the Generals were not retained for 2024.
CARD: Topps XFL 2020 ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Houston Roughnecks
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Ajene Harris displayed solid versatility for USC, playing DB, PR, and WR during his time at the school.
Over his last 3 years for the Trojans, he posted 144 total tackles, and 6 picks.
After spending training camp with the Eagles, Ajene joined the Houston Roughnecks in 2020.
As part of a gambling, dangerous secondary, Ajene posted 20 tackles.
He’d play for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in 2022 and post a tackle before returning again to the XFL.
Like an old glove, Ajene returned to the Roughnecks for 2023.
Picked on relentlessly by QBs Harris posted pretty good numbers on the outside.
He had 5 interceptions (league leader) for 15 yards, and 31 total tackles.
After the XFL Roughnecks were dispersed, he was selected by the Arlington Renegades for the upcoming 2024 season.
NOTES:
Ajene came over and signed this lone card for me. He loved that I had the OG Roughnecks jersey on, and told me that I needed to get a jersey of him next. He and I talked briefly about 2020, when the Roughnecks went into Arlington and pummeled the Renegades at home. We had a good laugh as he signed the card, and I told him he almost gave me a heart attack by giving up a few big plays that led to the OT effort by the Brahmas that weekend.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
