Tag Archives: baltimore ravens

NFL

Harris, Corey “Snake”

Card: Star Pics 1992
Acquired: In Person 1992, Houston Oilers Training Camp
Pending: GameDay 1992, Skybox Impact 1992

Corey Harris was a do it all athlete coming out of Vanderbilt, where he played wingback, flanker and returned both kicks and punts for the Commodores.  He’d be named first team SEC in 1991, with 1103 yards rushing on 229 carries. A super athlete with great agility, the Oilers would take the speedster in the 3rd round and move him to wide receiver/ kick returner, where he was expected to compete in 1992. After a pretty impressive preseason in which he had a kick return for a touchdown, Harris would be mysteriously released after a poor week 4 showing against the Bengals, (that had no affect on the Oilers victory).

He’d be signed by Green Bay and immediately start returning kicks in week 5, holding the job with the Packers through 1995, leading the NFL in kick return average  in 1993 with a 30.1 average.  In 1995, Snake would sign with the Seahawks, and they’d convert him to cornerback to go along with his kick return duties. He’d make his first 3 interceptions that season starting his first full 16 game slate. Harris would play for the ‘Hawks through 1996 and then play with Miami for one largely unremarkable season.

It’d be in 1997 that Corey became a member of the Baltimore Ravens and the team he is perhaps best remembered playing for. The Ravens decided that Harris would be best suited for safety and in addition to his kick returning abilities, he would shine with 35 returns for 965 yards and a touchdown, and also return one pick for a touchdown against New Orleans in Week 12. He’d continue to provide valuable depth for the Ravens, and win a SuperBowl ring after the 2000 season.  He’d start the whole slate of 16 games in 2001, and then sign via free agency with the Detroit Lions, where he’d finish his career after the 2003 season.

I called Corey over by his nickname, which he was really surprised by because he said most fans didn’t know that. Nicknamed ‘Snake’, I’d assume it was because of his uncanny ability to set up blockers, dodge in and out of traffic, and play the screen. A really nice guy, I remember when he saw his card he got really excited as I think that it was the first one he had seen. I was always glued to the TV when he returned kicks, and was really mad when the Oilers cut him. In retrospect I think if the Oilers really knew what to do with him, Harris would have been a valuable asset to the team.

I recently found a few cards of Corey’s that I had that I always wanted to get signed, and sent out to him last month.

G/Gs  183/92      Kr 238           Yds 5528        Avg  23.2    Td 1   Lg 95t   |
Tac 490    Sac 6.5     Fum 9     Int 11      Yds 137    Avg  12.4    Td 1      Lg 49

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Johnson, Mike

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Ohio Glory
Failure: TTM 1993, C/o BC Lions, TTM 2010, C/o The San Fransisco 49ers
See Also: Mike Johnson (2)

Mike Johnson was a quarterback of the Akron Zips during the late 80s amassing 1819 passing yards, 9 touchdowns and 429 yards rushing as a senior, helping the squad put together their first winning record.

Signed by the Phoenix Cardinals in 1990 as a free agent, Mike Johnson was cut coming out of camp that season. A second round choice in the WLAF positional draft by the Montreal Machine in 1991, Johnson found himself on the Team Dallas Taxi Squad at the start of the season, but with injuries and ineffectiveness plaguing the San Antonio Riders at quarterback, the Riders snapped him up during the second week. Mike started 6 games his rookie season, winning 4 of them. A dangerous scrambler (in the mold of Randall Cunningham) who was at his best outside the pocket, Johnson averaged 6.6 yards a carry while throwing for 1137 yards and 6 touchdowns for the team in 91.  He’d return in 1992 to the Riders and have an even better season, throwing for 1760 yards (5th in the league)  and 8 touchdowns leading the team to a 7-3 record.

A perfect fit for the Riders ball control offense, Mike never really got his due- always battling to keep his job competing with Jason Garrett in 1991, and Craig Cupp and Brad Goebel (in 1992).  Johnson in the end finished as the Riders career leading passer in nearly every category.

I got his autograph and took a photo or two with Mike during his playing days with the Riders back in 1992, but I had hoped to get his Ultimate and Wild Card eventually signed.  Mike signed with the British Columbia Lions of the CFL and played there in 1992 and 1993. I wrote him for his autograph there, but never got it. In 1994, Johnson signed with the Shreveport Pirates, throwing for 1259 yards and 4 touchdowns.  He’d play for the team through 1995 when the team was folded after the season.

Johnson began his coaching career in 1997 at Oregon State under his former head coach of the San Antonio Riders, Mike Riley.  He’d remain there through 1999 and then move to the Chargers with Riley.  Staying there through 2001, Mike has had stops at Atlanta, Baltimore, and San Fransisco in a variety of offensive capacities, before returning to the college level in 2011 where he was signed to be offensive coordinator of the UCLA Bruins.

G/Gs  18/16    Att  434   Comp 224   Yds  2897     Pct  51.6
Td  14    Int  16   Rat  68.3  |
Rush 58     Yds  343    Avg 5.9    Td   1

NFL

Settle, John


Cards: ProSet 1990, ProSet 1989, Fleer 1990
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o The Carolina Panthers
Sent: 5/10   Receieved: 5/20   (10 days)

Nobody cared when John Settle graduated from Appalachian State in 1987. The knock on him was primarily based on the fact he went to a small school so he didn’t face ‘big time’ competition and that he just wasn’t big enough to play at 5’9″, 207. (I mean the only thing John did was set the school’s rushing record mark and finish ranked 3rd all time in 1-AA history.)  John would contact a few suitors and the Falcons would sign him to a free agent contract.

Behind starters Gerald Riggs and Rick Badanjek,  John didn’t get much playing time under head coach Marion Campbell his rookie year. He’d carry the ball 19 times for 72 yards and also grab 11 receptions out of the backfield for 153 yards in 1987.  1988 however was a totally different deal for Settle, as he’d start at runningback for the Falcons (after the team traded Gerald Riggs to Washington). John started all 16 games for the team and ran for 1066 yards. In addition Settle also had 68 receptions for 570 yards. His rushing totals were the highest for a free agent RB since the AFL-NFL merger and John was named to the Pro Bowl squad. In 1989, as the Falcons virtually abandoned the run, Settle rushed for 689 yards. He’d have his second season with 1000+ yards from scrimmage when you included his 316 yards receiving.

1990 saw a coaching change for the Falcons though as former Oilers head coach Jerry Glanville came to town. Glanville installed the Red Gun offense, signed Mike Rozier, drafted Steve Broussard, and decided to give 1989 prospect Keith Jones more playing time.  Settle suited up for only 6 games that season. He’d sign with the Redskins in 1991 winning a Super Bowl title there but didn’t suit up during the season. Settle retired after the 1992 season and went into coaching in 1994 working with his alma mater at Appalachian State.

He’d join Bill Belichick in Cleveland on his offensive staff working with runningbacks in 1995 serving the team through 1998, and in its transition to Baltimore. Settle then joined the Fresno State Bulldogs as their runningbacks coach- a position he’d hold for 8 seasons. Afterwards John’s next stop was in Wisconsin with the Badgers where Settle helped coordinate the first ever trio of 1,000 yard runningbacks in the same season. Finally, in early 2011, John was be hired by new head coach Ron Rivera to coordinate runningbacks for the Carolina Panthers.  He responded to my TTM request in a quick 10 days.

Of note about John is that while Appalachian State he played for little known then head coach Mack Brown his freshman year. He is considered a member of the Bill Belichick coaching tree and while playing for the Falcons did not appear in Tecmo Bowl or Tecmo Super Bowl.

John had some nice cards here and these 3 were his most solid and complete looking cards. The ProSet 1989 card is a really nice full body shot of him dodging a would be Ram tackler while the 1990 card is a shot featuring his running style gunning to place a stiff arm. I also liked his Fleer 1990 card and how he bursts out of the top of the card borders.  Also on a side note, I’d love to see the Falcons return to the ‘red look’ from the 80s, but they seem quite content with their current black look.

G/Gs    46/29    Att 439      Yds  1801     Avg 4.1     Td  10   Lg 62  |
Rec  118     Yds  1039       Avg   8.8     Td  3      Lg  36