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Ohio Glory quarterback Greg Frey, making his first
professional start in the place he played his college football, nearly led the
Glory to its second win of the season. In Ohio’s 1992 season finale against the
Birmingham Fire, Frey was 20-for-35 for 288 yards and two touchdowns, he wasn’t
sacked and he added a third touchdown rushing.
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In the
end, there really was no other way to go out.
Even in finally finding its quarterback, former Ohio State standout
Greg Frey, in the 1992 season finale, the Ohio Glory found one more way to lose
a game – a last-minute interception by a defensive lineman.
Ohio lost to the playoff-bound Birmingham Fire, 27-24, in Week 10 at
Ohio Stadium, and the game was decided when Frey’s only interception of the
game was grabbed by Fire defensive lineman Tony Bowick.
“How many times do you see a defensive lineman intercept a ball
downfield,” asked Glory Head Coach Larry Little after the game. “That’s just
the style of our year, anything can happen and it happened this year.”
Ohio got on the board just 2:12 into the game when Frey found tight end
Randy Bethel for an 8-yard touchdown pass. After Birmingham scored on a pair of
first-quarter touchdowns just 1:20 apart, Ohio kicker Jerry Kauric nailed a
42-yard field goal to make it a 14-10 game after 15 minutes.
Just 5:17 into the second quarter, Frey used a flea-flicker to hit wide
receiver Phil Logan for a 51-yard touchdown pass to give the Glory a 17-14
advantage. Birmingham tied the game later in the second with a field goal, but
then Frey engineered an 11-play, 87-yard drive which culminated in his 1-yard
touchdown run with three seconds left until halftime.
The two teams were scoreless in the third quarter, then Birmingham
re-tied the game just four seconds into the fourth quarter on another touchdown
run.
And, of course, late in the game, Ohio’s season-long special teams
blunders reared their ugly head at the worst time. With less than four minutes
left in the game, Glory punter Tom Rouen took a 12-yard loss when he thought a
potential punt would be blocked after a missed blocking assignment.
After the game, Rouen said, “If it’s blocked, the other team gets a
touchdown. If you eat it, it gives the defense a chance to hold them. Those are
things that go through your mind.”
That led to what would turn out to be the Fire’s game-winning field
goal with 1:56 to go.
In addition to that turnover on downs and the final interception, Ohio’s
two fumbles (one on special teams) led to 10 Birmingham points, and Kauric had
a 19-yard field goal blocked and he missed a 43-yarder wide left.
As for Frey, his first start at Ohio Stadium since November 24, 1990,
against Michigan, was a rousing success. He was 20-for-35 for 288 yards, two
touchdowns and one interception, while running for a third score. He was not
sacked.
“Greg played an outstanding game,” Little said afterward. “Greg showed
a lot of poise. He’s going to be an outstanding quarterback for the Ohio Glory.”
The problem was, Frey - and everyone else associated with the team –
never had another chance to attempt to achieve Glory…
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