Scooby Wright lets ‘Shark Dog’ loose, lifts Stallions to title

By RJ Young
FOX Sports USFL Writer

CANTON, Ohio — It had to be Scooby, (W)right?!

With a black snap-back atop his head and twisted backward like a shark fin, the Birmingham Stallions linebacker, the person whose spirit animal is a shark canine, gave me a blow-by-blow of how he scored the landing that sealed a 33-30 victory over the Philadelphia Stars within the inaugural United States Football League Championship sport.

“Man, we have been in a hearth zone name,” he mentioned. “My man ran throughout my face, and I had to go choose it up. And picked it up, caught it [the ball] and ran it in for six.”

Scooby Wright and Bo Scarbrough mirror on title

The Birmingham Stallions’ Scooby Wright and Bo Scarbrough mirror on successful the inagural USFL title after defeating the Philadelphia Stars.

Running again Bo Scarbrough noticed it in a different way.

“Man, I used to be leaping up out of my pants,” he mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘Oh yeah, Shark Dog!’ It was simply unbelievable, simply a type of magic moments.”

From the sideline, it seemed as if Wright had discovered an additional burst to put himself in place to choose off KJ Costello after which, like a ravenous man carrying a Christmas ham, trundle towards the top zone and take a stumbling leap over the purpose line.

“I had to go for it,” Wright mentioned.

Wright has spent his profession going for it — going ahead.

After placing collectively one of many best defensive seasons in FBS historical past in 2014 at Arizona, the place he received almost each award a linebacker might win, an harm pushed Wright to the seventh spherical of the 2016 NFL Draft.

But as a substitute of letting that have an effect on him, he made it part of his id. When you discover Wright on Instagram, you will see his username is seventhroundscoob.

After an abbreviated stint within the NFL, he stored in search of methods to chase his dream to play soccer professionally. Along the best way, he turned a firefighter, too.

But then Stallions coach Skip Holtz instructed Wright he needed to draft him not simply to play, however to lead his protection. He needed him to be his talisman, to carry the load of taking part in for the hometown staff — the house of the USFL for your entire common season. Wright did not simply say sure, he got here working.

Stallions’ Scooby Wright talks feelings of successful USFL championship

Birmingham Stallions linebacker Scooby Wright breaks down the feelings of successful the inaugural USFL championship over the Philadelphia Stars, 33-30. 

He introduced appeal, tenacity and enjoyable to a league that was a clean slate for him and others like him to pursue their dream as soon as once more. Alongside DeMarquis Gates, he fashioned the most effective linebacker duos within the league.

Even via accidents that stored him sidelined for a number of video games this season, Wright discovered a means to contribute to coordinator John Chavis’ protection.

The outcome was sufficient to make Holtz misty.

“To see him do what he did and to end in type,” Holtz mentioned, “his play of the season was a landing. There aren’t many linebackers that may make that assertion.

“I’m simply actually happy with him. What a personality he’s and what an important participant as effectively.”

The Shark Dog sunk his tooth into this sport, and he by no means let go.

RJ Young is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The No. 1 Ranked Show with RJ Young.” Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young, and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube. He will not be on a StepMill.