Pittsburgh Flag Football League

One of the most undervalued positions in flag football is the rusher. Many players think that they can rush; however there are only a handful of true pass rushers in the PFFL. Now it’s time to give my picks for the rushers that give opposing quarterbacks the most grief.

5. Eric Quinn- BALLZ DEEP is known for All-Stars Steve Chockla and Jeremy Greenawalt and rightfully so. They’ve always been competitive since their debut in the Spring 2010 season. In addition the squad has benefitted from the rushing prowess of Eric Quinn.  Over the past two seasons Quinn has quietly collected 28 sacks. While Quinn was snubbed for the Fall 2011 All-Star game I have a hunch that he’ll make the team in Spring 2012.

4. Gary “Goose” Fisher   - In four seasons Goose has established himself as a one-man wrecking crew against opposing offensive schemes. Currently is the OFFL’s third leading rusher with 37 total sacks. In the Summer 2010 season, Goose set a single-season sack record with 16 that was eclipsed by fellow All-Star rushers Ryan Lancia and Brandon Carter.

3. Brandon Carter- UPDAWG’s biggest asset is the diverse playmaking abilities of All-Star Wider Receiver and Rusher Brandon Carter. Carter set the PFFL world on fire last season when he set a new single-season sack record with 20. Carter’s record-breaking performance last fall earned him DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR honors. I don’t think anyone will ever break Carter’s record.

2. Elliot Williams- Since their entry into the league the STALLIONS have been one of the better defensive teams statistically. While there are several reasons why the STALLIONS are the PFFL equivalent of the legendary “Steel Curtain” defense of the 1970s, All-Star Rusher Elliot Williams deserves a lot of credit. His 13 sacks in the Summer 2010 season resulted in Williams winning the DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR award.

1. Ryan Lancia- The greatest rusher in PFFL history is none other than VULTUREZ All-Star Ryan Lancia. Although the sackmaster saw his single-season record of 17 sacks get broken by Carter, Lancia is still the league’s all-time leader in sacks with 51 sacks. In just six games of action during the Summer 2011 season, he collected 13 sacks. While the VULTUREZ just beat REIGN without Lancia, they’ll be the first ones to underscore his importance to their long-term success.