Wes Ours
Encyclopedia
Wes Ours is an Arena football
Running back
/ Linebacker
for the Philadelphia Soul
of the Arena Football League. He played collegiately
at West Virginia University
. He was nicknamed "Wes Express" in college because of his ability to run over other players. He also was the biggest fullback
in the country during his senior season.
, where he rushed for 1,423 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior
.
. As a sophomore, he started
three games at Fullback. As a junior, he began the season on the defensive line before being switched to offense where he started three games at Left Guard. As a senior, he was the largest Fullback in college football and rushed 29 times for 77 yards and four touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 170 yards. He only totaled 83 rushing yards with four touchdowns and 199 receiving yards for his career, but he blocked for two record breaking running back
s: Amos Zereoue
and Avon Cobourne
.
and signed as an undrafted free agent on April 21 with the Indianapolis Colts
. He was then waived by the Colts, and then signed by the Tennessee Titans
on September 27. He was cut again, then signed as a free agent by the Colts once more on November 21. He played in one game for the Colts and two games for the Titans in his rookie season, catching one pass for three yards while with the Titans.
In 2002
, Ours was with the Colts during their training camp, only to be cut before the season. In 2003
, He spent his last season in the National Football League
. He signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers
on January 23, but was released by the Steelers on August 22, one day after catching the game-winning two-point conversion
in a 15-14 preseason victory over the Dallas Cowboys
.
on November 23. In 2004
, Ours had more professional troubles. He was placed on the injured reserve
list by the Avengers on February 2. He eventually was activated by the Avengers from the injured reserve list on June 3.
, Ours played in seven games for the Philadelphia Soul
. He had four carries for 10 yards and one touchdown. On the defense, he recorded five tackles, one sack, one pass broken up and one forced fumble. In 2006
, Ours played in 14 games for the Soul, he was also named Offensive Player of the Game once. He had four receptions for 33 yards and one touchdown for the season, and led the team with 50 carries for 130 yards with 11 touchdowns. He scored a total of 13 touchdowns on the season, and recorded 14 total tackles and two fumble recoveries on the defense. In 2007
, Ours played in all 16 games while taking the majority of the rushes. He carried the ball 39 times, for 129 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 12 receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. He was first on the team in carries, rushing yards, tied for first with rushing touchdowns, fifth in scoring with 56 points, and seventh with 112 receiving yards. In the first game of 2008
, a victory over the Orlando Predators
, Ours scored the first touchdown of the game with a seven-yard reception. In the second game of the season, a victory over the Chicago Rush
, he made a 20-yard reception. He finished the season with 13 receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns, and 23 carries for 78 yards and three touchdowns. He also won his first championship on the professional level when the Philadelphia Soul defeated the San Jose SaberCats
59-56 in ArenaBowl XXII
.
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
Running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
/ Linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
of the Arena Football League. He played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at West Virginia University
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
. He was nicknamed "Wes Express" in college because of his ability to run over other players. He also was the biggest fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in the country during his senior season.
High school career
Ours attended Westmar High School in Lonaconing, MarylandLonaconing, Maryland
Lonaconing is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,205 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, where he rushed for 1,423 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
.
College career
While at West Virginia, Ours played defensive line, Offensive Guard and FullbackFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. As a sophomore, he started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
three games at Fullback. As a junior, he began the season on the defensive line before being switched to offense where he started three games at Left Guard. As a senior, he was the largest Fullback in college football and rushed 29 times for 77 yards and four touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 170 yards. He only totaled 83 rushing yards with four touchdowns and 199 receiving yards for his career, but he blocked for two record breaking running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s: Amos Zereoue
Amos Zereoue
Amos Zereoué is an African-born former American football player in the National Football League, who last played for the New England Patriots...
and Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne is a football running back in the Canadian Football League. He currently plays for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
.
National Football League (2001 - 2003)
Ours went unselected in the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
and signed as an undrafted free agent on April 21 with the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. He was then waived by the Colts, and then signed by the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on September 27. He was cut again, then signed as a free agent by the Colts once more on November 21. He played in one game for the Colts and two games for the Titans in his rookie season, catching one pass for three yards while with the Titans.
In 2002
2002 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2002 Indianapolis Colts season was the 50th season for the team in the National Football League and 19th in Indianapolis.The 2002 season marked the first for the Colts in the new AFC South after competing for 32 seasons in the AFC East....
, Ours was with the Colts during their training camp, only to be cut before the season. In 2003
2003 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2003 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 10–5–1 record from 2002 in which they lost to the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional round of the playoffs....
, He spent his last season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
on January 23, but was released by the Steelers on August 22, one day after catching the game-winning two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
in a 15-14 preseason victory over the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
Los Angeles Avengers
After being released by the Steelers, Ours signed a two year contract with the Los Angeles AvengersLos Angeles Avengers
The Los Angeles Avengers was an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009.-History:...
on November 23. In 2004
2004 Arena Football League season
The 2004 Arena Football League season was the 18th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the San Jose SaberCats, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVIII...
, Ours had more professional troubles. He was placed on the injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
list by the Avengers on February 2. He eventually was activated by the Avengers from the injured reserve list on June 3.
Philadelphia Soul
In 20052005 Philadelphia Soul season
The 2005 Philadelphia Soul season was the second season of the Philadelphia Soul. The Soul finished 6-10 on the season and missed the playoffs. The Soul got off to a great start, with a 66-35 win over the Austin Wranglers...
, Ours played in seven games for the Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
. He had four carries for 10 yards and one touchdown. On the defense, he recorded five tackles, one sack, one pass broken up and one forced fumble. In 2006
2006 Philadelphia Soul season
The 2006 Philadelphia Soul season was the third season of the Philadelphia Soul. The Soul finished 9-7 on the season and received their first-ever playoff berth.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-External links:*...
, Ours played in 14 games for the Soul, he was also named Offensive Player of the Game once. He had four receptions for 33 yards and one touchdown for the season, and led the team with 50 carries for 130 yards with 11 touchdowns. He scored a total of 13 touchdowns on the season, and recorded 14 total tackles and two fumble recoveries on the defense. In 2007
2007 Philadelphia Soul season
The 2007 Philadelphia Soul season was the fourth season for the franchise. They look to make the playoffs again after finishing 2006 with an 9-7 record. After posting an 8-8 record in the regular season, they hosted their first-ever home playoff game on June 29 against the Orlando Predators, whom...
, Ours played in all 16 games while taking the majority of the rushes. He carried the ball 39 times, for 129 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 12 receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. He was first on the team in carries, rushing yards, tied for first with rushing touchdowns, fifth in scoring with 56 points, and seventh with 112 receiving yards. In the first game of 2008
2008 Philadelphia Soul season
The 2008 Philadelphia Soul season is the fifth season for the franchise. The Soul started the season by winning their first 9 games. Finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record, this was the Soul's best regular season in their short history. They won their first Eastern Division title, and went...
, a victory over the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
, Ours scored the first touchdown of the game with a seven-yard reception. In the second game of the season, a victory over the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
, he made a 20-yard reception. He finished the season with 13 receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns, and 23 carries for 78 yards and three touchdowns. He also won his first championship on the professional level when the Philadelphia Soul defeated the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
59-56 in ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII was played on July 27, 2008 at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana . It was the 22nd and final championship game in the history of the original Arena Football League. This was the fourth neutral site ArenaBowl in AFL history and the second ArenaBowl in the state of Louisiana...
.