Young Hurts Knee Again, and Express Loses, 51-0

Quarterback Bob Gagliano, making his first start, threw four touchdown passes--three to Leonard Harris--to lead the Denver Gold to a 51-0 victory over the Los Angeles Express in a United States Football League game Saturday night.

Express quarterback Steve Young, sidelined several weeks with a knee injury, made a brief return to the lineup, but he reinjured his left knee at the end of the second quarter and was replaced by Frank Seurer.

Young completed 5 of 10 passes for 63 yards, but he had to run for his life on nearly every passing attempt. He was sacked six times.

Gagliano, thrust into the starting role after a strong performance off the bench in a losing cause the week before, completed 17 of 25 passes for 297 yards in slightly more than three quarters of play.

Gagliano ignited the Gold’s offense to team records in several categories. He set a team high with his four touchdown passes.

Harris, who also left in the fourth quarter, broke three single-game receiving records--most receptions with 10, most yards at 188 and most touchdowns.

The Gold’s seven touchdowns were the most in the team’s three-year history, and the 51 points also set a team record.

The Gold defense also broke a team record with eight sacks for 77 yards in losses. Defensive end Bruce Thornton led the shutout with four sacks and one assist for 30 yards in losses.

The game also marked the third time this season that running back Bill Johnson rushed for more than 100 yards. The 220-pounder out of Arkansas State finished with 131 yards on 17 carries and scored on a 15-yard run early in the third period.

The victory was the sixth in nine games for the Gold, while the loss dropped the Express to 2-7.

Gagliano retired early in the fourth quarter, and regular starter Vince Evans, who had injured his throwing hand a week earlier, finished the game. Evans scored a touchdown and threw for another touchdown late in the game.

After Young’s injury, Seurer promptly threw an interception to Denver linebacker Stan Blinka, setting up Denver’s fourth touchdown. He was sacked twice in the second half.

The Gold scored quickly on its first possession, going 70 yards in just four plays. Harris went the last 46 yards when he took a short pass from Gagliano, eluded one defender and outran the rest.