Express May Be on Last Track at Coliseum : It’s Next to Last Home Game of Season; Final One Is at Pierce College

The struggling Los Angeles Express will play perhaps its final game ever at the Coliseum tonight at 6 o’clock when it faces the Denver Gold.

The Gold, which routed the Express, 51-0, at Denver on April 20, “has proven itself to be one of the strongest teams in our league,” said Express Coach John Hadl, who has been advised that he will stay with the team only through the rest of this season. “They have one of the top two or three defenses in the league and, of course, they are explosive on offense with (Denver Coach) Mouse Davis’ run ‘n’ shoot.”

The game will be the next-to-last home contest for the Express this season. It was announced last weekend that the club’s final home game against the Arizona Outlaws on June 15 will be played at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

No announcement has been made about the Express as far as 1986 is concerned, but a club spokesman confirmed a Denver Post story published Wednesday that Hadl and his coaching staff won’t be retained by the team following the end of the 1985 season.

Hadl and his assistants all have another year remaining on their contracts. The Express spokesman said he thought it was possible that all might be rehired for the 1986 USFL season, which unlike the first three USFL campaigns will be played in the fall.

Denver brings a 9-5 record into Thursday night’s game. The Gold had a three-game winning streak snapped last Thursday night when it dropped a 31-16 decision to the Oakland Invaders.

The Express dropped a 21-7 decision at Jacksonville last Saturday night to fall to 3-11. Los Angeles has lost its last four games, a franchise record.

The Gold is led offensively by second-year running back Bill Johnson, who has rushed for 1,085 yards on 169 carries and caught 23 passes for 286 yards. He has rushed for 13 touchdowns and caught one scoring pass. As a rookie, Johnson gained only 132 yards and scored just two touchdowns.

Denver has a pair of competent quarterbacks in Bob Gagliano, who has completed 123 of his 220 attempts for 1,531 yards and 10 touchdowns while being intercepted 10 times, and Vince Evans, who has hit on 146 of his 303 throws for 1,996 yards and 12 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.

The leading Denver receiver is Leonard Harris, who has caught 77 passes for 1,008 yards and seven touchdowns. Wide receiver Mark Lewis and running back Vincent White have 56 and 55 receptions, respectively.

Last weekend’s game against Jacksonville marked the first time since the third game of the season that Steve Young went all the way at quarterback for the Express. Young, who has been hampered by injuries, has completed 104 of his 195 passes for 1,353 yards and four touchdowns with 10 interceptions.