Darrell Doucette III is taking nothing for granted.
The irrepressible quarterback has led the United States men’s national team to multiple IFAF world and continental championships and a gold medal at The World Games. When challenged by the very NFL players who wish to step in and steal his starting spot at the LA28 Olympic Games, he sent them packing. Brady, Burrow, Hurts, and Daniels all played second fiddle to USA at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March.
But Housh, his nickname derived from a likeness to former Bengals wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh, admits he is training harder now than ever before in his quest to remain at the helm of the most successful national team in history.
“I think this is the most dedicated I’ve been,” says Housh following a track workout in between thunderstorms in the picturesque setting of City Park in his home city of New Orleans. “My dedication has been real, real high, the most since probably when I was a young teen trying to make it somewhere.
“I never imagined that we would be here talking about the Olympics, so now that has come to fruition, it’s just more dedication, trying to regain steps that I’ve lost in the past.”
Back on the track for the first time in six years, Housh has also stepped up his field workouts with cone drills, throwing and catching footballs and always works on his versatility. He routinely poses a threat as a passer, rusher or receiver.
“There’s someone on my tail every year trying to take my spot, so I’m just trying to do everything I can to still go and show that I’m versatile, to still be a threat to the opposing defense,” he explains.
Housh originally joined the USA men’s national team as a cornerback and lined up at receiver when winning his first IFAF World Championships gold medal in Jerusalem in 2021 as Eric Holliday quarterbacked the Americans to a fourth title. A year later Housh had succeeded Holliday and has never looked back.
His relationship with head coach Jorge Cascudo – who led the United States to the first of their world crowns as a quarterback himself in 2010 – is a major component in the Americans’ elongated success.
“We always had a high respect for each other as players and I think that’s why we’re such a great tandem together as coach and player now,” Housh says. “I think from the beginning I always told him I just want to be coached. Teach me, lead me, and I’ll figure out other things on my own.
“He has his playbook and plays, even though I am a different quarterback from how he played the game. He was the traditional pocket quarterback, and I know that’s not necessarily my expertise, but he was willing to coordinate things a certain way and I’m able to tweak certain plays. I think that’s why our relationship became even stronger because he gave me the respect to be the player that I’m capable of being while I’m also listening and learning from him.”
Cascudo points out that none of his players are under guaranteed contracts to safeguard their position on the team and can be replaced by an emerging talent at any time. The US women’s team for example will head to Düsseldorf without Vanita Krouch, considered the greatest women’s flag football quarterback of all time, on their roster.
It is a cutthroat business, but Cascudo values the dynamism his quarterback brings to the team and his evolution from being as much of a threat without the ball in his hands as he is taking the snap from the center. Cascudo was 38 when he quarterbacked the United States to their first world title; two years older than Housh is now.
“I think (age) doesn’t matter because the most important part there besides your IQ and your knowledge of the game is your arm strength and he brings a lot more to the table,” says the USA head coach. “He does a lot of other things and at tryouts every year I tell him ‘you’d better put a chip on your shoulder to show why’ and he works hard and not even as a quarterback. When we have Nico (Casares) dual quarterbacking, he’s one of his number one targets. He just creates plays and he needs to be on the field no matter what.”
Housh fully intends to be on the field regardless of whether that platform for his talents is in Düsseldorf this summer, at the biennial IFAF Americas in 2027 or the LA28 Olympic Games two years from now.
Photo: USA Football
