When Team USA arrives in Japan for its first World Championship of American Football, it won’t be greeted with a friendly schedule. Having only two weeks to practice together as a team, the Americans will play their first two games in only a span of three days.

“It’s not a real ideal schedule,” said Todd Bell, Team USA press officer.

Besides their limited time together, many of the players will have to adjust to teams who have been together for up to four years, Bell said. Even so, head coach John Mackovic doesn’t expect much of a change in the style of play.

“The international game is much like ours in the U.S.,” Mackovic said. “People throw the ball a great deal.”

With so many teams using a spread offense, Mackovic expects former ISU defensive end Shawn Moorehead to have a serious role in their defensive game plan.

“He [Moorehead] will give us an element of quickness off the ball that will hopefully provide us enough pressure on the quarterback that we won’t have to blitz our linebackers,” Mackovic said.

Whatever defensive schemes he finds himself in, Moorehead said he’s just interested in stepping in against some new competition.

“I’m very excited to see what the other teams are going to be like because I’ve never seen any football in other countries,” Moorehead said. “I’m really anxious to see what type of football they play and how they play it.”

World Championship of American Football 6-team tournament

Top team from each pool will play for the championship July 15.

Group 1

• Japan
• France
• Sweden

Group 2

• United States
• South Korea
• Germany

Team USA schedule

July 10 vs. South Korea

July 12 vs. Germany