West tops East 10-3 in 92nd East-West Shrine Game
St. Petersburg, Fla. (PRWEB) January 21, 2017 -- In a game that the defensive lines harassed ball carriers and quarterbacks all day, the difference was the West holding the East all-stars to just 37 yards rushing.
For the first time, active NFL assistant coaches led the teams; and it was clear that both head coaches hailed from the defensive side of the ball (West by Minnesota Defensive Coordinator George Edwards; East by Arizona Cardinals Defensive Line Coach Brentson Buckner).
The West defense was led by DE Deatrich Wise of Arkansas, who had 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks and caused a fumble on one of the game’s more interesting plays. With just 2 minutes left in the game, Wise appeared to sack East QB Nick Mullins (Southern Mississippi) but the ball popped into the air, only to be caught by OT William Holden (Vanderbilt) who then rumbled several yards back toward the line of scrimmage carrying several defensive linemen with him.
Other West defensive performances of note include S Tedrick Thompson (Colorado) and LB Kevin Davis (Colorado State) each registering 5 tackles; LB Hardy Nickerson Jr. (Illinois) and DC Treston Decoud (Oregon State) both forced fumbles; DE Darius English (South Carolina) shared a sack (with Wise) and had a tackle for loss and a hurry.
The East had a trio of defensive linemen with sacks, including DT Joey Ivie (Florida), DE Karter Schult (Northern Iowa) and DE Trey Hendrickson (Florida Atlantic). DE Bryan Cox (Florida) weighed in with 5 tackles (including one TFL). Hendrickson also forced a fumble and had a quarterback hurry in an effort that earned him the E. Jack Spaulding Award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player. East DT DeAngelo Brown (Louisville) registered a game-high 3 tackles for loss.
Offensive leaders for the game were West QB Wes Lunt (Illinois) with 101 yards passing while going 11-for-14; East QB Cooper Rush threw for 94 yards in an 11-for-17 effort; West WR Karel Hamilton (Sanford) had 61 yards on a pair of receptions and East TE Colin Jeter racked up 36 yards on a pair of receptions. West RB Joseph Williams (Wisconsin) led all rushers with 48 yards on 7 carries; West RBs Dare Ogunbowale (Wisconsin) and Eli McGuire (Louisiana Lafayette) each added 42 yards. McGuire scored the game’s only touchdown on an 18-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter (earning him the William H. Coffman Award for Most Outstanding Offensive Player).
Both teams scored field goals in the first half, with West kicker Austin Rehkow (Idaho) hitting a 27 yarder in the first quarter and East kicker Nick Weiler (North Carolina) tying the game on a 21-yard attempt in the second.
The game was played in front of a crowd of 22,198 inside Tropicana Field and was broadcast nationally on the NFL Network.
About the East-West Shrine Game:
Originating in 1925, the East-West Shrine Game is the longest-running college all-star football game in the country and features some of the highest-rated players in the projected NFL draft ranking. While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children. Learn more at http://www.shrinegame.com.
About Shriners Hospitals for Children:
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. The 22 facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. To learn more about Shriners Hospitals for Children, please visit http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
Nikki Devereux, Pinstripe Marketing, http://www.shrinegame.com/GameWeek, +1 9172511187, [email protected]
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