Furman to host South Carolina College All Star Bowl

GREENVILLE, SC – August 21, 2013 – Furman University will host the second annual South Carolina College All Star Bowl on March 1, 2014.

The 2014 South Carolina College All Star Bowl will feature an added dimension for the head coaches – Danny Ford for the Upstate and Willie Jeffries for the Lowcountry – of adding players from ACC, SEC and SoCon schools to their rosters for the game.

While the game will continue to be a showcase for players from South Carolina, we received a specific request from the NFL that we make this more of a regional game, said Sam Wyche, the game’s commissioner.

Game officials also announced a preseason watch list of 777 players that will be tracked during the season to culminate with two rosters of 50 players which will be divided into teams representing the Low Country and the Upstate.

In addition to players from the ACC, SEC and SoCon, the two all-star teams will include seniors from South Carolina colleges as well as South Carolina natives who played for out-of-state schools.

The inaugural game was held last March and a fourth quarter interception return for a touchdown helped boost an Upstate team coached by Ford over a Lowcountry team led by Jeffries 23-10.  The timing of the game – after all the other bowls, the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but before the NFL Draft – means that players who are vying for an NFL draft selection can have a final breakout opportunity. Last year’s SCCASB resulted in nine players signing NFL contracts.

The game gives special focus to players entering the NFL draft, creating an opportunity for football players all over the country, including South Carolina. With our game being in March as opposed to January or February, it gives NFL evaluators an ability to track the progress of potential talent as they get closer to making a final decision at the NFL Draft.

As a result of last year’s game, in addition to the players signing NFL contracts, one assistant coach/mentor, Nick Eason, earned a coaching job with the Cleveland Browns. Two other coaches, Levon Kirkland and C.J. Heinz, accepted college positions.

In addition to the game itself, the South Carolina College All Star Bowl will feature open practices for fans, autograph sessions and a scouting combine for athletes to test for NFL scouts.

The game was successful last year, we see a lot of opportunity and are gaining momentum for enormous future growth. said David Wyatt, the game’s director.

For more information, go to www.sccollegeallstarbowl.com.