SAN ANTONIO, Texas--(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Dec 1, 2004--With the college football regular season winding down, many fans are already looking ahead to next year. Who will be college football`s freshman sensation in 2005? The next Adrian Peterson or Chad Henne?
Football fans can find out next month when college football`s future stars compete in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The game, which will be broadcast live from San Antonio on NBC at Noon CST on January 15, features 78 of the top high school football seniors in the nation in a classic East vs. West matchup.
Several game alumni have continued to have great success in the college ranks. Many of these players have moved on to play in the top college football conferences. The Big 12 Conference has welcomed the most All-American Bowl players with 58 student-athletes attending 10 of the schools. The Big 10 Conference has had the second most players with a total of 50. Following the Big 10 are the ACC (46 players), SEC (42), Pac 10 (39) and the Big East (9).
''The U.S. Army All-American Bowl truly is the ultimate game for high school football players,'' said Colonel Thomas Nickerson, Director of Strategic Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. ''Players in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl gain valuable experience during game-week activities that will help them become better athletes and leaders now and in the future.''
The game has succeeded because the high school talent is second to none. Oklahoma running back and Heisman Award candidate Peterson averaged 10 yards per carry while scoring two touchdowns in last year`s game. Ohio State standout Ted Ginn Jr. took home the Pete Dawkins Game MVP as he helped lead the East team to a 45-28 victory over the West. Henne, who quarterbacked the East squad last January, will be leading Michigan in the Rose Bowl this season.
While Peterson and Ginn have had impressive freshman seasons, there are several other college stars who have excelled in the game. Chris Leak, now the quarterback at the University of Florida, earned the MVP trophy in 2003 while Texas quarterback Vincent Young took home the honors in 2002. Other stars who made their national debuts at the All-American Bowl include USC standout Reggie Bush and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.
Quinn is one of 26 alumni from the game to play for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame has the most All-American Bowl alumni of any NCAA school. Following Notre Dame are Texas (20 alumni), Michigan (18), USC (16) and Ohio State (14). Rounding out the top 10 are Florida State (13), LSU (13), Oklahoma (13), Tennessee (10) and Nebraska (9).
The game has already seen a few players make it to the highest level in football � the NFL. For the first time, All-American Bowl alumni were selected in the 2004 NFL Draft. Tommie Harris (Chicago Bears), Michael Clayton (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Kevin Jones (Detroit Lions) were selected in the first round while Marquise Hill was chosen in the second round by the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
The All-American Bowl, though, is much more than a football game. Players are involved in the game for an entire week and learn about key Army values such as leadership, teamwork and action. Additionally, the game offers other competitions and clinics such as the U.S. Army All-American Band Competition and the U.S. Army All-American Cheer Clinic.
U.S. Army game week activities also include a skills competition, river parade, and a pep rally. In addition, the U.S. Army will be bringing back the ''U.S. Army Interactive Fan Fest'' outside the Alamodome. Last year, fans of all ages enjoyed the interactive area that featured everything from a rock-climbing wall to Army assets.
The week of activities also involves many awards. The U.S. Army All-American Awards Dinner hosted by the San Antonio Downtown Rotary Club is high school football�s biggest night. The top high school football player in the country will be awarded the Ken Hall Trophy given to the Ball Park High School Player of the Year. Named for the ''Sugarland Express,'' the trophy will be given in honor of the legendary running back, Ken Hall, who set numerous high school rushing records in the 1950`s.
Another award is the ''Army of One'' award which is given to the two players (one east and one west) who best epitomize the Army�s high standards of excellence in community service, education and athletic distinction. In addition, the winning team will receive the Herman Boone Trophy. The trophy commemorates Herman Boone`s accomplishments in coaching a newly integrated T.C. Williams High School football team to a Virginia State Championship in 1971. Boone`s inspirational story, portrayed by Denzel Washington, was captured in the Disney film ''Remember the Titans.''
For more information about the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, please visit www.goarmy.com or www.allamericangames.com.
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