By Danny Morales
ST. PETERSBURG -- Chad Bumphis of Mississippi State had four receptions for 92 yards and one touchdown as the West All Stars defeated the East All Stars 28-13 in the 88th East-West Shrine Game in front of 18,00 fans on Saturday, Jan. 19 at Tropicana Field.
Bumphis won offensive MVP with his 92 yard and one touchdown performance on Saturday.
“I was kind of cheating, I looked at the jumbotron to see where the ball was,” said Bumphis about his touchdown reception. “I knew he was going to have to throw it at my back shoulder, and I looked up at the screen and he was getting ready to throw, so I turned around and the ball was there.”
Kansas State cornerback Nigel Malone took home the defensive MVP after having a momentum swinging interception return for a touchdown late in the first half.
The East All Stars started the game with Collin Klein at quarterback, but Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham fumbled the ball on the opening play from scrimmage setting up the West All Stars with good field position.
Middle Tennessee State WR Anthony Amos scored the first touchdown of the game with a three yard run to the left, giving the West a 7-0 lead with 11:14 left in the first quarter.
Bumphis gave the West All Stars a 14-3 lead with a 57 yard touchdown reception from quarterback Matt Scott of Arizona.
The Bumphis touchdown pass came 49 second after the East team got it’s first points of the game thanks to a 57 yard field goal from University of Florida kicker Caleb Sturgis with 1:49 left in the first half.
Malone extended the West squad’s lead to 21-3 when he intercepted Colby Cameron’s pass and returned it back for a touchdown 15 seconds after Bumphis scored his touchdown.
“It meant a lot,” said Malone of ending his collegiate career with a good game. “Its been a long time coming for me personally. I didn’t exactly finish how I wanted to in the Fiesta Bowl, but this meant a lot to come out and play my last real college game and come out with a W. Especially with a great group of guys.”
Midway through the third quarter the East squad was in the redzone threatening for it’s first touchdown of the game, but West cornerback Terry Hawthorne of the University of Illinois intercepted the Nathan Stanley pass in the endzone.
“Our defense just really played how we’ve been competing all week,” said Howard linebacker Keith Pough after the game. “We came out dominante. Coach Bennett said he wanted three takeaways and we got him four, so we showed up to play.”
The East All Stars would later get their first touchdown of the game when Trey Steelman of Army rushed seven yards for a touchdown to cut the West All Stars lead to 21-10 with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter.
The West All Stars entered the fourth quarter leading 21-10, while possessing the ball for 25 minutes and gaining 228 total yards.
Christine Michael of Texas A&M extended the West All Stars lead to 28-10 when he rushed six yards up the middle for a touchdown with 8:07 remaining in regulation time.
Collin Klein came back in late in the fourth quarter after going 3-6 passing for 19 yards in the first quarter.
Klein was intercepted with 6:07 remaining in the game by West cornerback Khalid Wooten of the University of Nevada. Klein finished the game 5-13 passing for 43 yards and one interception, while adding 35 yards on five rushes.
“It was different,” said Bumphis about playing against competition from all over the country. “Just to come out here and compete with some of those corners and some of those safeties just to see where I match up, it was great.
Earl Wolff added another interception for the East All Stars late in the fourth quarter when he picked off West quarterback Seth Doege of Texas Tech in the endzone.
Sturgis added another three points for the East with his 38 yard field goal with 1:24 remaining in the game. The Sturgis field goal cut the West All Stars lead to 28-13, which was the final score from Tropicana Field.
“It was really nice,” said Bumphis about ending his college career with a win. “ In the bowl game we came out with a loss and that left a bad taste in my mouth and I just wanted to come out here and perform well and show people what I could do.”
Linebacker Keith Pough of Howard University won the Pat Tillman Award. The Pat Tillman award is awarded to play player who best demonstrates service, character, and sportsmanship.
"To receive that award knowing what kind of man Pat Tillman was, with all the character and integrity," said Pough upon receiving the award. "For me to just be a candidate for the award is a blessing."
ST. PETERSBURG -- Chad Bumphis of Mississippi State had four receptions for 92 yards and one touchdown as the West All Stars defeated the East All Stars 28-13 in the 88th East-West Shrine Game in front of 18,00 fans on Saturday, Jan. 19 at Tropicana Field.
Bumphis won offensive MVP with his 92 yard and one touchdown performance on Saturday.
“I was kind of cheating, I looked at the jumbotron to see where the ball was,” said Bumphis about his touchdown reception. “I knew he was going to have to throw it at my back shoulder, and I looked up at the screen and he was getting ready to throw, so I turned around and the ball was there.”
Kansas State cornerback Nigel Malone took home the defensive MVP after having a momentum swinging interception return for a touchdown late in the first half.
The East All Stars started the game with Collin Klein at quarterback, but Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham fumbled the ball on the opening play from scrimmage setting up the West All Stars with good field position.
Middle Tennessee State WR Anthony Amos scored the first touchdown of the game with a three yard run to the left, giving the West a 7-0 lead with 11:14 left in the first quarter.
Bumphis gave the West All Stars a 14-3 lead with a 57 yard touchdown reception from quarterback Matt Scott of Arizona.
The Bumphis touchdown pass came 49 second after the East team got it’s first points of the game thanks to a 57 yard field goal from University of Florida kicker Caleb Sturgis with 1:49 left in the first half.
Malone extended the West squad’s lead to 21-3 when he intercepted Colby Cameron’s pass and returned it back for a touchdown 15 seconds after Bumphis scored his touchdown.
“It meant a lot,” said Malone of ending his collegiate career with a good game. “Its been a long time coming for me personally. I didn’t exactly finish how I wanted to in the Fiesta Bowl, but this meant a lot to come out and play my last real college game and come out with a W. Especially with a great group of guys.”
Midway through the third quarter the East squad was in the redzone threatening for it’s first touchdown of the game, but West cornerback Terry Hawthorne of the University of Illinois intercepted the Nathan Stanley pass in the endzone.
“Our defense just really played how we’ve been competing all week,” said Howard linebacker Keith Pough after the game. “We came out dominante. Coach Bennett said he wanted three takeaways and we got him four, so we showed up to play.”
The East All Stars would later get their first touchdown of the game when Trey Steelman of Army rushed seven yards for a touchdown to cut the West All Stars lead to 21-10 with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter.
The West All Stars entered the fourth quarter leading 21-10, while possessing the ball for 25 minutes and gaining 228 total yards.
Christine Michael of Texas A&M extended the West All Stars lead to 28-10 when he rushed six yards up the middle for a touchdown with 8:07 remaining in regulation time.
Collin Klein came back in late in the fourth quarter after going 3-6 passing for 19 yards in the first quarter.
Klein was intercepted with 6:07 remaining in the game by West cornerback Khalid Wooten of the University of Nevada. Klein finished the game 5-13 passing for 43 yards and one interception, while adding 35 yards on five rushes.
“It was different,” said Bumphis about playing against competition from all over the country. “Just to come out here and compete with some of those corners and some of those safeties just to see where I match up, it was great.
Earl Wolff added another interception for the East All Stars late in the fourth quarter when he picked off West quarterback Seth Doege of Texas Tech in the endzone.
Sturgis added another three points for the East with his 38 yard field goal with 1:24 remaining in the game. The Sturgis field goal cut the West All Stars lead to 28-13, which was the final score from Tropicana Field.
“It was really nice,” said Bumphis about ending his college career with a win. “ In the bowl game we came out with a loss and that left a bad taste in my mouth and I just wanted to come out here and perform well and show people what I could do.”
Linebacker Keith Pough of Howard University won the Pat Tillman Award. The Pat Tillman award is awarded to play player who best demonstrates service, character, and sportsmanship.
"To receive that award knowing what kind of man Pat Tillman was, with all the character and integrity," said Pough upon receiving the award. "For me to just be a candidate for the award is a blessing."