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New 'Skins' Coach Center of Attention at Senior Bowl
 MOBILE,
Ala. (AP) — Steve Spurrier was a reluctant celebrity at the Senior Bowl on
Monday.
While Miami Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt and John Fox, a candidate for the
Carolina Panthers job, watched practice mostly unnoticed by reporters,
Spurrier
couldn't escape the scribes' attention.
After a photographer spotted him watching alone from the grandstand, he
jogged down the steps and tried to make a break for it. Instead, the new
Washington Redskins' coach wound up holding an impromptu news conference.
``I've been going through a lot,'' Spurrier said, grimacing. ``To be honest,
I'm sort of tired of the publicity and tired of signing autographs. I just
want to settle in and fit in.''
With a five-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins and an abrupt
departure from the University of Florida, that will be hard to do.
Spurrier said he was considering retaining Kurt Schottenheimer, brother of
Redskins' predecessor Marty Schottenheimer, on his coaching staff.
Spurrier admitted that Washington was better than he thought and said he's
not sure who his quarterback will be.
He then shrugged off autograph seekers.
``Y'all don't want to pester me,'' he said, walking hastily away and
pointing to an older man in a luxury car. ``Go talk to that guy.
``He's driving a Cadillac.''
Division I-AA Quarterback Star Replaces Harrington
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Sam Houston State quarterback Josh
McCown will replace Joey Harrington at the Senior Bowl.
Oregon's Harrington, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy,
bowed out of Saturday's game after suffering a knee injury while
participating in the East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco on Jan. 12.
McCown, who arrived in time to work out with his North
teammates on Monday, was the Southland Conference Player of the Year and a
finalist for the Walter Payton Award as Division I-AA's top player.
David Garrard of East Carolina and Kurt Kittner of Illinois
are also expected to see action at quarterback for the North squad, while
Indiana's Antwan Randle El is listed on the team's roster as a combination
quarterback/wide receiver.
A transfer to Sam Houston State after three seasons at SMU,
McCown passed for 2,884 yards and 29 touchdowns in his lone season with the
Bearkats.
The Senior Bowl, which pits the North squad against the
South team, features senior NFL prospects.
QB's Garrard, Ramsey Lead C-USA's
Contingent From C-USA Media Relations
CHICAGO - Conference USA will be well represented in the 53rd annual Senior
Bowl in Mobile, Ala., this Saturday, January 26. Six C-USA players,
including three offensive standouts, two defensive linemen and one special
teams player will participate in the annual all-star game, which is played
in front of numerous NFL personnel.
The South team features five Conference USA players. Louisville’s Deion
Branch, who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the
Cardinals, is one of six receivers on the South roster. Tulane is
represented by quarterback Patrick Ramsey, who threw at least one TD pass in
all but one game in his Green Wave career and Casey Roussel, the squad’s
only punter. UAB lists pair of defensive lineman on the unit; Bryan Thomas,
who established a new conference career mark for sacks with 35 and Eddie
Freeman, also a pass rushing specialist.
East Carolina quarterback David Garrard is the lone representative on the
North squad. Garrard leaves Greenville as the school’s all-time leader in
passing yards and total offense.
The five members of the South squad will be coached by Dave McGinnis and his
Arizona Cardinals coaching staff. Mike Holmgren and his Seattle Seahawks
coaching unit will tutor Garrard and the other North players.
The Senior Bowl is regarded in most circles as the most prestigious of the
postseason all-star games. Last season, a total of 90 players that
participated in the Senior Bowl were drafted by NFL teams, with each of the
league’s teams selecting at least one participant. Senior Bowl practices are
attended by more than 600 general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches,
scouts and other front office personnel from each of the 32 National
Football League teams.
The game, which will be nationally-televised by ESPN, kicks off at 4:00 p.m.
(CST) on Saturday from Ladd-Peebles Stadium, also the site of the GMAC Bowl.
A sellout crowd of over 40,000 is expected. The Senior Bowl, presented by
Food World, is a non-profit event which has donated over $1.8 million to
charity since 1989.
Copyright 2002
Associated Press and Conference USA. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bonesville.net contributed to this
report.
02/23/2007 10:47:27 AM
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