Four USF Players Named To NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
January 02, 2015 | Football
Cliett, Dunkley, Eatmon and Williams to participate in Jan. 17 game
TAMPA, JAN. 2, 2015 – USF seniors continue to accept invitations to post-season all-star games as four Bulls have been invited to compete in the 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl played Saturday, Jan. 17 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Cal.
Linebacker Reshard Cliett (Thomasville, Ga.), cornerback/kick returner Chris Dunkley (Pahokee) and linemen Quinterrius Eatmon (Prichard, Ala.) and Darrell Williams (Orlando) will compete in the all-star game for draft-eligible seniors sponsored by the NFL Players Association. All four USF players earned their degree in December.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. (ET), and the game will be televised live on ESPN2. ESPNU will also air live broadcasts from practices on Wednesday, Jan. 14 and Thursday, Jan. 15.
A team captain, Cliett led USF and ranked fifth in the American Conference with a career-best six sacks and was second on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss in 2014. He saw action in 41 career games at USF, starting 27 at linebacker while recording 135 career tackles, 17 TFL and eight sacks.
Dunkley switched from wide receiver to cornerback for his senior season and started all 12 games on defense. He was named to the American Athletic Conference first team as a kick returner by Phil Steele after leading the AAC averaging 24.0 yards on 23 kick returns. He posted 26 tackles, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and led the team with five pass break-ups while forcing and recovering a fumble on defense.
Eatmon started all 12 games in 2014 and was named to the American Athletic Conference second team by Phil Steele. Eatmon started nearly every game over his four seasons and finished second all-time at USF starting in 46 career games.
Williams started all 12 games at left tackle in 2014. A stalwart on the offensive line for four seasons, he saw action in 42 games and started 28 at the all-important left tackle position. Williams and Eatmon helped blow the way for freshman Marlon Mack who posted just the fourth 1,000-yard rushing season in school history and a school and conference record 275 yards vs. Western Carolina.
Mike Holmgren and Mike Martz will serve as the head coaches for the American and National Teams. For one week preceding the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, participants will receive an in-depth introduction to the union – the primary resource for information on the business of football and how to succeed in the NFL and in post-football careers. Pro-football players and coaching legends will work with the game's future stars, giving them first-hand insight on what it takes to win on and off of the field. Visit the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl site for more information.
USF returns 14 starters (6 offense, 7 defense and 1 specialist) for Taggart's third season at the helm. The Bulls will return their top five tacklers (9 the top 12 overall) and players that accounted for 73 percent of the team's tackles in 2014. USF returns 100 percent of its rushing and passing yardage from 2014, including 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack, and 50 percent of its receptions and receiving yards.
The USF Football program completed its 18th season and 15th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made six bowl appearances, including every season between 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 23 NFL Draft picks and reached the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Poll in 2007.
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- #GoBulls -
