Medal of Honor Bowl - South Carolina's Premier College Football Bowl Game
Charleston, South Carolina
January, 2018
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At the Medal of Honor Bowl, the ABCs of what you can see

January 8, 2015
Uncategorized MOH Bowl, NFL, The Citadel
Medal of Honor Recipient Donald Ballard is escorted onto the field by a member of the Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders during the 2014 Medal of Honor Bowl. (Paul Zoeller/Staff)

Courtesy of The Post and Courier

From NFL prospects to the South Carolina State Marching 101, there will be something for everybody at Saturday’s Medal of Honor Bowl at Johnson Hagood Stadium. Here are the ABCs of what you can see:

A American heroes These guys are the real thing, Medal of Honor recipients who will be honored during pregame ceremonies. The Medal of Honor is our country’s highest military honor, awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. Fifteen recipients will be recognized Saturday.

B Bulldogs The Citadel has two players in the game, running back Jake Stenson and defensive end Justin Oxendine.

C Cheerleaders Want to brighten a Medal of Honor recipient’s day? Have him escorted to midfield by an Atlanta Falcons cheerleader.

D Draft picks Last year’s game featured three players who were drafted by NFL teams, and 73 who were invited to NFL training camps. Those numbers are sure to increase this year.

E Ellington, Bruce The former two-sport star at South Carolina, now a San Francisco 49er, will make an appearance at Tailgate Fanfest in the Johnson Hagood Stadium parking lot from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

F Fans A total of 5,135 fans braved a windy, blustery day last year for the first Medal of Honor Bowl. Officials are hoping for at least twice that number Saturday.

G Gamecocks USC receiver Damiere Byrd and defensive back Brison Williams will play.

H Hall of Famers Former NFL stars working as coaches include Joe DeLamielleure and Paul Krause. DeLamielleure was a Super Bowl-winning lineman with the Buffalo Bills; Krause, a safety with the Redskins and Vikings, picked off 81 passes in his career.

I Issac Blakeney The 6-6, 225-pounder from Duke is the tallest receiver in the Medal of Honor Bowl. He caught 98 passes for 1,093 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career, and might be a good red-zone target.

J Jeffries, Willie The legendary former South Carolina State coach is the head coach of the American Team. He became the first black head coach at an NCAA Division I school when Wichita State hired him in 1979.

K Kicker Ty Long He and punter Hunter Mullins and receiver J.J. Nelson could be the last Alabama-Birmingham players to wear a Blazers helmet during a game. Their program was controversially dropped by UAB after the 2014 season.

L Long-snapper Nate Boyer The Texas player served in the Green Berets Special Forces and was the first winner of the Armed Services Merit Award, given by the Football Writers Association of America.

M Mercedes-Benz One lucky fan will walk away with a Mercedes-Benz CLA250 from Baker Motor Company. You must be present to win, according to contest rules.

N NBC Sports Network The Medal of Honor Bowl will be televised nationally for the first time. Working the game will be play-by-play man Paul Burmeister, analyst Anthony Herron and sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen.

O Otis, Norkeithus The 6-1, 235-pound linebacker from North Carolina began the season on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, but was hobbled by a hamstring injury for much of the season. A good week would boost his draft stock.

P Purple Heart winner Clemson receiver Daniel Rodriguez won a Purple Heart during his service in the Army in Afghanistan. He was wounded during the battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan on Oct. 3, 2009, when 300 Taliban insurgents battled with 38 U.S. troops. Eight Americans lost their lives and 22 were injured.

Q Quarterbacks Included among the intriguing prospects are 6-7 Chris Bonner of Colorado State-Pueblo and Ryan Williams, a 6-6, 222-pounder from Miami. Williams was slated to start for the Hurricanes this season before he suffered a knee injury during spring practice.

R Raiders The Dorchester Academy team is represented by linebacker Michael Gruber, a Division II All-American at Brevard College and the cousin of legendary Raiders coach Stanley Gruber.

S Seventies soft-rock star John Ford Coley The Lowcountry resident was half of the England Dan and John Ford Coley duo, famed for hits such as “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” and “Love is the Answer.” Coley will sing during halftime.

T Tajh Boyd The former Clemson quarterback will make an appearance along with Ellington at the Tailgate Fanfest.

U Uzomah, C.J. The 6-5, 265-pound tight end from Auburn wasn’t targeted much in Auburn’s no-huddle offense, but a solid performance in the Medal of Honor Bowl will boost his draft chances.

V Very good singers Air National Guard Senior Master Sergeant Denise Phillips from the 142nd Fighter Wing in Oregon will sing the National Anthem; Marine Lt. Col. Mike Corrado will sing at halftime; and the Brady Smith Band will perform at Tailgate Fanfest before the game.

W West Ashley High School Representing his high school is former Wildcats tennis player Gabriel Middlebrook, who went on to play linebacker as a 6-2, 219-pounder at Charleston Southern.

X X-factor It could be former Citadel All-American center Mike Sellers. At 6-0 and 265 pounds, Sellers has played H-back, fullback and linebacker in practice this week for the American Team.

Y You That’s right, you could win a Super Bowl VIP ticket package with a donation of at least $20. See mohbowl.com for details.

Z Zernhelt, John The former Citadel head coach is one of the more than 120 pro scouts on hand this week.

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Shelly Nuttall Gardner

Shelly Nuttall Gardner is the owner/director of WheelHouse Concepts Inc., a firm specializing in strategic sales and events as well as creative project management.
Shelly Nuttall Gardner
Her current projects include:

* The Medal of Honor Bowl, director of Sales and Marketing. Gardner leads the sponsorship team, oversees the production of events as well as generates community and regional awareness and excitement about The Medal of Honor Bowl through advertising and marketing campaigns.

*Taste of Atlanta, director of Restaurants. Gardner works closely with Atlanta area chefs to produce and coordinate the restaurant participation in this festival, which draws 50,000 attendees annually over the 3 day schedule of culinary events.

*The Stray Dog Society, executive director. This member based social organization is for supporters (both graduate or non-graduate) of The Citadel. Gardner runs the membership and sponsorship campaign, as well as plans and executes the Society’s many events including the tailgate parties before each home game and the Annual Homecoming Jamboree to the sell-out crowd of 1500.

Gardner is originally from Charlotte, and is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill. Before starting WheelHouse Inc , she was a surgical sales representative for Medtronic’s neurosurgery division.

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Andy Solomon

Native Charlestonian Andy Solomon, who handles the media relations for the Medal of Honor Bowl Game, is concluding his 39th year in athletic administration and his 23rd year as an associate athletics director at The Citadel.
Andy Solomon
Having served in marketing, promotions and sports information capacities since joining The Citadel, Solomon now devotes his efforts on special events and coordinating the school’s licensing program. He also produces The Blue & White, the official publication of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation, and Today’s Blue & White, a weekly electronic newsletter. 

He is also a Visiting Professor in the school’s Health, Exercise and Sport Science Department and teaches Sports Management courses. He has served as the NCAA representative and tournament director at baseball regionals every year since 2003. Solomon also served a term as president of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and remains active as a member of the Board of Directors.

Solomon was selected as the inaugural Marketer of the Year (1999-2000) for NCAA Division I-AA and I-AAA institutions by the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) and was named National SID of the Year in 1983 by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), becoming the youngest ever to win the award.

In March 2004, Solomon was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame and became the third native Charlestonian to be enshrined in a national sports hall of fame, joining Art Shell (NFL) and Beth Daniel (LPGA). In 2009, he was inducted into Winthrop’s Hall of Fame.

Prior to his arrival at The Citadel, Solomon served in athletic administrative positions at College of Charleston (1973-77), Charleston Southern (1977-78), Winthrop (1978-84) and Limestone (1984-88).  He was the public relations manager at Wild Dunes Resort in 1988-89, and serves as a media relations consultant for the Charleston RiverDogs, the Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Solomon earned his bachelor’s degree from College of Charleston in 1977 and a master’s from Winthrop.  He and his wife, Amy, have two daughters, Anna and Addie.

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Tommy McQueeney

W. Thomas ‘Tommy’ McQueeney is the Chairman and Founder of The Medal of Honor Bowl Game, and works closely with our beneficiaries, The National Medal of Honor Museum and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Tommy McQueeny
A native Charleston area businessman with a background in sports development he chaired the Southern Conference Basketball Championships and the Charleston Area Sports Commission twice. McQueeney also chaired the $44.5 million Johnson Hagood Stadium Revitalization, has served on The Citadel’s Board of Visitors, the MUSC Children’s Hospital Board, and the Patriot’s Point Maritime Museum Foundation.

A 2009 recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, he is a local columnist and author.

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Thomas J O'Rourke

Tom O’Rourke is the Executive Director of the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. Tom’s Agency has been nationally recognized for operating an ever-expanding park system without using tax increases to fund growth.
Tom O'Rourke

Tom has the direct oversight responsibility for over 10,000 acres of parkland consisting of a very diverse offering of parks, programs and services.

Prior to joining Charleston County PRC, Tom was the Director of the Mt. Pleasant Recreation Department in Mt. Pleasant South Carolina, and also worked as Manager of the Sports and Recreation Division for Seamon Whiteside and Associates a Landscape Architect and Engineering firm. Tom’s first job was as a high school Athletic Director and Coach.

Currently Tom spends a significant amount of time educating park and recreation professionals. In the past three years he has spoken at 13 different State Association Conferences and has presented sessions at the NRPA Congress for the past 12 years. He is on the Board of Regents at the NRPA Revenue School, The NRPA Directors School and a past member of the Supervisors Managements School Board.

Tom is the Chair of the Clemson University Parks Recreation and Tourism Management Advisory Board, and the Chair of the Charleston Area Sports Commission Board of Directors.

Recreation is his profession, but his passion has always been coaching. Tom currently is the Pole Vault Coach at Hanahan High School.

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Hoyt "Rusty" Holt, Jr.

Hoyt “Rusty” Holt, Jr. serves as the Medal of Honor Bowl’s Operations Director.

Rusty Holt

Having recently retired from a successful insurance career at New York Life, Holt is an active member of Savannah’s Sports Council, and a charter board member of the Savannah Hockey Committee. Holt was the presiding force behind Savannah’s Inaugural Rock n Roll Marathon in 2011.

Holt is a proud graduate of The Citadel’s class of 1973, earning his B.S. in Business Administration and lettering in both football and track. In 1988, Holt was inducted into The Citadel’s Athletic Hall of Fame for his excellence in both sports – football and track .

Originally from Mullins, SC , he currently shares his time between Savannah and Charleston with Mignon, his wife of 39 years. They are the proud parents of 3 children and 7 grandchildren whom they delight in spending time with.

In addition to his love of sports, and his involvement in The Medal of Honor Bowl, Holt is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys boating, fishing, hunting and riding his Harley Davidson.

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Rick Raybon

Rick Raybon Director of Finance

Senior Financial Executive with more than 35 years of achievement improving corporate financial performance through financial leadership in banking relations, operations, mergers and acquisitions, organizational development and global systems integration.

Raybon has served in senior financial leadership roles with both Northrop Grumman and Litton Industries. Additionally, he has served as an interim CFO in several smaller equity backed businesses.

A 1974 graduate of The Citadel he has also attended executive level leadership courses at both Harvard Business School and Wharton. He is a licensed CPA, a retired Commander, Supply Corps. USNR and resides in Mt. Pleasant, SC with his wife Vicki.

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Samuel Rivers

Samuel Rivers

Bio Coming Soon…

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Cal McCombs

McCombs1200mugCal McCombs enjoyed a standout career as a track and football athlete at The Citadel, graduating in 1967.
His coaching career included stints at The Citadel, the United States Air Force Academy and as Head Football Coach at VMI, where he was named both State of Virginia Coach of the Year and Southern Conference Coach of the Year.

McCombs also spent five years as a top player development scout for the Denver Broncos of the American football League. Through these experiences, he gained a solid reputation for assessing draft-level NFL talent.

His skills in the area of quantifying NCAA football talent brings an enormous asset to the Medal of Honor Bowl.
He coached on the winning American Team in the inaugural Medal of Honor Bowl in January of 2014.

McCombs is a native of Belton, SC, and lives on the Isle of Palms with wife Lynn. They have three children and six grandchildren.

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Austin B. Atkinson, J.D.

Austin B. Atkinson, J.D. Austin B. Atkinson, J.D. is an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor and is a registered Athlete Agent in the State of South Carolina. Austin earned a B.A. in Political Science from The Citadel in 1999, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Charleston School of Law in 2011.

As an NFL agent, Austin was able to put players from the FBS, FCS, and Division II levels of college football into NFL camps in recent years. His eye for talent at all levels of football is invaluable in his personnel role for the Medal of Honor Bowl.

Active in the community, Austin has served as the Vice-Chairman of the Town of Mount Pleasant Board of Zoning Appeals, member of the Town of Mount Pleasant Historical Commission, Past-President of the Mount Pleasant Sertoma Club, assistant coach of the Wando High School boys lacrosse team, and is a member of the Theta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order. Austin lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife and children.

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Roy Hamlin Jr.

roy_hamlinMr. Hamlin’s strong success in video and television projects for the nation’s leading nonprofit and sports organizations has helped him network across a broad range of corporate, celebrity and charitable leaders to achieve important goals. He founded AdCraft Associates, which became recognized as a national leader through innovative marketing. After selling AdCraft Associates to Host Communications, Roy’s next venture, NorthStar Visions, took an innovative approach to a marriage between the sports and entertainment worlds. His Fairway Productions Group has been a leader in television concepts and production.
Mr. Hamlin has produced numerous sports publications and live television broadcast programming, while developing many of today’s accepted sports traditions, including the National Championship Trophy Program, Director’s Cut (Div. I, Div IAA, Div III), Basketball Poll, Women’s Basketball Poll, Football Coaches Poll, Baseball Coaches Poll, Baseball National Championship Trophy, Mohamed Ali Museum and the PGA of America Library.

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