CHARLESTON, SC — The final day of practice for the 2nd Annual Medal of Honor Bowl concluded Friday at Johnson Hagood Stadium with both teams doing a final walk-through before Saturday’s game that kicks off at 2:30 pm. The players were on the field in their Medal of Honor Bowl sweats, going through their responsibilities one last time.

Special teams appeared to be the focus of the American team’s practice Friday with coaches making sure each player knew their responsibilities, and if they went down who the backup was. Friday’s final tune-up had the American team coaches feeling good.

At the end of practice Hall of Fame Coach Willie Jeffries told his players, “You guys have worked hard at practice this week. I am confident you are ready for tomorrow.”

The National team, under former NFL and college head coach Chan Gailey, took a different approach to their practice. While the National team was also in their sweats at the walk-through, they were working on refining their defensive and offensive plays. Coach Gailey wanted to make sure that his guys make the most of their opportunity.

“Tomorrow’s game film will be sent everywhere,” he said. “All NFL teams and the entire Canadian league. We will try to get everyone on the field, so when you are on the field, show who you are and what you can do.”

Both teams will definitely be ready for Saturday’s game, and everyone is focused on the goal of making the NFL. The question now is who will shine the most?

CHARLESTON, SC—The American team practiced in shirts and shorts Thursday inside Deas Hall of The Citadel’s campus due to the cold conditions. Hall of Fame coach Willie Jeffries made sure that this did not allow his team to lose focus.

“We can’t let weather allow us lose focus, no matter if we are in the gym or outside on the field. It is important to make the most of practice.”

Offensive players were running routes and the defense ran to the ball. Players would slow down when appropriate. The team moved mostly at a walk-through pace, but still accomplished a lot. The teams’ four quarterbacks were the ones that got the most work.

Chris Bonner of Colorado State-Pueblo, who stands 6-7, did not have any trouble seeing over the offensive line. Bonner and his receivers were connecting.

The other three quarterbacks, Jake Waters of Kansas State, Terrance Broadway of Louisiana-Lafayette and Tyler Murphy of Boston College were also solid.

Going through the playbook for another practice day will help the quarterbacks when the game kicks off on Saturday at 2:30 pm.

On Friday, both teams will have their walk-throughs at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

The Medal of Honor Bowl, which will be televised nationally by the NBC Sports Network, is a premier all-star that features the nation’s top draft-eligible college football players as projected for the NFL Draft. The game honors the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, disable veterans, and wounded warriors.

Game tickets, which range from $15-$40, may be secured at the Medal of Honor Bowl Game’s dedicated website www.MOHbowl.com. They will also be available at The Citadel Athletic Ticket Office at 843/953-DOGS (3647). One Lucky ticket holder will drive home with a new Mercedes-Benz, thanks to Baker Motors and Mercedes-Benz.

For more information, please refer to Twitter:@MOHbowl and Facebook.com/MOHbowl

CHARLESTON, SC — The American team began finding team chemistry as the third day of practice concluded Wednesday afternoon at The Citadel’s Willson Field.

The American team, under supervision of Hall of Fame coach Willie Jeffries, practiced again in pads and helmets. Practice was the most physical so far this week with the thumping sounds of pads occurring on nearly every play.

Linebackers Edwin Jackson of Georgia Southern and Norkeithus Otis of the University of North Carolina were the leaders of the physical play. Both made loud, hard-hitting plays multiple times. One of the defensive coaches was heard saying, “Otis is one of the most instinctive players I ever coached.” Evidently, physicality will not be a problem for Coach Jeffries’ team when Saturday’s game kicks off at 2:30.

On top of the intensity of Wednesday’s practice, timing was another item that was addressed. The quarterback and running back exchange, along with quarterback and wide receiver timing were two big topics during the session. Coach Jeffries is trying to get these guys as sharp in one week as most teams take all summer to obtain.

Florida International wide receiver Glenn Coleman seemed to be the beneficiary of the quarterback-receiver timing drills, catching multiple passes.

The Medal of Honor Bowl, which will be televised nationally by the NBC Sports Network, is a premier all-star that features the nation’s top draft-eligible college football players as projected for the NFL Draft. The game honors the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, disable veterans and wounded warriors.

Game tickets, which range from $15-$40, may be secured at the Medal of Honor Bowl Game’s dedicated website www.MOHbowl.com. They will also be available at The Citadel Athletic Ticket Office at 843/953-DOGS (3647). One Lucky ticket holder will drive home with a new Mercedes-Benz, thanks to Baker Motors and Mercedes-Benz.

For more information, please refer to Twitter:@MOHbowl and Facebook.com/MOHbowl.

CHARLESTON, SC— The American team, led by Hall of Fame coach Willie Jeffries, finished their second day of Medal of Honor Bowl practice on Tuesday in pads and helmets at The Citadel’s Willson Field.

“We will get better with repetition,” said Coach Jeffries. “We’ve got a ways to go, but we’re seeing great progress.”

The defense was the unanimous winner of today’s practice session with multiple interceptions and backfield tackles. One of the plays of the day was a tip-drill interception that was batted by Liberty free safety Jacob Hagen that ended up in Kansas safety Cassius Sendish’s hands.

It was somewhat hard to be at practice without hearing the voice of Sendish along with Georgia Southern linebacker Edwin Jackson. They are taking vocal leadership roles for the defensive unit.

While the defense was on their game, there were also many positives on offense. Former Citadel center and current Winston Salem State halfback Mike Sellers was all over the field. Whether it was blocking or catching passes, Sellers was consistently creating havoc.

The American team’s quarterbacks also appeared to be getting into a rhythm. Kevin Rodgers of Henderson State, and Terrance Broadway of Louisiana-Lafayette completed many passes during the 1:40 session.

The Medal of Honor Bowl, which will be televised nationally by the NBC Sports Network, is a premier all-star that features the nation’s top draft-eligible college football players as projected for the NFL Draft. The game honors the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, disable veterans, and wounded warriors.

Game tickets, which range from $15-$40, may be secured at the Medal of Honor Bowl Game’s dedicated website www.MOHbowl.com. They will also be available at The Citadel Athletic Ticket Office at 843/953-DOGS (3647). One Lucky ticket holder will drive home with a new Mercedes-Benz, thanks to Baker Motors and Mercedes-Benz.

For more information, please refer to Twitter:@MOHbowl and Facebook.com/MOHbowl

CHARLESTON, SC — Practice for the 2nd Annual Medal of Honor Bowl Game began Monday afternoon at The Citadel’s Willson Field.

The American team, under the direction of South Carolina State University’s legendary coach Willie Jeffries, was first to take the field sporting just practice jerseys with no pads.

The National team’s practice followed the American team later in the day.

Approximately 150 NFL scouts lined the sidelines as the players went through a variety of drills and began to learn their team’s playbook.

The American team seemed to be excited to get back on the field after a short break from their collegiate seasons.

Two players that certainly pass the look-test for the NFL include wide receivers J.J. Nelson from Alabama-Birmingham and Kyle Prater from Northwestern University. According to one observer, Prater seems to have the size and Nelson has the speed to make an NFL roster.

“A great field of talent,” is what Coach Jeffries claimed after the first practice and said that the players have “absorbed teaching from their coaches very well.”

He added that the team will “learn by repetition,” for the rest of the week in order to put together the best product for the game. The American team will resume practice Tuesday in helmets and pads, so the coaches can get a better grasp of what talent is on the field.

The Medal of Honor Bowl, which will be televised live nationally by the NBC Sports Network, is a premier all-star game the features the nation’s top draft-eligible college football players as projected for the NFL Draft. The game honors the Medal of Honor recipients and the game’s beneficiaries, the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, disabled veterans and wounded warriors.

CHARLESTON, SC – Willie Jeffries, head coach of the 2nd Annual Medal of Honor Bowl’s American Team, has announced that former Citadel quarterback Cam Turner will serve as the offensive coordinator and that former Bulldog Cal McCombs will be the defensive coordinator.

Set for 2:30 pm on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at The Citadel’s Johnson Hagood Stadium, the Medal of Honor Bowl is a premier all-star game the features the nation’s top draft-eligible college football players as projected for the NFL Draft. The game honors the Medal of Honor recipients and the game’s beneficiaries, the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project.

McCombs, who doubles as the bowl game’s director of player personnel, is a native Belton, SC. He was the 28th head football coach at VMI for seven years (1999-05) and his tenure was the third-longest of any VMI football head coach since 1946 and he completed his time in Lexington as the sixth-winningest football coach in their history. Prior to guiding the Keydets, McCombs coached defense at The Citadel from 1971-83 before spending the next 14 years (1984-98) as a defensive assistant/defensive coordinator to coach Fisher DeBerry at the Air Force Academy.

He also spent five years as a scout for the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

McCombs is a 1967 graduate of The Citadel where he earned five letters as a defensive back and a track and field standout, and was enshrined in The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. He received a United States Coast Guard Meritorious Public Service Award for saving the lives of two people in January, 1981.

Turner recently completed his third season as an assistant coach with Florida International University football working with the Panthers quarterbacks and wide receivers.
 
In 2011, he joined the Minnesota Vikings as Assistant to Head Coach Leslie Frazier. He spent two years in Minnesota, embracing every preparatory aspect of managing an NFL coaching staff, from administrative details to coaching strategies.
  
Turner graduated from The Citadel in 2010, where he played quarterback and wide receiver for the Bulldogs from 2006-09.
  
He first played quarterback, into his junior season, then after a sustaining a shoulder injury was moved to wide receiver for his final season. He was a four-time scholar-athlete, five-time Dean’s List recipient, two-time Citadel Gold Star recipient and earned a spot on the 2009 Southern Conference All-Academic Team, amongst other school acknowledgments. He graduated in 2010 with a degree in Business Administration.
 
Following his playing career, Turner joined the Bulldogs’ staff as an assistant coach in 2010 working with the receivers and special teams.
 
For more information please follow us on Twitter: @MOHbowl and Facebook.com/MOHbowl.

Cal McCombs through the Years

1971-83 The Citadel (defensive assistant)
1984-98 Air Force Academy (defensive assistant/defensive coordinator
1999-05 VMI (head coach)

Cam Turner through the Years

2010 The Citadel (receivers and special teams)
2011 Minnesota Vikings (assistant to the head coach)
2012-14 Florida International (quarterbacks and wide receivers)

Charleston, S.C. – University of Florida wide receiver Solomon Patton accounted for 98 all-purpose yards and set up all three American team touchdowns, and D.J. Adams of Portland State scored twice in a 20-3 victory in the inaugural Medal of Honor Bowl game Saturday at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

Patton caught three passes for 50 yards, had a rush for 33 and returned a kickoff for 15 more to earn American MVP honors. Deron Furr (Fort Valley State) was the National MVP with six tackles, including a shared sack, and two pass breakups.

The American team got on the board on its first drive when Patton took a reverse 33 yards and Danny O’Brien (Catawba) connected with Jeremy Butler (Tennessee-Martin) for 16 yards to the National one. O’Brien snuck in from there to put his team ahead 6-0.

O’Brien completed 5-of-11 passes for 87 yards while Joe Clancy (Merrimack) hit on 4-of-10 attempts for 88 to lead the American passing attack. Butler had two catches for 77 yards, including a game-long 61-yard grab in the fourth quarter.

The National team got on the board for the only time all day at the outset of the second quarter when Corey Robinson (Troy) completed passes of 16 yards to Troy teammate Eric Thomas and 12 yards to James Baker (Idaho) to set up a 40-yard field goal by Ohio State’s Drew Basil to make it 6-3.

Robinson finished the day with seven completions in 10 attempts for 65 yards while Casey Pachall (TCU) completed 8-of-15 for 54 yards.

The National team fumbled a punt at midfield and Marcus Whitfield (Maryland) recovered. The Americans took advantage, using a 26-yard pass from Clancy to Patton to set up a 19-yard touchdown run by Adams to make it 13-3 with 8:09 left in the second quarter.

Whitfield finished the day with two sacks in addition to his fumble recovery to lead the American defense. Malcolm Butler (West Alabama), playing for the National squad, had the game’s lone interception.

Adams scored again just over a minute into the fourth quarter when his one-yard plunge put the game out of reach. A 16-yard run by Colin Lockett (San Diego State) and a 15-yard pass from Clancy to Patton highlighted the 51-yard drive.

Game Stats
Game Photos