2013 East-West Shrine Game
Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013; 4 pm ET (NFL Network)
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Central Michigan DB Jahleel Addae, Western Michigan QB Alex Carder and OL Dann O'Neill toplay in the 2013 East-West Shrine Game
TAMPA, Fla. - The Mid-American Conference will have four student-athletes representing the conference this Saturday, Jan. 19 in the East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburgh, Fla. Central Michigan defensive back Jahleel Addae, Western Michigan quarterback Alex Carder, offensive lineman Dann O'Neill, and UMass offensive lineman Nick Speller will all participate in the college all-star football game.
The 88th Annual East-West Shrine Game will be played on Saturday, Jan. 19 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be televised on the NFL Network. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
A three-time All-MAC selection and two-time CMU Defensive Player of the Year, Addae tied for the MAC lead this year with four interceptions. He also totaled 89 tackles, including 40 solos, had two sacks, and was second on the team with seven stops for a loss. Addae, a 2012 team co-captain, earned MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors for his standout play in the Senior Day win over Miami, as he recorded his second straight double digit tackle game, totaling 10, including seven solos and 1.5 for a loss, to go along with half of a sack, and an interception. A Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list selection, Addae compiled 302 tackles, including 15 for a loss, and eight interceptions for his career.
For the second straight season, two Broncos have been invited to participate in a postseason All-Star Game as Alex Carder and Dann O'Neill have officially been invited to participate in this year's game on Jan. 19, 2013 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
In 2011, Drew Nowak and Jordan White were invited to postseason All-Star Games with Nowak participating in the Casino Del-Sol All-Star Game and White earning an invite to the Senior Bowl. It is the second time in program history that multiple WMU football players earned a roster spot in the same postseason All-Star Game. Londen Fryar, Branden Ledbetter and Jamarko Simmons were all invited to the 2009 Texas vs. The Nation Challenge.
The only other time in program history that multiple Broncos were invited postseason All-Star Games in the same year, outside of 2009, 2011 and 2012, was 2004 when Jason Babin and Kendrick Mosley earned roster spots in games.
"I'm thrilled for the opportunity to participate in this historical game," said Carder. "I appreciate the East-West Shrine Game for their consideration and I look forward to competing with the top players of the 2012 class."
"This is a huge honor. You look at how many players the East-West Shrine Game invites each year and it's not that many. It's a great honor to a part of this elite group and I am excited to be a part of it," commented O'Neill. "I'm also excited to be playing with Alex for one more game."
Carder and O'Neill are the eighth and ninth Broncos, respectively to participate in the East-West Shrine Game and the first since Greg Jennings in 2006. All seven of the previous players (Bob Rowe, Mike Siwek, John Offerdahl, Mark Garalczyk, Tom Nütten, Babin, Greg Jennings) to participate in the event went on to be drafted into the National Football League and two went on to win Super Bowls (Nütten, Jennings).
UMass offensive lineman Nick Speller will take part in the East-West Shrine Game. This marks the second straight season UMass has placed a player in the nation's longest running all-star game after Emil Igwenagu took part in the event last season.
Speller was a three-year starter at UMass after transferring following his 2009 redshirt freshman season at Syracuse. He started all 31 games he played in as a Minuteman missing just three during his career.
In 2012 the native of Baltimore, Md., helped pave the way for 1,000 yard rusher Jonathan Hernandez, while in 2011 he helped nearly two different players hit 1,000 yards as Hernandez and John Griffin each finished just shy of the mark.
As a redshirt junior, Speller earned All-CAA Third Team honors, while as a redshirt senior he earned preseason and mid-season All-MAC honors by Phil Steele. Prior to transferring to UMass, he was a Phil Steele BIG EAST All-Freshman Third Team honoree.
Since 1925 the East-West Shrine Game® has been more than just a football game. It’s been a showcase for the next generation of NFL greats and a priceless benefit event for Shriners Hospitals for Children®. The East-West Shrine Game is the longest-running all-star college football game, combining great football with a great cause and creating experiences for players that will last a lifetime.
The 88th Annual East-West Shrine Game will be played on Saturday, Jan. 19 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be televised on the NFL Network. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.