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AG's Wildcat Report - Dispatches on the Wildcats, from Anthony Gimino

Posts Tagged ‘Casino del Sol All-Star Game’

Ex-Wildcats Quinn, Tutogi move on to this week’s NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

Sunday, January 13th, 2013
Kyle Quinn

Kyle Quinn leaves Monday morning for a week of practice and interviews at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Photo by Matt Kartozian-USA Today Sports

About a week after the Arizona Wildcats’ win in the New Mexico Bowl, senior center Kyle Quinn got a call from a number he didn’t recognize. He answered anyway.

Hello?

“This is Coach Tomey.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,” Quinn said about hearing from Dick Tomey, the winningest coach in Arizona history.

“I got nervous. I actually got goosebumps. Just hearing from him with the amount of respect I have for him and the passion he has for this school and this city, it’s really amazing.”

There was a practical purpose for the call. Tomey, serving as a head coach and procurer of talent for the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, was inviting Quinn to participate in the game, which took place Friday at Kino Stadium.

Quinn and two other ex-Wildcats — fullback/defensive end Taimi Tutogi and defensive lineman Dominique Austin — helped the West squad to a 40-7 victory.

“I was really proud of all those guys,” Tomey said after the game. “Taimi was terrific. Kyle is a great leader.”

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Scouts, Pac-12 standouts help put Casino Del Sol game on all-star map

Saturday, January 12th, 2013

Casino Del Sol logo

On an uncommonly near-freezing night in Tucson, many of the players from the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game didn’t seem to want to leave the field after the game.

The players, especially those from the winning West squad, mingled with family and friends. For some, it was the last time they would play organized football. For others, it was the start of the final push for the NFL dream.

“It’s an opportunity you can’t pass up,” said Arizona’s Taimi Tutogi, who played fullback and defensive end Friday night, as he did during his senior season at Arizona.

“This game will set you up for some pretty good things if you’re really serious about making it to the next level.”

The plummeting temperatures had a lot to do with a sparse crowd at Kino Stadium — far less than the announced attendance of more than 4,393 — as the the West squad dominated in a 40-7 victory. But the game is gravy (at least for the players).

As the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game tries to gain a stronger foothold in the postseason landscape, the most important aspect is what happens during the week leading up to the game.

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Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game: 10 players to watch

Friday, January 11th, 2013
Jamarkus McFarland

Oklahoma’s Jamarkus McFarland (right) works against Ball State offensive lineman Austin Holtz in practice. Photo courtesy of V. Valdez Photography

The rosters for the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game are filled with small-school guys looking for a chance, big-school guys looking for a second chance and former top recruits looking to recapture glory.

Basically, these guys have some large chips on their shoulder.

Last year’s inaugural game produced six draft picks and 61 players who were invited to NFL camps. This year’s group looks better. What will be nice, if the game sticks around Tucson for a while, is that it will start developing a database of success stories.

West Virginia offensive lineman Don Barclay played here last season and is now starting for the Green Bay Packers at right tackle as an undrafted free agent. Arizona safety Robert Golden, another undrafted free agent, stuck with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a rookie.

There are three former Wildcats on the West roster this year — fullback Taimi Tutogi (story), center Kyle Quinn (story) and defensive lineman Dominique Austin.

The game will be held tonight at Kino Stadium at 7 p.m. (ESPN3.com, 1490-AM). In addition to the Arizona guys, here are 10 other players to watch:

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Casino Del Sol All-Star Game: See Onterio McCalebb run

Thursday, January 10th, 2013
Onterio McCalebb

Onterio McCalebb scored 29 touchdowns in his four-year career at Auburn. Photo courtesy of V. Valdez Photography.

Welcome to the Onterio McCalebb postseason tour.

The super-speedy Auburn running back began his audition for pro scouts this week in practice for the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, which will be held Friday at Kino Stadium at 7 p.m.

McCalebb will move on to the inaugural Raycom College Football All-Star Classic in Montgomery, Ala., on Jan. 19, and then to the Texas vs. The Nation game in Allen, Texas, on Feb. 2.

McCalebb wants to get as much exposure as he can to show he has more than just a great time in the 40-yard dash; he says he finished it in 4.28 seconds the last time he tried.

“A lot of people know I can run. That’s my specialty — running fast,” McCalebb said. “My plan is to go the NFL Combine and run the fastest time.

“But I have hands, too. I’m not necessarily just a running back. I can play slot receiver.”

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Taimi Tutogi eager to show versatility at Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game

Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
Taimi Tutogi

Taimi Tutogi practices Monday for the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game. Photo by V. Valdez Photography

Taimi Tutogi was described many ways in his four years with the Arizona Wildcats — fullback, H-back, tight end, tailback, defensive end.

Mostly, he was a blocker.

Tutogi, at 6-1, 260, has the kind of powerfully-built body found among lead blockers in the NFL. What the scouts want to find out about Tutogi in the next couple of weeks is what he else he can do in the offense.

“I think they know I can block,” he said after practice for the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, to be held Friday night at Kino Stadium, starting at 7 p.m.

“A lot of scouts have talked about me coming out of the backfield, being versatile.”

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Q&A with ex-Wildcat Kyle Quinn at Casino Del Sol All-Star practice

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
Kyle Quinn

Kyle Quinn works against Cal’s Aaron Tipoti in practice Monday. Photo courtesy of V. Valdez Photography

This isn’t Rich Rodriguez’s offense any more.

Former Arizona Wildcats center Kyle Quinn began the next stage of his football career Monday, practicing with the West squad in preparation for the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, which will be held Friday at Kino Stadium at 7 p.m.

“Now we get to huddle and snap under center,” he said after practice.

He did none of the former in his senior season in Rodriguez’s hurry-up scheme and only twice delivered the ball directly to the quarterback — in the victory formation at the end of games.

Quinn is working with the West team, getting offensive-line instruction from former Utah and Weber State head coach Ron McBride, also an ex-Arizona assistant coach under Dick Tomey. Tomey is the head coach of the West squad.

Quinn, a two-year starter at Arizona (although he missed four games this season because of an ankle injury), might be considered a late-round possibility, or at least a free-agent to bring into camp. Scouts have interest: He also is mulling a recent invitation to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which will be held Jan. 19 in Los Angeles.

Here is a post-practice Q&A with Quinn:

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Pair of Sooners, Auburn’s McCalebb among final adds for Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game

Monday, January 7th, 2013

Casino Del Sol logo

The Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game released its final rosters Sunday night, adding, among others, a pair of Oklahoma defensive tackles and a player who amassed more than 4,500 total yards at Auburn.

There are 102 players on the East and West rosters for the game, which will be played at Kino Stadium on Friday, starting at 7 p.m.

Oklahoma’s Jamarkus McFarland started 22 games at defensive tackle in his career, including every regular-season game this season for defensive coordinator and former Arizona head coach Mike Stoops. He had 29 tackles, including six for loss.

His Sooners teammate, Stacy McGee was part of the defensive tackle rotation for half of the season, but a university rules violation and a DUI charge before the Cotton Bowl limited him to six games.

One of the top offensive players in the game should be Onterio McCalebb, who is fourth on Auburn’s career list for all-purpose yards with 4,566. He ran for 2,586 career yards, had 620 receiving yards and returned 53 kicks for 1,360 yards and two touchdowns.

Arizona has three players in the game: defensive end Dominique Austin, center Kyle Quinn and fullback Taimi Tutogi.

Here are the full rosters:

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Three Arizona Wildcats set to play in Casino Del Sol All-Star Game

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012
Kyle Quinn

Kyle Quinn missed three games because of injury this season but was Arizona’s starting center for the past two years. Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

Three Arizona Wildcats have accepted invitations to play in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game in Tucson next month.

Center Kyle Quinn, defensive lineman Dominique Austin and fullback/defensive end Taimi Tutogi will get a chance to interview and workout for scouts, and then play in front of UA fans one more time on Dec. 11.

The game will be played Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.

It will be interesting to how scouts evaluate Tutogi, who played both ways as a senior. He certainly has the body to be a situational NFL player on offense while being able to play on special teams. Austin missed the final seven games of the regular season because of a foot injury but came back to play in the New Mexico Bowl victory.

A list of 64 committed players released by bowl officials includes 13 from the Pac-12. Arizona State will send punter Josh Hubner, a Lindy’s third-team All-American.

One of the more intriguing players could be Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel, who decided to enter the draft and not try to seek a medical hardship season from earlier in his career.

Tuel spent part of his childhood in Tucson, attending Salpointe Catholic High School for a year before his family moved to Fresno, Calif.

More player announcements are expected in the next week or so. The game featured about 90 prospects last season.

Here is a list of the 64 players who accepted invitations:

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Ex-Kansas, Notre Dame QB commits to play in Casino Del Sol All-Star Game

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
Dayne Crist

Dayne Crist will get an opportunity to show the skills that once made him a touted prospect. Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas quarterback Dayne Crist, a former starter at Notre Dame, has accepted an invitation to play in the 2013 Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game.

Crist transferred to Kansas after last season, rejoining former Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis, who was beginning his first year with the Jayhawks.

He started for Kansas early in the season but gave way to redshirt freshman Michael Cummings in the second half of the season as Weis went with a youth movement.

Crist (6-4, 235) completed 103 of 216 passes for 1,313 yards, with four touchdowns and nine interceptions, for a Kansas team that was one of the worst in major college football, finishing 1-11.

He started the first nine games of the 2010 season for Notre Dame before suffering a ruptured patella tendon. He played sparingly in 2011 before transferring as a graduate student.

Crist, from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., was one of the nation’s most touted quarterback prospects in the 2008 class.

The Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game will be played Jan. 11 at Kino Stadium, beginning at 7 p.m. Former Arizona Wildcats head coach Dick Tomey will serve as one of the head coaches.

Stanford receiver will play in Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

Casino Del Sol logo

Stanford receiver Drew Terrell has accepted an invitation to play in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, the school announced.

Terrell, who earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors, is the leading wideout on a Stanford offense that leans on its tight ends in the passing game. Terrell has 31 receptions for 443 yards and four touchdowns, and he also ranks 14th nationally in punt returns, averaging 12.6 per attempt.

He scored on a 76-yard punt return vs. Duke.

The Casino Del Sol All-Star game will be played Jan. 11 at Kino Stadium. Former Arizona Wildcats head coach Dick Tomey will serve as one of the head coaches.