By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
North defensive backs Shad Criss of Missouri and Chris Shinnick of Hawaii drag down South receiver Corey Thomas of Duke yeterday at the Hooters Hula Bowl. The South won, 20-19.
Kicking goes South The North's kicking woes allow the South to win the Hula Bowl on a field goal
By Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinWAILUKU, Maui - Scott Frost was looking toward the sideline to receive instructions on where he should line up to play free safety. But he wasn't looking at South head coach Bruce Snyder. Instead, Heisman Trophy winner and future Buffalo Bills quarterback Doug Flutie was helping position the Nebraska quarterback in the waning moments of yesterday's Hooters Hula Bowl.
The result was a near-interception of Michigan QB Brian Griese on the North's final offensive play.
Griese dropped back in the pocket on fourth-and-17 and tried to find Penn State receiver Joe Jurevicius on a streak route.
Frost had a bead on the ball the moment it left Griese's hand. He stretched out for it, but it sailed just beyond his fingertips.
"I almost had it, I swear I did," Frost said to Flutie on the sideline. Flutie shook Frost's hand for the effort.
The incomplete pass secured the South's 20-19 victory over the North yesterday before a sellout crowd of 20,079 at War Memorial Stadium.
"But you saw the effort he put into that play," Flutie said. "That's what these games are all about. Having fun when the game is on the line."
It wasn't all fun for the players competing in the 52nd annual college all-star game. South Most Valuable Player Eric Ogbogu of Maryland and North MVP Chris Howard of Michigan were trying to impress the NFL scouts.
Howard carried the ball 14 times for 116 yards, and Ogbogu had four sacks.
Both enjoyed their week on Maui, but the two were all business on the football field.
"I had a good time away from the field, but once we came to the stadium, I was ready to play," Howard said. "I played like I was playing at Michigan. I didn't care if it was a relaxed game. I came here to win."
So did Ogbogu. And thanks to a 47-yard field goal by Arizona State's Robert Nycz with two minutes left, the Maryland standout wound up on the winning team.
"It's always good to win the game," said Ogbogu, a defensive end. "That's the goal of any team. But I also wanted to have a good game to try to impress the scouts. I did a little better than I thought. Never in my career have I had four quarterback sacks in one game."
His efforts helped stake the South to a 10-0 halftime lead. Nycz had a 33-yard field goal with 1:15 left in the first quarter and UCLA wide receiver Jim McElroy tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Duke receiver Corey Thomas after getting the ball on a reverse.
But the North struck quickly in the second half. Griese threw a perfect 35-yard strike to Jurevicius (four catches for 102 yards) on the opening drive of the second half.
Jurevicius returned the favor with a nice 5-yard scoring pass to Griese on a trick play to make it 19-17 in favor of the North with 10:08 left in the game.
"That play would have worked earlier if (Notre Dame quarterback) Ron Powlus hadn't dropped it," Jurevicius said. "I was a little surprised they called it again in that situation, but it worked. I have never thrown a touchdown pass at any point in my career."
Nor had Griese caught one.
"Joe threw it into traffic, but I knew that once I got in the end zone, I had to catch the ball," Griese said. "I knew I was going to get hit, but I knew I had to catch it. It was a first for me."
Hofstra kicker Dave Ettinger, who hit field goals of 20 and 26 yards, failed on the PAT. He also missed from 34 and 40 yards, setting up the game-winner by Nycz.
"It was really windy and it was coming across the field, but I knew my teammates were counting on me to make it," Nycz said. "It's a good feeling to know that kick made the difference."
Griese then took the North to the South 47 before his final pass went awry. It was a play that Frost, who scored a touchdown on a 7-yard keeper, wished he could have made to end his college career.
"That would have been nice, wouldn't it?" Frost said. "It was there. I was just a step too slow."
South 20, North 19
North 0 0 13 6-19South 3 7 7 3-20
South-FG Nycz 33, 1:15.
South-C. Thomas 38 pass from McElroy (Nycz kick), 10:00.
North-Jurevicius 38 pass from Griese (Ettinger kick), 13:27.
North-FG Ettinger 20, 10:43.
South-Frost 7 run (Nycz kick), 4:01.
North-FG Ettinger 26, 0:05.
North-Griese 5 pass from Jurevicius (kick failed), 6:43.
South-FG Nycz 47, 2:00.
A-20,079.
Rushing-North: Howard 14-116, Johnson 4-18, Dunn 1-9, Olivo 2-3, Reader 1-2, Batch 4-(-7), Griese 3-(-13). South: Stephens 11-50, Frost 6-46, Mathis 6-38, Oxendine 8-29, Wood 4-18, Washington 3-5, McElroy 1-(-5), Keldorf 1-(-7), McKenzie 1-(-10).
Passing-North: Griese 9-19-0-161, Batch 4-6-0-61, Powlus 0-5-1-0, Howard 0-2-0-0, Jurevicius 1-1-0-5. South: Bobo 6-10-0-103, Keldorf 5-14-1-73, Frost 6-12-1-51, McElroy 1-1-0-38.
Receiving-North: Jurevicius 4-102, Pollack 3-46, Dunn 2-56, Howard 2-17, Olivo 2-1, Griese 1-5. South: C. Thomas 4-92, Middleton 4-51, Stephens 3-43, M. Thomas 3-25, McKenzie 2-23, McElroy 1-13, Brown 1-8.
