Jan. 24, 2008
Four Southern University Jaguar football players will play
in the American Heritage Historically Black Colleges and Universities All-Star
Football Game at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Field on Saturday January 26,2008.
Selected from Southern are: Darren Coates (RB), Gerard Landry
(WR), Jarmaul George (DB) and Trentin Thomas (OL/TE).
Coates began the season with a 90-yard touchdown run on SU's
first offensive play and had a spectacular year. He ran for 759 yards and seven
touchdowns and had another 566 yards and five touchdowns receiving -- after
establishing career totals of just 119 yards and one TD on the ground and seven
catches for 56 yards the year before. Coates is the first Jaguar to lead SU
in rushing, receiving and scoring since Melvin Williams accomplished the feat
in 1995.
Landry, who missed almost all of two games with an ankle injury
and half of another game with a suspension, had 575 yards and a career-best
nine touchdowns on 48 catches. He was named to the All-SWAC second team for
the second straight season. He had a touchdown catch in eight of the nine games
in which he played at least a half.
George, the SWAC's preseason defensive player of the year,
had a career-high 64 tackles along with four interceptions, four breakups and
a blocked PAT. He was also the SWAC Freshman of the Year in 2003, and has made
the All-SWAC first team in each of his three seasons on the bluff.
Thomas was a tight end until the preseason, when attrition
forced his move to left tackle. He quickly matured into a solid force on the
offensive line and was one of the bets for SU in 2007.
The All-Star Classic, presented by the Henry T. Nicholas III
Foundation in association with the Fight On! Foundation, will benefit the families
of fallen Navy and Marine personnel.
Halftime ceremonies will include check presentations to the
Wounded Warrior Project, National Military Family Association, Freedom Alliance
and Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
The American Heritage Bowl will kick-off at 6:15 pm (PST).
The game will air on a taped-delay format on ESPNU, Feb. 8, 2008 at 1 p.m. PST