Well very surprisingly Asheville's Peter Leota who has committed to South Carolina is the LONE player in the wnc mountains to be selected to the NC shrine bowl team. I wasn't shocked by that, but I was very surprised to see AC Reynolds Rico Dowdle not make it. I'm sure there are alot of happy fans out there but far more angry fans as there always is on this day.
Uh oh, shrine bowl rosters are out
- Thread starter AhsCougar1
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Congrats to Pete! Great player. As I said on another site I would argue that had Coach Metcalf not been on the Shrine Bowl staff this year, a well deserving Leota would have been overlooked. To have 3 players taken in the last 5 years from all of WNC is crazy. And yes I am one of those angry fans because Rico is not on there. There are no words.
Not really a shocker at all. Football in North Carolina is no different than roads, bridges, education, etc. If it's in the west it doesn't exist. Not including Rico Dowdle on the Shrine Bowl list is a slap in the face to every mountain football fan, no matter what classification.
I want to send congrats to Pete because he does deserve this honor. He is the best lineman in WNC. In my opinion Rico Dowdle does as well. I am sure other schools think the same about their players but I will give you the particulars as to why I think Rico is deserving.
Through 7 games.
Rushing
136 carries for 1338yds & 27 TD's
Passing
63-86 721 yds 6TD's 3 INT's
Through 7 games.
Rushing
136 carries for 1338yds & 27 TD's
Passing
63-86 721 yds 6TD's 3 INT's
I think the only reason he didn't make it was because he didn't attend the camp, so not many coaches knew about him, I don't know if this was already put together before season and just now releasing, but they should know about him now! Like above post say, a slap in the face to ACR and WNC because he's the best player I've seen in 10 years, including state wide.
Even still though, I remember reading something in the spring about Notre Dame flying their RB coach down to watch him practice and clock him in the 40. The dude ran something in the 4.3's according to the article which was a rivals article. Why go to camp and risk running a bad time when you've already been clocked in the 4.3's on multiple occassions....
I know, we all are upset about it, that's just the only reason I can think of.
I am annoyed by it but it comes as no surprise. WNC players have been left out before and I am sure it will happen again to another deserving player. It is just so frustrating that the process is political in nature. It needs a serious overhaul. I love what the Shriners do for kids and their families but this game has become laughable. NC rarely puts it's best team on the field for many reasons. The most glaring being omission by favoritism. I know you can only take so many but this seems to be a glaring oversight.
Anyway, congrats to those that were chosen. Go, play hard and represent NC well.
Anyway, congrats to those that were chosen. Go, play hard and represent NC well.
If I can think of any reason Dowdle didn't make it, it's because of the no-show at the combines and his junior season stats. Everyone knew Dowdle would have a good year but I don't think any one outside of the Reynolds coaching staff knew that he would have THIS big of a year. It's crazy how much he improved in one year. It's like he went from a Tysean Holloway level talent to a Crezdon Butler level talent in one season.
No idea on why he is not on the team but my only question is why did he not attend the combine held at his school??? I have known players that could not get to the combine nearest their own school but went to another one. There were five of them total.
One thing you always want to know if a player does not attend a combine, does he want to play in the game? I know several who have "opted out" and I also have seen where players could not participat and miss the last week of school before the holidays if they were graduating early to enter college in January.
I went to all of the combines last year and I can tell you a few players were invited to a final combine that was by invitation only and made the team off of their performance there. The coaches measure the players height and weight. They do some drills for time and then work some drills with the ball. A player can make a big impression.
I thought the team last year was put together very well except a few positions but was gutted with a few of the top QBs not attending and one of the selected ones, who was head and shoulders above the backups, missing the game due to injury.
One thing you always want to know if a player does not attend a combine, does he want to play in the game? I know several who have "opted out" and I also have seen where players could not participat and miss the last week of school before the holidays if they were graduating early to enter college in January.
I went to all of the combines last year and I can tell you a few players were invited to a final combine that was by invitation only and made the team off of their performance there. The coaches measure the players height and weight. They do some drills for time and then work some drills with the ball. A player can make a big impression.
I thought the team last year was put together very well except a few positions but was gutted with a few of the top QBs not attending and one of the selected ones, who was head and shoulders above the backups, missing the game due to injury.
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In the Asheville Citizen Times Coach Laws says he didn't attend because he was on a college visit, he would have attended otherwise.
Well that's telling me he wants to play in it, I hope for no player to get injured but it can happen an maybe he can get a spot
I totally support the WNC red ass about the Shrine Bowl selections. You need toughness in football. The mountain players have that and talent to spare. Isn't the object to win the game?
Let me play devils advocate for a minute in regards to the dowdle thing. The two runningbacks on the team already, BJ Emmons committed to Alabama, maybe the best college football program in the country. The other Abdul Adams committed to now number 2 ranked Michigan state. One of the "athletes" has committed to Leon and the other has committed to North Carolina. I guess based on that he would have to be put on as an athlete but college visit or not, not attending a shrine bowl combine at YOUR OWN SCHOOL, being a quality athlete like him was dumb.
It isn't a requirement to go to the combine to be considered for the Shrine Bowl roster. The combine is a money maker for the Shriners. I know last year it was $20. It is supposed to give the coaches a chance to see the players. I am not even sure how many coaches that are coaching the team are there, if any. How many times have you heard that combine numbers don't always equate to good football players. If a kid has a bad day at a combine does that mean he isn't any good? I would think not.
I can't speak for Rico but if I had a chance to go on a college visit or go to the Shrine Bowl combine (that isn't a requirement mind you) I would take the visit all day everyday and twice on Sunday.
I can't speak for Rico but if I had a chance to go on a college visit or go to the Shrine Bowl combine (that isn't a requirement mind you) I would take the visit all day everyday and twice on Sunday.
Lets see....visit Notre Dame or go to shrine bowl combine......not a tough choice, I'm sure we as fans are more upset about this than he is because he will be playing in much bigger games in his future. I'm more upset that WNC isn't represented the way they should be year on year out.
If the coaches are putting that much stock in combine numbers to pick the team, it's no wonder we are getting our arse kicked all the time.
Shelby's QB Darquez Lee through 6 games has 33 td passes and 2500 yards.Just think how he feels.
Since NC incorporated the combines, SC leads the series by one game. All losses have been close except one. As a coach I would want to see players up close. During the season you do not see them unless you play them.
I attended every combine last year and the coaches attended all the events. There may have been a coach miss one but they were there working with the players. It is a lot more than getting timed and measured. They do a lot of drills also.
There is some serious talent on the team. As far as QB goes, the two selected can really toss it and both are athletic. Regardless this game is usually won in the trenches and with field position.
Coach Laws is involved with Shrine Bowl. He could have requested his player get a shot at the invitation only combine. For each player that should have made it, there is a player that would need to be dropped.
I attended every combine last year and the coaches attended all the events. There may have been a coach miss one but they were there working with the players. It is a lot more than getting timed and measured. They do a lot of drills also.
There is some serious talent on the team. As far as QB goes, the two selected can really toss it and both are athletic. Regardless this game is usually won in the trenches and with field position.
Coach Laws is involved with Shrine Bowl. He could have requested his player get a shot at the invitation only combine. For each player that should have made it, there is a player that would need to be dropped.
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I attended one combine, as well as the call-back combine. I can confirm that almost all coaches attended the regular combine, and all were at the call-back. I've been to quite a few combines over the years, and these were as thorough as you can get. It wasn't just measurements and timing. They got a chance to see the guys in quite a few drills at the initial combine. At the call-back, the guys were in full pads and had full contact--mainly did position drills (i.e., not a timing and measurement combine at all). As a coach, you would have seen the guys in battle and could have formed a pretty accurate opinion of each player's abilities. If a player chose not to attend, that it the player's call, but, as a coach, seeing the player in person would be important.
A lot of the work in selecting the team goes on long before the season starts. If a player is not on the radar from his junior year (Shrine coaches watch junior year film on 100s of players), and he doesn't attend a combine, just how is he going to move ahead of players who 1. were on the radar 2. attended a combine and impressed and 3. are also having good seasons?
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