SENIOR BOWL

Wilson, Hamilton quiet on game day

Manuel stars; UA QB 8 of 11, 40 yards

South quarterback Tyler Wilson of Arkansas gets his pass off as North defender Kawann Short of Purdue tries to bring him down in the first half.
South quarterback Tyler Wilson of Arkansas gets his pass off as North defender Kawann Short of Purdue tries to bring him down in the first half.

— Former Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson made a big impression on NFL scouts and executives during the week of practices leading up to Saturday’s Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, but it was Florida State EJ Manuel who made the game-day splash.

Manuel, who got the start for the South after reportedly winning a coin flip with Wilson, passed for a touchdown and rushed for another on the South’s first two drives in a 21-16 victory over the North, and was named the Most Outstanding Player.

Wilson, who impressed NFL scouts during the week, completed 8 of 11 passes for 40 yards. He was 8 of 9 in the first half.

Wilson was given the Senior Bowl practice award for quarterbacks. The practice award recipients were selected by a panel of NFL scouts and executives in attendance.

The third South quarterback, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones, was 3 of 9 for 16 yards and was sacked twice.

Arkansas’ other representative, wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, caught one pass for 3 yards.

Two other players with state connections - Harding defensive end Ty Powell and Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive lineman Terron Armstead - did not compile statistics.

Manuel began January with a 291-yard performance in an Orange Bowl victory over Northern Illinois.

Manuel and running backs Stepfan Taylor of Stanford and Mike James of Miami combined to put the game for senior NFL prospects away on the South’s final drive. Taylor carried five times for 32 yards and caught a 6-yard pass from Manuel.

Manuel converted a fourth-and-1 play on a sneak to set up a 5-yard touchdown run for James with 2:41 left.He completed 7 of 10 passes for 76 yards with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Alabama tight end Michael Williams. He also scored on a 2-yard run.

Brigham Young defensive end Ezekiel Ansah received most Most Outstanding Player honors for the South team,while Purdue defensive lineman Kawann Short was the North’s top player.

Quarterback Zac Dysert of Miami, Ohio, answered with a scoring drive that ended on his 3-yard touchdown pass to Oregon running back Kenjon Barner with 23 seconds left.The two-point conversion and onside kick both failed.

Ansah is a native of Ghana who initially was on the track and field team and now is a potential first-round pick. On Saturday, he had 7 tackles, including 3 1/2 for loss, 1 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble.

“It was fun. I came out here to work hard, with a bunch of all-star players, obviously,” Ansah said. “Everyone out here is an MVP. I just came here to learn and get better.”

Short had three tackles, one for a loss.

Taylor finished with nine carries for 53 yards for the South.

Barner led all receivers with 7 catches for 59 yards and gained 13 yards on 3 carries.

Dysert led the North quarterbacks, going 10 of 16 for 93 yards with 1 interception and and 2 sacks.

North Carolina State’s Mike Glennon was 8 of 16 for 82 yards, and Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib was 4 of 10 for 44 yards and an interception.

Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Robert Alford set up Manuel’s 2-yard run with an 88-yard return of the opening kick. Then Manuel lofted an over-the-shoulder pass to Williams in the end zone.

“The corner played the flat and big Mike ran a great route and got leverage on the linebacker,” Manuel said. “I thought it was a great match up and I just threw the ball up there and he made a great catch.”

Williams converted another third-down play with a 19-yard catch on the drive.

Glennon and the North offense finally got things going to open the second half.

He completed all three of his pass attempts for 34 yards and then UCLA’s Johnathan Franklin, a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, closed the drive with a 12-yard run and a 20-yard touchdown on consecutive plays.

Manuel didn’t play again until the third quarter when he led the South across midfield. His fourth-down pass was deflected into the arms of Utah State defensive back Will Davis for an interception.

Davis returned it 25 yards and Glennon led the North deep enough to set up a 42-yard field goal by Oklahoma State’s Quinn Sharp to make it 14-10 with 3:28 left in the third quarter.

Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson continued his conversion to receiver.

He lost 3 yards on a reverse but turned a screen pass from Nassib into a 14-yard gain late in the third quarter and added a 7-yard catch in the fourth.

Sports, Pages 21 on 01/27/2013

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