ECU's Graham To Play In Two All-Star Games
December 18, 2006 | Football
Dec. 18, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University senior offensive tackle Eric Graham has been invited to participate in the 2007 Hula Bowl and the inaugural Texas vs. The Nation Game.
Graham, a native of Richlands, N.C., is a three-year starter on the offensive line and was named second-team All-Conference USA by the coaches and media in 2006. For his career, Graham has recorded 180.5 knockdowns and started 33 consecutive games heading into the 2006 season finale against N.C. State (injury). He has provided protection for quarterback James Pinkney, who ranks first all-time in ECU's history in completions (679) and 200-yard passing games (23), and second all-time in passing yards (8,048).
This season, Graham posted a season-best eight knockdown blocks against No. 4 West Virginia. He has anchored an offensive line that produced three 100-yard rushing and four 100-yard receiving games. Along side fellow lineman Cory Dowless, Graham has provided backside protection for Pinkney, who has thrown for 2,658 yards while completing 224-of-372 passes with 11 touchdowns.
The Cornerstone Bancard Hula Bowl will be played on Jan. 14, 2007 at the home of the National Football League's Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawai'i at 8:30 p.m. (EST) on ESPN. Since the inaugural game in 1946, over 3,300 former college student-athletes have participated in the all-star classic. This years coaching staff's include Pat Hill (Fresno State), Mark Richt (Univ. of Georgia), Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia) and Art Briles (Houston).
The Texas vs. The Nation Game is a post-season college football all-star game that was established in 2006. The format of the game will pit a team of top-rated college seniors who played college or high school football in Texas against a squad of top-rated seniors from the rest of the nation. Seniors rated in the top 15 at their position by the NFL will be eligible to play in the game.
The game will be held in El Paso, at the Sun Bowl Stadium on Feb. 2, 2007 with a start time of 9:00 p.m. (EST) and will be broadcasted on CSTV. UTEP head coach Mike Price will lead the Texas team and Buddy Ryan, former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, will lead the national squad.
Graham joins Pinkney (All-American Classic) and Aundrae Allison (Senior Bowl) as members of the 2006 team to be invited to a post-season all-star game.
