Senior Bowl players living in moment
Published 6:33 am Monday, February 1, 2010
By By Chandler Myers
The lives of several college athletes are going to change in the next few months as teams in the National Football League examine them and their talents in the hopes that they are the future for their franchises.
Four of those young men are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, but are just living in the moment and remembering things they learned while in college.
Colin Peek and Leigh Tiffin of the University of Alabama, Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan University and LeGarrette Blount of the University of Oregon are in Mobile this weekend to take part in the Under Armour Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
They are just four of the 83 players that have been selected to play in the All-Star game, which serves as an audition for NFL scouts from all 32 teams.
Each of these players has also experienced a rollercoaster ride through their college careers.
Peek and Tiffin are members of the 2009 University of Alabama Crimson Tide that won the BCS National Championship on Jan. 7.
During the season, Tiffin not only helped win the championship, but set several school records that put him ahead of his father Van Tiffin as well as other legendary kickers in the Crimson Tide’s history.
Tiffin said that winning a national championship leaves him speechless, but proud. He added that despite the focus on his statistics, he tried to keep his focus on helping his team win.
For Peek, everything he has gone through during his time with the Crimson Tide has been “surreal.”
Peek, transferred to Alabama following the 2007 season because he wanted to play in an offense that would throw to a tightend.
Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban’s offense seemed to be the right fit, according to Peek.
He sat out 2008 and made a huge impact in 2009. His performance and touchdown reception in the SEC Championship earned him a “Sports Illustrated” cover.
Peek said that he is still coming down from all the excitement he has been around.
From a non-BCS standpoint as a record setting quarterback, Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour will always be remembered as one of the Mid-American Conferences best quarterbacks ever.
That type of recognition puts him with names such as Ben Rothelisberger, Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich.
LeFevour said being in a category with those players is a true honor to him.
Legarrette Blount’s senior year took a different course than the three players listed before him.
Blount, a senior running back from Oregon, was looked at as one of the top running backs before the season began.
Then things all came crashing down on Sept. 3 after he punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout.
Blount was suspended for the majority of the season, but returned and played in the Rose Bowl.
Blount said he is happy to be playing football again.
Check out your favorite players in the Senior Bowl today on the NFL Network at 3 p.m.