The University of Montana's Brock Coyle will be participating in the 2014 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, (located in the greater Los Angeles area).
The all-star game, which pits the National Team against the American Team, will be televised on ESPN 2, with kick-off at 4:00 p.m. (Mountain). Coyle will be wearing the same number that he did when he played for the Griz - 56, and he will be playing on the American Team.
Coyle's invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl marks the first time in school history that three former Griz players will be playing in an all-star game in the same year.
A 6-2, 245-pound linebacker from Bozeman, Coyle joins two of his teammates from Montana's 10-3 team of 2013 who will get an opportunity to show their skills in a post-season all-star game.
UM's Danny Kistler Jr., an offensive tackle from Seattle, Wash., will play in the 89th Annual East-West Shrine Game, which is also Saturday, Jan. 18, in St. Petersburg, Florida, with kick-off at 2:00 p.m. (Mountain).
Former Griz linebacker Jordan Tripp will be the second player in school history (offensive tackle Scott Gragg played in the game in 1995) to participate in the 65th Annual Reese's Senior Bowl, which is Saturday, Jan. 25, and starts at 1:00 p.m. (Mountain).
"I am very excited for this opportunity to represent myself as a player and represent the University of Montana here at the NFLPA Bowl," Coyle said via text message today (Tuesday, Jan. 14). "It feels great to play football again, and I am looking forward to a great week down here in LA. I feel very fortunate to be down here working towards my dream of becoming an NFL player."
Coyle was Montana's top tackler as a senior with 125 stops, and also had a team-best five forced fumbles. He was chosen UM's co-MVP (Steve Carlson Award), sharing that honor with junior quarterback Jordan Johnson.
Coyle was ranked fifth in the FCS in forced fumbles with .38 a game, and 28th in the FCS in tackles per game (9.62 pg). He had 10 or more tackles in six games, including a season-high 15 against Cal Poly. He was the Grizzlies' co-captain (with Tripp) on defense.
He finished his career ranked 11th (tie) in school history with 293 career tackles, and tied for 12th with 24.5 career tackles for loss. He was a two-year starter and played in 52 career games, and led the Griz in total tackles as a junior and senior.
"I am just so proud of Brock," said Griz head coach Mick Delaney. "I know he was at home and worked very hard during the winter break in Bozeman, hoping that something would come up, and lo-and-behold a couple of days ago he got a call to play in the NFLPA game. I know he will be a great representative of the University of Montana this weekend.
"He had a fantastic senior year," Delaney continued. "Our three linebackers (Coyle, Tripp, and senior J.P. Kanongata'a), as I said during the season, was as good of a group as there was as any team at the FCS level. The success of our team on defense was related directly to the play of those three linebackers. To have three players represent the Grizzlies in three different all-star games is very rewarding for our program."
The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl is a premiere post-season all-star game for draft-eligible college players. The week-long schedule provides participants with a first-class professional experience while introducing them to the business of the National Football League.
The game was founded in 2012, and gives prospective NFL players an opportunity to showcase their talents to potential employers and fans. In 2013, scouts from every NFL club and other professional leagues attended the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl's practices and game. Last year nearly 100 scouts not only watched the live practices and game, but also conducted player interviews and reviewed tape.
The head coaches are Dick Vermeil for the National Team and Denny Green for the American squad.
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