Jan. 21, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill.--Northwestern University football players Leon Brockmeier (Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln), Napoleon Harris (Dixmoor, Ill./Thornton), Zak Kustok (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) and Mike Souza (Kaneohe, Hawaii/Punahou) are scheduled to play in at least one of the three upcoming collegiate all-star games during the next two weeks.
Considered one of the top defensive players in the nation by the NFL Draft experts, Harris is playing in the 53rd Annual Senior Bowl, presented by Food World. That game kicks off at 4 p.m. CST (ESPN) Saturday, January 26 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. Harris, a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2001, is playing for the North, which will be coached by the Seattle Seahawks' coaching staff (Mike Holmgren, head coach).
Three hours earlier (1 p.m. CST) at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., Brockmeier and Kustok will play in the Fourth Annual Rotary Gridiron Classic, presented by Tyco. That game also is being televised by ESPN. Brockmeier, a Florida native, and Kustok will play for opposite teams--Brockmeier for Team Florida and Kustok, one of five Unitas Award finalists, for Team USA. Lindy Infante, former head coach for the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, will coach Team Florida, while Barry Switzer, former coach of the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma Sooners, will coach Team USA.
The following week at War Memorial Stadium in Kahului, Maui in Hawaii, Kustok and Souza will play for the North Squad in the 57th Annual Hula Bowl All-Star Classic, which kicks off at 7 p.m. CST (ESPN) Saturday, February 2. The North is coached by Oregon State Head Coach Dennis Erickson.
Earlier this winter, Kevin Bentley (North Hills, Calif./Montclair Prep), participated in college football's first all-star game, the Blue-Gray Classic on Christmas Day. Bentley starred in that game, earning Most Valuable Player honors for the winning Blue team.
For additional information on each game, visit the respective websites at: www.gridironclassic.com, www.seniorbowl.com and www.hulabowlmaui.com. For the most up-to-date bios on Northwestern's all-star players, visit the football page here at nusports.com, then click on "2001 roster."