Andrew Baggett kicked six field goals, including the go- ahead 23-yard boot with 11 minutes, two seconds to play, and was selected as the MVP as Team National defeated Team American, 18-17, Saturday in the fifth annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl college football all-star game at StubHub Center.The winning field goal came four plays after Kyle Kragen of California sacked quarterback Travis Wilson and recovered his fumble at Team American’s 10- yard line.
Baggett, who played at Missouri, also kicked 42-, 50- and 42-yard field goals in the second quarter, a 39-yard-field goal in the third quarter and a 24- yard-field goal 48 seconds into the fourth quarter. He missed a 54-yard field goal attempt on the opening possession of the third quarter.
The existence of the game gives NFL teams more information to evaluate Baggett on, said Mike Martz, the former St. Louis Rams coach who coached Team National for the second consecutive year.
“His stock has got to go up with this,” Martz said. “There’s a great argument why this is such an important game.”
Team American took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 36-yard field goal by Zach Matics of Appalachian State and a three-yard touchdown run by Jacobi Green of Richmond.
Stephen Rivers of Louisiana’s Northwestern State threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jaydon Mickens of Washington in the second quarter that gave Team American a 17-6 lead 2:31 before halftime.
Rivers, a brother of San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, completed 11 of 17 passes for 96 yards in the second and fourth quarters.
Wilson of Utah, a San Clemente High graduate, started at quarterback for Team American, completing seven of 10 passes for 66 yards and was sacked four times.
Josh Woodrum of Liberty completed three of three passes for 46 yards for Team American in the third quarter.
Starting at quarterback for Team National was Trevone Boykin — who was suspended by Texas Christian University for the Alamo Bowl following his arrest on suspicion of assault on a public servant for allegedly punching a police officer in connection with a fight outside a bar in San Antonio two days before the game.
Boykin completed one of three passes for six yards and had one pass intercepted.
Matt Johnson of Bowling Green replaced Boykin at quarterback for Team National on its first possession of the second quarter, completing five of 12 passes for 36 yards.
Ammon Olsen of Southern Utah started the second half at quarterback for Team National, completing six of 12 passes for 75 yards.
Team National has won all five games.
Mike Holmgren, who coached the Green Bay Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, coached Team American for the second consecutive year.
The assistant coaches included three members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Darrell Green, Andre Reed and Jackie Slater, former California and Washington coach Keith Gilbertson, Nolan Cromwell, a defensive back with the Los Angeles Rams from 1977 to 1987, and Ray Rice, the former Baltimore Ravens running back who hasn’t played in the NFL since his 2014 indictment for third- degree aggravated assault in a domestic violence case.
All 32 NFL teams had representatives at the practices that began on Monday, with about 200 scouts, coaches and executives in attendance, according to Jilane Rodgers, the communications manager for the NFL Players Association, which organized the game and is the union representing the league’s players.
“What we try to afford (the players) is an opportunity to see how an NFL week of practice is run,” Martz said. “It’s kind of a grueling week. They weren’t real happy about it.
“What we try to do is teach them the type of skills that they’ll have to do when they go to a team, how to go to a meeting and take notes, where to sit in a meeting. We’re just trying to help these kids have the best opportunity of making a team and getting a leg up on it.”
Baggett said the coaches told the players “this is an audition.”
When players arrived one minute late for a meeting, they were told by coaches “right there, you would have been fined $5,000” if this had been an NFL team practice, Baggett said.
“It’s a good opportunity (where) guys can learn,” Baggett said.
The coaches also made it “very enjoyable” for everybody, Baggett said.
The NFLPA conducts the game in an attempt to introduce its more than 100 players to the association and business of the NFL, said George Atallah, the union’s assistant executive director of external affairs.
In the week leading up to the game, the players attended presentations from current and former players, union officials and others on topics including life skills, money management, the business of football, media and personal security.
Rice was on a panel of NFL players telling game participants about the transition from college to the NFL and things they wish they knew when they entered the league, Rodgers told City News Service.
—City News Service