Ameer Abdullah leads North to win in Senior Bowl
MOBILE, Ala. – Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah wanted to leave an impression on more than just the NFL watchers at the Senior Bowl.
Abdullah rushed for 73 yards and added 40 receiving while leading the North to a 34-13 victory over the South on Saturday in the Senior Bowl, punctuating his college career in his home state.
“Being down here was much more than putting on a good performance for me,” said Abdullah, a Homewood, Alabama, native who had a large group of family and friends on hand. “
The Cornhuskers’ No. 2 career rusher won MVP honors in a game that showcases senior NFL prospects.
Abdullah made the most of his 11 touches, including four catches. He said being ready for quarterbacks to check down to the backs was emphasized.
“Obviously I’m a running back so I’m going to run the football but I wanted just to show that I had more than one dynamic to my game,” Abdullah said.
Washington State’s Vince Mayle had two receptions for 33 yards for the North.
Minnesota running back David Cobb gained 69 yards on 11 carries, including a 4-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to put the North up 20-10.
The top passers were Baylor’s Bryce Petty of the North and Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson on the South. Petty was 9 of 13 for 123 yards with an interception. Grayson completed 8 of 15 passes for 118 yards.
Petty came in trying to demonstrate he could run a pro-style offense after operating a no-huddle attack in college. He is hoping his willingness to play in the game after just training since Jan. 6 made an impression.
“I’ve still got a lot to prove,” Petty said. “But experience-wise, this was great for me.”
Utah’s Nate Orchard was chosen as the North’s most outstanding player. The Ted Hendricks Award winner as the nation’s top defensive end had 1 1/2 tackles for loss.
Florida State guard Tre’ Jackson received the outstanding player honor for the South.
Oregon State’s Sean Mannion ended his first drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass. However, he also fumbled twice.