Football: Sampy named All-Star again

Football: Sampy named All-Star again

Football: Sampy named All-Star again

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

University of Louisiana wide receiver Bill Sampy is headed for another post-season all-star game.
The Carencro product, who finished his Ragin’ Cajun career fifth among all-time UL receivers, accepted an invitation Thursday to play in the Las Vegas All-American Classic on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.

The fifth annual Classic will feature 110 collegiate seniors divided into East and West teams, mostly from I-A ranks.

Sampy, a four-year letterman for the Cajuns, played in the inaugural Magnolia Classic in Jackson, Miss., last Saturday. Darry Alton, the organizer of the Magnolia game, is the founder of the Las Vegas game.
"He (Alton) thought I did really well in the Magnolia," said Sampy, "and he called and asked me if I wanted to play in the Las Vegas game. It’s another opportunity to show by abilities, and I’m guessing the competition will be better since it’s after all the bowl games."

Sampy caught a 41-yard touchdown pass in the Magnolia game in helping his White team to a 17-9 victory. But he said the four days of practice prior to the game were more important to his future.

"All the scouts were there Monday through Thursday," Sampy said. "That’s when I got in most of my best work. There were maybe 10 or 12 scouts there, and I figure there will probably be twice that number in Las Vegas.

"I got a chance to talk to scouts from Jacksonville, Atlanta, Green Bay. They liked me and took information from me, and my agent (New Orleans’ Ken Austin) is going to stay in contact with them."

"The more you get out there in games like this, the more you can be seen," said Cajun coach Rickey Bustle Thursday. "When you can get seen in practice, that’s the biggest thing.”

The Las Vegas game began in 2002 in St. George, Utah, and moved to Sam Boyd Stadium in 2004. The game is one of six Division I post-season all-star games.

"I’m feeling a lot better right now," said Sampy, who received his UL degree one week prior to the Magnolia game. "At first I wasn’t sure if I’d be invited anywhere, so I’m going to take this step-by-step, try to do well there and then get myself stronger. The draft’s not until April."

Originally published December 30, 2005