Football: Alonzo Harris to play in College Gridiron Showcase

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, January 14, 2015

Christian Ringo isn’t the only Ragin’ Cajun football player scheduled to head to Texas to play in a new football all-star game.

UL running back Alonzo Harris is listed on the “Wranglers” team roster for the College Gridiron Showcase, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (central) on Jan. 31 at the University of Texas-Arlington.

The game features seniors from all divisions of college football.

Harris’ team will be coached by ex-Dallas Cowboys tight end Doug Cosbie, a three-time Pro Bowl pick.

Ringo, as previously reported, is scheduled to play in the same game.

He’s listed on the roster of the “Desperados,” who will be coached by ex-Oklahoma and Los Angeles Rams running back Marcus Dupree.

Other Sun Belt Conference players slated to take part include UL Monroe quarterback Pete Thomas, Texas State linebacker David Mayo, Texas State kicker Will Johnson and South Alabama defensive tackle Jerome McClain.

Additional listed participants include Boise State quarterback Grant Hedrick, Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Bryan Bennett, LSU offensive lineman Evan Washington and Louisiana Tech linebacker Houston Bates.

The game currently has no TV-broadcast plans.

Harris and Ringo are among at least three Cajuns taking part in postseason all-star bowls.

Quarterback Terrance Broadway played in last Saturday’s Medal of Honor Bowl in Charleston, S.C. He competed 2-of-3 passes for 15 yards, but injured the index finger on his throwing hand after striking an opponent’s helmet.

CAJUN ADDITIONS ANNOUNCED

UL on Wednesday announced — as previously reported — the addition of three early high school graduates and an Australian punter as mid-year enrollees who’ll take part in spring practice.

Those coming straight from high school: Helen Cox High quarterback Dion Ray, Vancleave (Miss.) High running back Walter Williams and Marksville High cornerback Kamar Greenhouse.

The punter is Steven Coutts, from Queensland, Australia.

Coutts, listed at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, will have four seasons of eligibility with the Cajuns, who lost Aussie punter Daniel Cadona to graduation.

All four will be part of UL 2015 signing class.

ROBINSON SURGERY

UL receiver Jamal Robinson, out most of last season with knee and foot injuries, tweeted Wednesday that “Surgery went great.”

Robinson was scheduled for follow-up foot surgery this month.

The pro prospect was a senior, but appealed for and won a waiver that allows him to play in 2015.

DUNBAR ON THE MOVE

Multiple reports Wednesday suggested Opelousas native Karl Dunbar, father of Cajuns lineman Karmichael Dunbar, planned to leave New York, where he was the Jets’ defensive line coach, to join fired Jets coach and new Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan as a Bills assistant.

CAPTAINS DRAFT

Running backs Elijah McGuire and Effrem Reed, quarterback Brooks Haack, slot receiver Al Riles, linebackers Dominque Tovell and Tremaine Lightfoot, and offensive linemen Myqhael Quave and Octravian Anderson were named captains when the Cajuns opened their offseason by holding its “Champions Draft” on Wednesday night.

Safety Tracy Walker was the first skill player drafted, tight end Evan Tatford the first big skill player selected and offensive lineman Greg Siener the first big picked.

LAGNIAPPE

According to final NCAA football statistics released this week, McGuire wound up third nationally in yards per carry at 7.61 — trailing only the 8.58 of Marshall’s Devon Johnson and the 7.96 of Toledo’s Kareem Hunt — and 19th in all-purpose yards (142.15 per game). … UL finished 10th nationally in both red zone offense (.912) and red zone defense (.733), and Broadway ended up 28th in completion percentage at .632. Boise State’s Hedrick (.708) led. … Senior receiver James Butler’s one-handed grab in which he dove horizontal to the field in UL’s New Orleans Bowl win over Nevada checked in at No. 3 on ESPN’s final Top 10 plays from the 2014 bowl season.