University of Memphis Athletics
Maurice Avery Invited to Hula Bowl
Jan 13, 2006 | Football
Jan. 13, 2006
MEMPHIS, TENN. - University of Memphis senior quarterback/receiver Maurice Avery has accepted an invitation to play in the 2006 Hula Bowl scheduled for Jan. 21 at Aloha Stadium, in Honolulu.
The game, which features 106 players representing 67 different schools, will be broadcast by ESPN. Kick-off is slated for 6 p.m. CT. Iowa, Virginia Tech, Hawaii and Wisconsin have the most players in the event with four from each school.
Also representing Conference USA will be East Carolina's Chris Moore (ILB) and Guy Whimper (OT), UCF's Brandon Marshall (WR), SMU's Ryan Mentzel (P) and Rice's John Syptak (ILB). Mentzel and Syptak will represent on the West squad under Coach Tyrone Willingham of Washington; while Moore, Whimper and Marshall will join Avery on the East squad under Coach Tommy Tuberville of Auburn.
Avery led Memphis to a 5-2 record and a Motor City Bowl championship after becoming the starting quarterback in the Houston game because of injuries to Memphis' two starting signal-callers. Avery had been the squad's leading receiver prior to the change and finished his career ranked seventh in Tiger history with 1,373 receiving yards.
As a senior, Avery passed for 894 yards and five touchdowns, and carried the ball 132 times for 570 yards and five scores. He had one of his biggest games in his first start of the season at quarterback against Houston when he passed for 112 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 105 yards and one score. Avery also powered the Tigers to their first win over Southern Miss in Hattiesburg since 1984. Following the regular season, Avery was named the co-Offensive Player of the Year at the Senior Banquet.
The first Hula Bowl All-Star Classic was played on January 5, 1946, marking the beginning of a post-season bowl game that has spanned seven decades and launched the professional careers of countless football greats. That inaugural game, founded by the legendary Hawaii sports promoter Mackay "Shogun of Sports" Yanagisawa, featured local Hawaiian All-Stars taking on a national "college" team. Much has changed, however, but the Aloha spirit of the game has remained the same.
One thing that has remained constant about the Hula Bowl is the incredible players that travel to Hawaii year after year. Over the past 59 years, the Hula Bowl has seen such Heisman Trophy winners as Johnny Rogers, Jim Plunkett, Tony Dorsett, Billy Sims, Mike Garrett, Steve Owens, Rashaan Salaam, Danny Wuerffel, Ricky Williams, Ron Dayne, and Eric Crouch.
For additional information on the Hula Bowl, including history and ticket information, please check out www.hulabowlhawaii.com.
Avery is one of four Tigers to be invited to senior post-season games this year. Linebacker Tim Goodwell will play in the All-American Classic in Las Vegas on Jan. 14, and Stephen Gostkowski and DeAngelo Williams have accepted invitations to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 28.
The Tiger football team will be honored this weekend at halftime of the men's basketball game against SMU on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. in the key C-USA match-up.
