2017 Senior Bowl: Recap and highlights

The South defeated the North in the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl, 16-15. Here are all the highlights, the game recap and the final score.

The North would receive the opening kickoff. Pittsburgh’s Nate Peterman would complete all three of his passes on a three-and-out. He showed good pocket awareness, but a great pass rushing effort by the South would limit the North offensively.

Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs played well on a six-play drive for the South. San Diego State’s running back Donnel Pumphrey ran the ball very well. Michigan linebacker Ben Gedeon and Wisconsin linebacker Vince Beigel would force a fumble on North Carolina State running back Matt Dayes.

Peterman would orchestrate a 12-play drive, taking 6:58 off the clock, resulting in a made 22-yard field goal by Arizona State kicker Zane Gonzalez. Toledo’s Kareem Hunt had a few nice runs. A holding penalty by Western Michigan tackle Taylor Moton on Villanova defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon would prevent Peterman from getting the North into the end zone. East Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones couldn’t quite get his feet down on a great back of the end zone attempt.

Dobbs’ second drive would result in another turnover. Youngstown State defensive end Derek Rivers got excellent penetration on Mississippi State right tackle Justin Senior. Dobbs would sail a lame duck pass right into the hands of St. Francis’ defensive back Lorenzo Jerome for the easy interception.

Peterman couldn’t do much with his two-minute drill opportunity. After a great pass to Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh, he couldn’t move the chains and was tackled for no gain by Alabama defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Moton’s second holding penalty was negated in favor of a punt opportunity for the South.

Dobbs made the most of his one-minute drill. He would hit Alabama tight end O.J. Howard a few times and get Pumphrey involved in the running game. Because the Senior Bowl is emphasizing two-minute drills, the South ran out of time and what was a decently executed drive starting deep in South territory. Forty-eight yards in a 1:02 wasn’t bad, but a holding penalty on UCLA tackle Conor McDermott didn’t help at all.

The South would start the second quarter from their own 25-yard line. Dobbs played with great rhythm on his fourth series. However, the South would turn the football over again. Texas A&M wide receiver Josh Reynolds would fumble the football on a reverse. Jerome forced the fumble and USC defensive lineman Stevie Tu’ikolovatu recovered.

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard would take over for Peterman at 11:22 in the second quarter. Beathard showed some great athleticism with a nice run up the middle on third down and a great throw to Jones in the end zone. However, that touchdown pass was called back on a hold by Baylor center Kyle Fuller.

Both of Beathard’s tackles would fail him on third and long. He got crushed by Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis and Houston outside linebacker Tyus Bowser. Beathard fumbled and USC tackle Zach Banner would recover, forcing fourth down.

Cal quarterback Davis Webb would take over for Dobbs at 6:17 in the second quarter. He would aggressively charge the South down the field. He got the South on the board with a 39-yard pass to Reynolds. The South would go for two, but the fade route to Reynolds didn’t quite work. The South would lead 6-3. In the second quarter, it was required to go for two, so there you go.

Beathard would go three-and-out on his second series. Chattanooga’s Keionta Davis had a great sack to force the punt. Pumphrey continued his good return game with 24-yard return. Webb would go three-and-out on his second drive. North coach John Fox iced Memphis kicker Jake Elliott on a 37-yard attempt. Elliott wasn’t phased and drained the field goal to make it 9-3 with six seconds left in the half. Willis would strip sack Beathard to end the half.

The South would receive the kickoff to start the third quarter. Webb would lead a meticulous, 16-play drive resulting in a Dayes rushing touchdown. Webb was a technician as a passer, just having a great day in general. The South ran the ball a lot that series with BYU running back Jamaal Williams. Outside of McDermott giving up a bad sack to Rivers on the blind side, it was a well-executed drive for the South. The Elliott made PAT would make it 16-3 South.

Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau would take over for Beathard for the North at 6:29 in the third quarter. Though Liufau wouldn’t attempt a pass on his first series, Hunt was mesmerizing on the ground. He had two ferocious runs that set up a made 29-yard made field goal by Gonzalez. The North trailed the South 16-6 at the two-minute warning in the third.

Tiffin quarterback Antonio Pipkin would come in for Webb for the South. He had a strong first completion to South Alabama tight end Gerald Everett. However, he would get crushed for the blind side on a sack by Illinois outside linebacker Carroll Phillips. Pipkin would then throw an awful pass in the direction of Clemson wide receiver Artavis Scott. It would get easily picked off by Lamar cornerback Brendan Langley.

Peterman would come into quarterback for the North for a one-minute drill. He would get Gonzalez in position to kick another field goal, this time from 39 yards to make it 16-9 South. Peterman would lean on Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Jones and Hunt to get in field goal range.

The North would begin a new drive in the fourth quarter with Peterman under center. Peterman would hit Jones a couple times on some nice passes. However, he would be sacked by Kpassagnon from the blind side and would fumble. Auburn defensive lineman Montravius Adams would recover the loose ball.

Pipkin would begin his second drive at the 10:57 mark in the fourth quarter. A few nice plays, Pipkin would get picked off for the second time in the game. Again, it would be Jerome with the big play for the North.

Peterman would be quarterback for the North with 7:27 left in the game. He would find Jones for a six-yard touchdown reception on an 11-play drive. Down 16-15, Fox opted to go for two. Peterman would get pressured and toss up and interception in the end zone to BYU linebacker Harvey Langi.

Jackson would opt to lean on Pipkin to run out the clock inside of two minutes left in the game. The South would beat the North by the slimmest of margins, 16-15.

Three Stars

1. Davis Webb: Webb was excellent quarterbacking the South. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. He was the best quarterback hands down this week in Mobile.
2. Lorenzo Jerome: Jerome made himself some money this weekend. He had two interceptions and a forced fumble for the North.
3. Zay Jones: Jones had a game-high six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. He should have had more if he got better passes from his North quarterback.s

Highlights

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It was a great week in Mobile. Hopefully there was enough tape to help get some of these young football stars drafted in this spring’s NFL Draft.