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University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Trio of Gophers Accept Shrine Bowl Invites
11/20/2019 3:49:00 PM | Football
Tyler Johnson, Rodney Smith and Chris Williamson have all accepted invitations to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl, formerly East-West Shrine Game. The East-West Shrine Bowl is the longest running college all-star football game in the nation.
The game will take place at 2 p.m. CT on Jan. 18, 2020 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. and will be broadcast on the NFL Network.
Jonson's legacy as one of the best to wear the Maroon and Gold is secure. The Minneapolis North native ranks third in career receiving yards with 2,887 and needs just 113 more yards to become the second Gopher ever with 3,000 career receiving yards. Johnson ranks third in school history with 186 catches (Eric Decker first with 227) and is second in school history with 29 receiving touchdowns (Ron Johnson, no relation, first with 31).
Smith ranks second in school history with 3,945 rushing yards and first in school history in career all-purpose yards with 5,218. He also leads Minnesota with 186 carries for 986 yards this season. He has 16 career 100-yard rushing games, which is third in program history. He totaled 237 all-purpose yards against Illinois this year and now has three games in his career with at least 237 all-purpose yards (279 against Nebraska in 2017 and 257 against Rutgers in 2016). He is one of four players (joining Tutu Atwell, Tellis Redmon and Chris Darkins) in school history to have three games with at least 237 all-purpose yards, but is the only player to do so against three Big Ten teams.
Williamson transferred to Minnesota from Florida and has found his niche as the starting defensive back in the nickel position. He shook off some injuries and totaled 34 tackles in 11 games last year. However, 23 of those tackles – along with one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and four pass breakups – came in the final five games. In 2019, he has a pick-six, three pass breakups, 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four tackles for loss.
The most recent Gophers to play in the game were Jalen Myrick and Damarius Travis who played in the 2017 game.
The game will take place at 2 p.m. CT on Jan. 18, 2020 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. and will be broadcast on the NFL Network.
Jonson's legacy as one of the best to wear the Maroon and Gold is secure. The Minneapolis North native ranks third in career receiving yards with 2,887 and needs just 113 more yards to become the second Gopher ever with 3,000 career receiving yards. Johnson ranks third in school history with 186 catches (Eric Decker first with 227) and is second in school history with 29 receiving touchdowns (Ron Johnson, no relation, first with 31).
Smith ranks second in school history with 3,945 rushing yards and first in school history in career all-purpose yards with 5,218. He also leads Minnesota with 186 carries for 986 yards this season. He has 16 career 100-yard rushing games, which is third in program history. He totaled 237 all-purpose yards against Illinois this year and now has three games in his career with at least 237 all-purpose yards (279 against Nebraska in 2017 and 257 against Rutgers in 2016). He is one of four players (joining Tutu Atwell, Tellis Redmon and Chris Darkins) in school history to have three games with at least 237 all-purpose yards, but is the only player to do so against three Big Ten teams.
Williamson transferred to Minnesota from Florida and has found his niche as the starting defensive back in the nickel position. He shook off some injuries and totaled 34 tackles in 11 games last year. However, 23 of those tackles – along with one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and four pass breakups – came in the final five games. In 2019, he has a pick-six, three pass breakups, 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four tackles for loss.
The most recent Gophers to play in the game were Jalen Myrick and Damarius Travis who played in the 2017 game.
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