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Editor's note: This is the second of a series of diary/blog submissions, accompanied by videos and still photos Rock Sports Information Director Bob McComas will file to chronicle the activities of Brandon Fusco as the first-ever SRU football student athlete to participate in the Under Armour Senior Bowl, the premier postseason football game for aspiring NFL draft prospects.
MOBILE, Ala. -- The second day of workouts in preparation for the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl have now been completed and Slippery Rock's
Brandon Fusco is starting to feel more comfortable in his surroundings.
Brandon, the first Rock student athlete to ever be invited to participate in the premier postseason all-star game for aspiring NFL draft prospects, was a little down on himself following Monday's first-day workouts. But he perked up after being re-assured by his agent, Alan Herman, and SRU Head Football Coach
George Mihalik that he did fine.
Brandon is probably his own worst critic, especially this week, but he now realizes he belongs here with the likes of Wisconsin's All-America offensive lineman Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt, Michigan's Stephen Schilling, Boston College's Anthony Castonzo and Colorado's Nate Solder.
it doesn't hurt Brandon's confidence either to be a prime subject for interviews with several, if not all, NFL teams that have sent their general manager, player personnel director and top scouts down here to evaluate the talent.
It also doesn't hurt for Brandon to be reminded that Jahri Evans (Bloomsburg) and Reggie Wells (Clarion), like Fusco former Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference standouts, did not participate in the Senior Bowl following their senior seasons but both have gone on to have stellar NFL careers. Both men have been part of Super Bowl teams, Evans with the New Orleans Saints and Wells with the Arizona Cardinals before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
And having SRU graduate/Eagles linebacker coach Bill Shuey spend some time with Brandon also has to help his confidence. The photo to the right shows Shuey, center, with Coach Mihalik and former Rock standout/longtime benefactor Jerry Bejbl after Tuesday's workout at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Brandon will do fine during the final three days of practices and again on Saturday during the actual game. So make plans now to watch all the action starting at 3 p.m. Central time (4 p.m. Rock time) on the NFL Network.
Until we talk again tomorrow, best wishes from Mobile, where the weather conditions are damp and overcast. So much for the sun and warm weather we had yesterday.
Oh well, it's fun ... I mean I am working REALLY hard.
GO ROCK!!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
