Homecoming is sweet for Nebraska’s Abdullah in North’s victory
MOBILE, Ala. — Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah wanted to leave an impression on more than just the NFL watchers at the Senior Bowl.
Abdullah rushed for 73 yards and added 40 receiving while leading the North to a 34-13 victory over the South on Saturday in the Senior Bowl, punctuating his college career in his home state.
“Being down here was much more than putting on a good performance for me,” said Abdullah, a Homewood, Ala., native who had a large group of family and friends on hand. “Leaving this state was something that was hard for me to do. You could write a movie about it, re- ally, just coming back and playing on Alabama soil for my last time as a collegiate athlete. I couldn’t paint a better picture.
“It was emotional for me. I grew up watching this game. This was a monumental day for me.”
The Cornhuskers’ No. 2 career rusher won MVP honors in a game that showcases senior NFL prospects.
Abdullah made the most of his 11 touches, including four catches. He said being ready for quarterbacks to check down to the backs was emphasized.
“Obviously, I’m a running back so I’m going to run the football, but I wanted just to show that I had more than one dynamic to my game,” Abdullah said.
Minnesota running back David Cobb gained 69 yards on 11 carries, including a 4-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.
The top passers were Baylor’s Bryce Petty of the North and Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson on the South. Petty was 9-of-13 for 123 yards with an interception. Grayson completed eight of 15 passes for 118 yards.
Petty came in trying to demonstrate he could run a pro-style offense after operating a no-huddle attack in college.
“I took my lumps and bruises, which I knew was going to happen,” Petty said. “I’ve still got a lot to prove. But experiencewise, this was great for me.”
Utah’s Nate Orchard, playing outside linebacker, was chosen as the North’s most outstanding player. The Ted Hendricks Award winner as the nation’s top defensive end had 11/2 tackles for loss.
Florida State guard Tre’ Jackson received the outstanding player honor for the South.
Two big defensive plays helped give the North a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter.
Texas cornerback Quandre Diggs picked off a pass from Southeastern Louisiana’s Bryan Bennett, Marcus Mariota’s one-time backup at Oregon, and raced 41 yards. Two plays later, Cobb scored for a 20-10 advantage. Miami of Ohio’s Quinten Rollins then intercepted another Bennett pass on the next drive.