Carberry Selected for The Villages Gridiron Classic College All-Star Game

Senior defensive end earns showcase spot for NFL scouts

Contact: Jim Stephan

12/31/2004

Kevin Carberry will represent Ohio at The Villages Gridiron Classic.

ORLANDO, Fla. --Ohio senior Kevin Carberry has accepted an invitation to play in The Villages Gridiron Classic College All-Star Game, according to the game's director, Matthew Sign. The Villages Gridiron Classic will be played at The Villages Polo Stadium, in The Villages, Fla., on Saturday, January 15, 2005. Kickoff is slated for 11:00 a.m. (EST) for the ESPN2 televised contest.

Carberry finished fourth on the team in tackles last year with 50 (40 solo). He was second with four sacks (28 yards) and third with eight tackles for loss (33 yards).

A native of Oak Lawn, Ill., Carberry recorded at least one tackle in every game this season, reaching seven on four occasions. He enjoyed his best game at Kentucky, recording seven solo stops with two tackles for loss and a sack. He also reached that tackle total against Buffalo, Miami and Kent State.

Carberry was a second-team All-Mid-American Conference selection by the coaches. He finished his career with 121 tackles (85 solo). He also had 19 1/2 for loss and eight sacks.

The nation's fastest growing college all-star game, The Villages Gridiron Classic features a North vs. South format. Coaches Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech and Jim Tressel of Ohio State have been named head coaches for the game. Coaches from the NFL Europe will serve as co-head coaches and assistants for the game. Players will spend a week in Orlando preparing for the game, where they will practice in front of professional scouts from all 32 NFL teams.

The Villages Gridiron Classic has seen 130 alumni of the game drafted into the NFL, while more than 275 players have signed NFL contracts as free agents. The game's alumni include NFL players Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota), Darren Howard (New Orleans), Brad Meester (Jacksonville), Erron Kinney (Tennessee) and Rock Cartwright (Washington).

Florida Citrus Sports (FCS) is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to increasing community spirit and pride, promoting tourism, stimulating economic development and ultimately benefiting charities, educational institutions and the quality of life in Central Florida.

FCS strives to reach these goals through its seven signature events, the Capital One Bowl, Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team Celebration, The Villages Gridiron Classic, Champs Sports Bowl, OUC Half Marathon & 5K, Orlando Citrus Parade and Walt Disney World Florida Classic. For more information, visit the FCS web site at www.fcsports.com.