Stanton Selected To Participate In College Football All-Star Challenge

2006 Spartan MVP will battle three other elite quarterbacks in the skills competition. EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State senior quarterback Drew Stanton is one of four quarterbacks selected to participate in the ninth-annual College Football All-Star Challenge at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, Fla. The competition is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. EST and airs on ESPN Saturday, Feb. 3 from 4-6 p.m. EST. The other quarterbacks invited to participate in the skills competition include Florida’s Chris Leak, Ohio State’s Troy Smith and Boise State’s Jared Zabransky. The quarterbacks will compete in three events, testing their accuracy, arm strength and scrambling ability. A total of 12 players have been selected to showcase their skills in the College Football All-Star Challenge, including Colorado’s Mason Crosby (kicker), Auburn’s Kenny Irons (running back), Tennessee’s Robert Meachem (wide receiver), UCLA’s Justin Medlock (kicker), Miami’s Greg Olsen (tight end), Auburn’s John Vaughn (kicker), Notre Dame’s Darius Walker (running back) and Eastern Michigan’s Andrew Wellock (kicker). The College Football All-Star Challenge is produced by Chicago-based Intersport. The 6-3, 230-pound Stanton earned team MVP honors for the second time in his career after accounting for 2,252 total yards and 17 TDs in 2006. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist completed 61 percent of his throws (164 of 269) for 1,807 yards, 12 TDs and 10 interceptions. Stanton also rushed 110 times for 445 yards and five scores. The Farmington Hills, Mich., native started 24 consecutive games at quarterback before sitting out the season finale at Penn State (suffered a concussion midway through the first quarter Nov. 11 vs. Minnesota). He shared Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors (with Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith) after accounting for 331 total yards and three scores in engineering the greatest comeback in NCAA I-A history as Michigan State rallied from a 35-point third-quarter deficit for a 41-38 victory at Northwestern. Stanton recorded his fourth 200-yard passing game of the season against the Wildcats, completing 27-of-37 throws for 294 yards and two TDs. He finished off a seven-play, 60-yard drive with a 12-yard TD run as MSU cut its deficit to 38-31 with 7:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Spartans tied the score at 38 on his 9-yard TD strike to T.J. Williams in the back, right corner of the end zone with 3:43 to play. Stanton completed 18-of-25 passes for 203 yards in the second half. His other 200-yard passing efforts came against Michigan (252), Eastern Michigan (254) and Idaho (225). Stanton accounted for 303 total yards and three TDs to lead Michigan State to a 38-23 victory at Pittsburgh. He completed 16-of-25 passes for 198 yards, including scoring strikes of 2 yards to Kellen Davis and 12 yards to Kerry Reed. Stanton also recorded his third career 100-yard rushing game, gaining 105 yards on 13 carries against the Panthers, including a 1-yard TD run. He ranks among MSU’s career leaders in completion percentage (first at .642), pass completions (second at 543), pass attempts (second at 846), passing yards (second at 6,524), total offense (second at 8,036 yards), 200-yard passing games (second at 18), passing efficiency rating (third at 138.7) and TD passes (fifth at 42). Stanton also is listed among the Big Ten’s career leaders in completion percentage (third). Stanton becomes the third former Spartan to compete in the College Football All-Star Challenge, joining wide receiver Charles Rogers (2003) and quarterback Jeff Smoker (2004).Courtesy of the MSU Football SID.

Michigan State senior quarterback is one of four quarterbacks selected to participate in the ninth-annual College Football All-Star Challenge at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, Fla. The competition is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. EST and airs on ESPN Saturday, Feb. 3 from 4-6 p.m. EST.