While Colorado State football has been over for quite a while now, there were still three CSU athletes preparing for another game: the East-West Shrine Bowl. All three Rams competed for the East team.
The three CSU athletes who competed were: The John Mackey finalist Dallin Holker, the Mountain Defensive Player of the Year Mohamed Kamara and the 2022 All-Mountain West cornerback Chigozie Anusiem.
Ad
In case you missed it, here’s how each of the Rams draft hopefuls did in the Wests 26-11 win over the East.
Mohamed Kamara
Kamara’s night didn’t start off the best, but it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Kamara had pressure early, but then committed an offsides penalty which saw Frank Gore Jr out of Southern Mississippi on the very next play.
Kamara also seemingly had difficulties getting his footing off the edge. Maybe he needed a change of cleats, but on several occasions, Kamara slipped and thus took himself out of the play.
However, once Kamara found his footing, it didn’t take him long to showcase the game-wreaking potential that everyone knows he has. Several times, especially in the second quarter, it was Kamara’s presence in the grill of the West quarterback that led to several hurry-up incompletions.
Kamara put the NFL scouts in attendance on watch and no doubt increased his draft stock after this game. He was the best Ram in the game and absolutely looked like he belonged.
One of Kamara’s biggest knocks is his size and stiffness as a pass rusher, but that definitely didn’t seem to matter in the East-West Shrine Bowl. While he didn’t end up registering a sack, he was living in the backfield.
Dallin Holker
It became apparent early that Holker and Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer — no relation to Jake Plummer — would have a special connection.
Maybe in part to the play calling by Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Terrell who is very familiar with former CSU tight ends.
Ad
In the first quarter, Holker showcased to the nation what he had shown all year in Fort Collins, Colo. Catching three passes for 26 yards in just the first 15 minutes.
While Holker found himself open several times in the second quarter, he only received one target which was batted away by a West defender.
Holker didn’t see the field much after the first half, in order to give way to some of the other tight ends.
Holker’s route running looked good and he found a lot of open space, while he didn’t play the whole game game, he looked like he could make an impact in the right system.
His blocking concerns are valid though, he had one snap at the fullback position and was easily knocked off of his spot and despite a drop on a deep seam route, Holker overall likely raised his stock.
Chigozie Anusiem
While the play ultimately didn’t count, Anusiem saved what would have been a touchdown on a nice play on a slant. Anuseim was a part of a long shot that took place in the first quarter, but the East was in a zone when that play happened.
He wasn’t really involved in a lot of plays after that for the rest of the first half, which typically means a good game for a cornerback.
However, early at the start of the second half Anuseim gave up a long play on a dig route. While he stayed away from the spotlight for a large chunk of the third quarter he did eventually towards the end of it pick up an illegal contact penalty which gave the West team a first down.
Anusiem didn’t get much air time in this game and had a good play and a couple of bad plays. Unfortunately for him just in this game, he didn’t do anything to necessarily raise, or lower his stock, he’ll look to make improvements elsewhere.
Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.
