Garrett Nussmeier led two early touchdown drives to put the American Team up 14–0 in the first quarter, and from that point on, they never relinquished the lead. In the game, Nussmeier was decisive, accurate, and willing to show off his mobility when needed. He finished with a rushing touchdown and went 5-of-8 for 57 yards passing.
Those numbers should be put into context, as he played almost all of his snaps in the first quarter. In an article I wrote earlier in the week, I said that Nussmeier needed to have a great game to solidify his strong week of practice, and he did just that, wrapping up the week by earning the Senior Bowl MVP award.
“I love to play this sport, so anytime I get a chance to get out there and do it, I try to make the most of it and have a lot of fun with it. I’m just so grateful to have this opportunity,” Nussmeier said after the game.
A few other standouts from the game included Malachi Fields. American Team head coach Joel Thomas mentioned him during the postgame press conference when asked about standout performers and highlighted his early contributions. “I think about my Notre Dame right away. He had a big execution early in the game,” Thomas said.
Fields noted that between now and the Combine, he wants to focus on improving his speed, running a fast 40, and sharpening his route running, particularly getting in and out of his breaks.
The game was messy on offense at times, and similar to the practices throughout the week, the defenses shined. One of the best defensive plays of the game was a forced fumble by Zion Young. Zion had one of the best weeks of anyone in Mobile and capped it off with a strong Senior Bowl performance.
When one of his Senior Bowl teammates was asked about the toughest competition he faced all week, he immediately brought up Zion Young. “Zion Young, that man is a dawg for sure. I faced him in the regular season when I was at Bama, and when I saw him here again, I was like, OK. It already set the tone for what the rest of the week would be like. The hardest one I had to go against was Zion Young.”
Another defender who capped off a great week with a strong Senior Bowl performance was Nadame Tucker. He gave offensive tackles fits all week and continued that trend in the game. Tucker finished the day with two sacks, four solo tackles, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. That is a phenomenal way to end the week for a player who unquestionably raised his draft stock.
The Senior Bowl was not only a great experience for players but also for coaches. Two assistant coaches who typically would not get an opportunity to serve as head coach were given that chance through the Coach Up program.
Clint Hurtt, Philadelphia Eagles senior defensive assistant and defensive line coach, spoke about the experience. “This was invaluable. There are so many things in this profession where, when you get the opportunity, you do not really know what it is like until you are actually in it. I have been a coordinator before, but having the chance to handle head coaching responsibilities, build schedules, get the staff on the same page, structure meetings, and manage everything that comes with it, you never truly get that opportunity unless you are in it. I am forever grateful for the experience.”
Coach Joel Thomas echoed those sentiments. “It was incredible getting to be put in this position to run a team. All of this stuff, you kind of have to piece it together. It was a great learning experience, and it reaffirms that I know I can be a head coach and that I want to be a head coach.”
