MISSOULA — Former Montana linebacker Brock Coyle of Bozeman has been invited to play in the 2014 NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl on Saturday in Carson, Calif.
The all-star game between the National Team and the American Team will be televised on ESPN 2 and kicks off at 4 p.m. Mountain.
Coyle’s invitation marks the first time in school history that three former Griz players will be playing in an all-star game in the same year.
Offensive tackle Danny Kistler Jr. of Seattle is playing in the 89th annual East-West Shrine Game on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla. That game kicks off at 2 p.m. Mountain.
Former Griz linebacker Jordan Tripp of Missoula has been invited to play in the Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Mobile, Ala.
Coyle was Montana’s top tackler as a senior with 125 stops, and also had a team-best five forced fumbles. He was chosen UM’s co-MVP, sharing that honor with junior quarterback Jordan Johnson.
Coyle was ranked fifth in the FCS in forced fumbles with .38 a game, and 28th in the FCS in tackles per game (9.62 pg). He had 10 or more tackles in six games, including a season-high 15 against Cal Poly. He was the Grizzlies’ co-captain with Tripp on defense.
He finished his career ranked 11th (tie) in school history with 293 career tackles, and tied for 12th with 24.5 career tackles for loss. He was a two-year starter and played in 52 career games, and led the Griz in total tackles as a junior and senior.
The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl was founded in 2012, and gives prospective NFL players an opportunity to showcase their talents to potential employers and fans. In 2013, scouts from every NFL club and other professional leagues attended the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl’s practices and game. Nearly 100 scouts not only watch the live practices and game but also conducted player interviews and reviewed tape.