Rutger's Ray Rice, a graduate of New Rochelle HS, New York

As part of an on-going series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame follows the graduates of its Play It Smart program as they make their mark on the college gridiron.

Ray Rice (New Rochelle HS/New Rochelle, NY) capped a record-breaking 2007 season by leading Rutgers to a 52-30 victory over Ball State in the International Bowl. The junior running back rushed for a career-high 280 yards and 4 touchdowns on his way to being named game MVP.

Following the game, Rice declared himself eligible for the upcoming NFL draft. Finishing the season as the nation’s 3rd leading rusher with 2,012 yards, Rice leaves Rutgers holding multiple records. In 38 career games he rushed for a total of 4,926 yards and 50 touchdowns. Those numbers established Rice as the Rutgers career leader and 2nd overall in the history of the Big East Conference.

All-Pac-10 Second Team receiver DeSean Jackson (Long Beach Poly HS/Long Beach, CA) spurred a Cal comeback with a 40-yard acrobatic touchdown in a 42-36 victory over the Air Force Falcons in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Jackson hauled in a total of five passes for 81 yards. The junior, who received Third Team All-American honors from the Associated Press for his 2007 performance, later announced that he would be entering the 2008 NFL Draft.

William Franklin (Vashon HS/St. Louis, MO) recorded five catches for 77 yards in his final collegiate game in a 38-7 win over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. Franklin, an All Big 12 honorable mention receiver, will be playing in the East-West Shrine game on January 19th.

Akron’s Bryan Williams (Arkon-Buchtel HS/Arkon, OH) received All-MAC team honors for his performance during the 2007 campaign as a kick returner and a running back. Williams ranked 2nd in the nation in return yards with 670 and one touchdown, and also averaged 31.9 yards per return.

Javier Arenas (Robinson HS/Tampa, FL) accounted for 76 return yards in Alabama’s 30-24 win over Colorado in the PetroSun Independence Bowl. Arenas ranked 7th in the country in punt returns during the 2007 season.

Buffalo’s Kareem Byrom (New Brunswick HS/New Brunswick, NJ) was honored with All-MAC honors as a linebacker for his 86 tackle season.

Angelo Craig of Cincinnati (Glenville HS/Cleveland, OH) recorded four tackles in a 31-21 win over Southern Mississippi in the Papajohns.com Bowl.

Despite missing the first two games of the season, Connecticut’s Andre Dixon (New Brunswick HS/New Brunswick, NJ) was named to the All Big East Second team for his 809 yards rushing in 2007.

Wake Forest’s Alphonso Smith (Pahokee HS/Pahokee, FL) was named to Associated Press All-American team. Smith ranked 2nd in the nation with eight interceptions on the year,

In the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Antone Smith(Pahokee HS/Pahokee, FL) of Florida State ran for 156 yards on 17 carries in a 35-28 loss to Kentucky.

The Fighting Illini of Illinois lost 49-17 to USC in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi. Big Ten Freshman of Year Arrelious Benn (Dunbar HS/Washington D.C.) accounted for 131 yards and one touchdown in the loss. All Big Ten First team cornerback Vontae Davis (Dunbar HS/Washington D.C.) recorded a team-high 13 tackles in the defeat.

All Big Ten team selection Brandent Englemon (Holmes HS/Covington, KY) recorded 6 tackles leading Michigan 41-35 in a shootout over Florida in the Capital One Bowl.

In the All-State BCS National Championship game, LSU defeated Ohio State 38-24, Raymond Small (Glenville HS/Cleveland, OH) of the Buckeyes had 109 all-purpose yards in the loss.

The South Florida Bulls ended the season with a 56-21 loss to Oregon in the Sun Bowl. Sophomore Kicker/Punter Delbert Alvarado (Robinson HS/Tampa, FL) was perfect on two field goal attempts and his only extra point try of the day. He also punted 6 times for a total of 266 yards.

Tennessee staged an exciting 21-17 win over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl. Senior Defensive End Antonio Reynolds (Akron-Buchtel HS/Akron, OH) recorded 3 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and a sack in the victory. On the opposite side of the field, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Casillas (New Brunswick HS/New Brunswick, NJ) again lead the Badger defense with 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. On the season the junior linebacker lead the Badger defense with 96 tackles and 9 tackles for loss on his way to being named Honorable Mention All-Big 10.

West Virginia posted and impressive 48-28 victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Mountaineer defensive lineman Johnny Dingle (Booker T. Washington HS/Miami, FL) finished the game with 2 tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack. On the season the 2nd Team All Big East selection tallied 48 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 9 sacks.

Texas Tech used a last-second field goal to defeat Virginia 31-28 in the Gator Bowl. Senior defensive back Nate Lyles (Hubbard HS/Chicago, IL) lead the Cavalier defense with 11 tackles in the losing effort.

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With major financial support from a broad-coalition of corporations, communities, individuals and organizations, including the NFL and the NFL Players Association, the Play It Smart program has quickly become one of the most comprehensive and effective youth development programs in the country, achieving dramatic results that include:

• 95% of seniors graduating high school, compared to 85% of their peers;



• 80% of seniors enrolling in college compared to 62% of their peers;



• Participants taking the SAT or ACT at twice the rate of their peers;



• Participants completing more than 67,000 hours of community service annually;



• Rosters increasing by 35% for teams with fewer than 40 players;



• Participants earning more than $6 million a year in scholarships; and



• 200-plus graduates earning places among the elite collegiate ranks during the 2007 season on Football Bowl Subdivision rosters.

Play It Smart builds on the positive peer influences of team sports and a participant's interest in football. The program's academic coaches are trained in a set of guiding principles and a variety of tactics, which are designed to make academic achievement the norm. Working closely with the direct support of a team's head coach and others in the community, academic coaches hold one-on-one goal setting meetings, career and life skills sessions, mandatory study halls, SAT/ACT prep classes, community service projects and other team building events.

ABOUT PLAY IT SMART
Play It Smart is an educational program established in 1998 by The National Football Foundation. The program's mission is to help student-athletes take responsibility for their futures through lessons learned on the playing field, in the classroom, and in service to others. At the heart of the program is a year-round academic coach, an official member of a team's staff, who serves as a direct link to the classroom by helping players and the team set and achieve their academic and personal development goals during the entire school year. Learn more at www.PlayItSmart.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME:
With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.

NFF