FRESNO - Both quarterback Marcus McMaryion and wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, seniors from the 2018 Fresno State football team, will make their way to Florida this weekend to start preparations for the 2019 East-West Shrine Game. The game that features some of college football's best prospects, will kick off at 12 p.m. PT on Saturday, Jan. 19, from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida and will be televised live on the NFL Network.
"More than anything I'm just excited to put the Bulldog helmet on one more time and get out there and represent the city of Fresno and do the best I can," McMaryion said. "It's one more chance to perform as a college athlete."
In the game, the two seniors will have the opportunity to wear their Bulldog helmets one last time before putting them away for good. Both on the West team, McMaryion will wear No. 6 on his designated team jersey while Johnson will wear No. 2 opposed to the No. 3 he wore for the 'Dogs.
Pro Football Hall of Famers Will Shields and Aeneas Williams, three-time Pro Bowler Mark Brunell and three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest will serve as the 2019 East-West Shrine Game Legends captains. The four Legends captains, who all played in the East-West Shrine Game, will serve as mentors for the players throughout the week and will be present on the sidelines on game day.
McMaryion and Johnson will both be coached by West team head coach Adam Zimmer, who is currently the linebackers coach for the Minnesota Vikings. He is a 13-year coaching veteran and has been with the Vikings' organization for the past five seasons. Prior to joining Minnesota's staff, Zimmer spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals (2013), Kansas City Chiefs (2010-12) and New Orleans Saints (2006-09), where he served as assistant linebacker coach during their Super Bowl XLIV-winning season. Adam is the son of Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.
The East team will be guided by the Carolina Panthers' defensive line coach, Sam Mills III. Mills has spent the past 14 seasons (2005-present) on the Panthers' staff and the past eight (2011-18) as an assistant defensive line coach. He was promoted to defensive line coach this past December.
"We have a terrific partnership with the NFL that has once again yielded two outstanding head coaches," said Harold Richardson, executive director of the East-West Shrine Game. "Sam Mills III and Adam Zimmer are excellent teachers who will enjoy this opportunity and no doubt be tremendous examples for our players as they prepare to launch their NFL careers."
At the conclusion of the NFL regular season, teams nominated deserving assistant coaches who were reviewed by a panel that included NFL Football Operations staff, East-West Shrine Game leadership and two members of the NFL's General Managers Advisory Committee. Once the head coaches were selected, each head coach then filled his 12-person staff from among other NFL assistant coaches nominated by the clubs, a key job requirement for head coaches at every level of the sport.
The NFL also provides the game officials for the contest.
West Team Quarterbacks
#4: Brett Rypien, Boise State
#6: Marcus McMaryion, Fresno State
#12: Easton Stick, North Dakota State
(last updated Jan. 11)
West Team Wide Receivers
#2: KeeSean Johnson, Fresno State
#3: Ron'quavion Tarver, Utah State
#9: Jon Duhart, Old Dominion
#19: Shawn Poindexter, Arizona
#25: Cody Thompson, Toledo
#80: Brody Oliver, Colorado S. of Mines
(last updated Jan. 11)
West Team Coaching Staff
Adam Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings, HC
Drew Wilkins, Baltimore Ravens, DC
Ben Steele, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, OC
Zack Grossi, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, QB
Cannon Mathews, Washington Redskins, RB
Phil Rauscher, Washington Redskins, OL
Eric Sanders, Cleveland Browns, TE
Chad Hall, Buffalo Bills, WR
Danny Breyer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, LB
Robert Rodriquez, Minnesota Vikings, DL
James Rowe III, Washington Redskins, CB
Alonso Escalante, Arizona Cardinals, DS
Ryan Ficken, Minnesota Vikings, ST
Joe Vaughn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, S&C
(team affiliation reflects 2018 employer)
East Team Coaching Staff
Sam Mills III, Carolina Panthers, HC
Jimmy Salgado, Buffalo Bills, DC
Andrew Janocko, Minnesota Vikings, OC
Skylar Fulton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, QB
Luke Steckel, Tennessee Titans, RB
Lunda Wells, New York Giants, OL
Ryan Crow, Tennessee Titans, TE
Drew Terrell, Carolina Panthers, WR
John Egorugwu, Buffalo Bills, LB
Marcus Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals, DL
Jeff Howard, Minnesota Vikings, CB
Scott Booker, Tennessee Titans, DS
Vincent Rivera, Carolina Panthers, ST
Chad Wade, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, S&C
(team affiliation reflects 2018 employer)
For more information on the Shrine Game, visit www.shrinegame.com.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" - The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please call 559-278-7160