USAfootball

Eight defensive backs named to U.S. Under-19 National Team

Defensive backs DEVIN BUTLER of Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga College High School, TERE CALLOWAY of Seattle (Wash.) Prep, MARCO DELVECCHIO of Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendricken High School, TAUREAN FERGUSON of Jonesboro (Ga.) High School, SHAQUEM GRIFFIN and SHAQUILL GRIFFIN of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood High School, JOURDAN LEWIS of Detroit (Mich.) Cass Technical High School and DERIC ROBERTSON of Killeen (Texas) High Schoolwere selected to play on the 2013 U.S. Under-19 National Team, assembled by USA Football. The team will compete 8 p.m. CT Feb. 5 – the night before National Signing Day – in the fourth annual International Bowl in Austin, Texas.

The International Bowl is an annual competition that unites nations that comprise the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The IFAF World Team includes players age 19-and-under from outside the United States. IFAF is composed of 64 countries spanning six continents that possess a national federation dedicated solely to American football.

The 2013 International Bowl will be played at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in Austin, Texas.Both teams will field a roster of 45 players. Team USA’s players and coaches are selected by USA Football.

Butler made 46 tackles, including four for loss, broke up 10 passes and had three interceptions during his senior season. He scored four offensive touchdowns as a wide receiver and was named first-team All-Metro. Butler is verbally committed to Notre Dame.

Calloway recorded 59 tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions as a senior in 2012. He also rushed for 1,075 yards on 90 carries (11.9 average) with 15 touchdowns. Calloway is undecided on a college choice and currently holds scholarship offers from schools such as Colorado State, Memphis, Nevada and SMU.

DelVecchio recorded 112 tackles as a senior, helping Bishop Hendricken win its third straight Rhode Island state championship. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back is undecided on a college choice.

In 2011, Ferguson had 21 tackles and four interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns. He blocked four punts and had five total touchdowns. Ferguson is verbally committed to Vanderbilt.

A standout on the football field despite losing one of his hands at age 4, Shaquem Griffinhad 61 tackles and one interception during his junior season in 2011. Shaquill Griffin finished with 33 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and eight pass breakups in 2011. The twin brothers, who are verbally committed to Central Florida, join fellow Lakewood wide receiver Rodney Adams on Team USA.

Lewis had six TDs as a receiver in 2012. He added three additional scores on special teams and had one interception. In his team’s Division I state title game this year, Lewis scored on an 89-yard touchdown catch that helped Cass Tech claim a championship. He is verbally committed to Michigan.

As a senior in 2012, Robertson tallied 50 tackles, six passes defended, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and also scored a touchdown. He is verbally committed to Oklahoma State.

USA Football will announce 2013 U.S. Under-19 National Team players in their position groups through mid-December.

Team USA is led by AARON BRADY, head coach of Washington, D.C., Gonzaga College High School. Brady, 36, is 23-11 since being named the head coach of Gonzaga in 2010. In 2011, Brady guided the Eagles to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship game for the first time in 10 years.

Familiar with the International Bowl, Brady was a defensive assistant for the 2011 U.S. team that won, 21-14, in Austin. Additionally, he has spent the past two summers with USA Football’s U-15 program and has traveled to Sweden teaching the game in conjunction with Sweden’s football federation.

A national team exemption granted by the NCAA allows high school seniors to play for USA Football and not have their participation count as one of their two permitted all-star game appearances. The International Bowl is recognized as a national team competition.

USA Football is the sport’s national governing body in the United States and is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFL Players Association.

TUOMAS HEIKKINEN of Finland is the IFAF World Team’s head coach. Heikkinen was the World Team’s defensive backs coach in 2011 and 2012, and the five-time Coach of the Year in Finland was inducted into the Finnish American Football Federation Hall of Fame in 2008.

The U.S. Under-19 team is 7-2 in international play, including 2-1 in the International Bowl. The World Team won, 35-29, last February in Austin.

Coaches, players, venues and ticket information will be announced in the coming months.

The U.S. National Team program can be followed on Facebook (www.facebook.com/usnationalfootballteam) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/usnft).

U.S. Under-19 National Team roster:

USA Football’s national team program is supported by corporate partners Marriott, Riddell, Sports Authority, Rawlings, Cutters, Gatorade, Upper Deck, Shock Doctor and St. Vincent Sports Performance.

About USA Football: USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States, hosts dozens of football training events annually offering education for coaches, skill development for players and resources for youth football league commissioners. The independent nonprofit is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association. USA Football manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions and provides more than $1 million annually in equipment grants and youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is chaired by former NFL team executive Carl Peterson.