USAfootball

Nine offensive linemen named to U.S. Under-19 National Team

Offensive linemen AUBRY BEAL of DeSoto (Texas) High School, JAKE CAMPOS of West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley High School, DAVID DAWSON of Detroit (Mich.) Cass Technical High School, AUSTIN DROOGSMA of Gulf Breeze (Fla.) High School, JACK KURZU of St. Louis (Mo.) Mary Institute Country Day School, MATTHEW MILLER of Toledo (Ohio) St. John’s Jesuit High School, DONOVAN MUNGER of Shaker Heights (Ohio) High School, JOSHUA OUTLAW of Lithonia (Ga.) Martin Luther King High School and JAKE THOMAS of Columbus (Miss.) High School were 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.

Beal has played left tackle, center, defensive tackle and long snapper at DeSoto. He is undecided on a college and is considering scholarship offers from schools such as Army, Northern Colorado and Cornell.

Campos’ play along the offensive front helped Valley reach the quarterfinals of the Iowa 4A playoffs in 2012. The 6-foot-7 Campos is staying close to home for college as he is verbally committed to Iowa State.

Dawson has played multiple roles at Cass Technical, seeing action on both sides of the line. He joins Cass Tech teammate Jourdan Lewis on Team USA. Dawson is undecided but is considering offers from Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and others.

Droogsma played primarily along the interior of the Gulf Breeze offensive line as the Dolphins advanced to the 5A state playoffs. He is undecided on his college choice but has offers from Clemson, Florida State and Georgia Tech.

Kurzuis a powerful interior lineman who was a two-year starter at MICDS. His play at right guard enabled the Rams to break multiple passing records in 2012. Kurzu is verbally committed to Oklahoma State.

Miller displayed his versatility during his time at St. John’s by playing multiple positions for the Titans, including offensive tackle and defensive end. Miller had 33 pancake blocks as a senior and was named first team All-Ohio. On defense, he made 38 tackles, eight quarterback pressures and forced two fumbles. Miller has verbally committed to Wisconsin.

Munger had 34 pancake blocks as an offensive tackle for Shaker Heights in 2012. On defense, he recorded 70 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss, six sacks and 23 quarterback hurries. Munger is verbally committed to Ohio State.

Outlaw spent time primarily at left tackle for Martin Luther King. His protection of the blindside propelled the Lions to a third straight 5A Region 6 championship. M.L. King hasn’t lost a regular season game since 2010. Outlaw currently holds offers from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, among others.

Thomas paved the way up front for Columbus as a senior, helping the Falcons make the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder was named to the 2012 Mississippi All-Star team and is verbally committed to Mississippi 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 HEIKKINENof 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.