Dec. 13, 2007
HOUSTON – University of New Mexico wide receiver Marcus Smith has been selected to play in the 83rd East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 18, 2008 in Houston, Texas. Held at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium, the game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
New Mexico has had at least one player at the East-West Shrine Game each of the past four years and six total since 2005. Last year’s participants, linebacker Quincy Black and offensive guard Robert Turner, are both with NFL teams this year. Black was a third round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While Smith is the first Lobo to be officially announced, several other New Mexico seniors expect to have their names added to postseason all-star game rosters in the coming weeks. Rosters for the Senior Bowl, Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine, and Texas vs. The Nation games will not be finalized until next month.
Smith leads the Mountain West Conference in both receptions (86) and receiving yards (1,039) to go along with three touchdown catches. He also leads the team with a 23.2-yard average on his 27 kickoff returns, including a long of 82.
The San Diego product turned in his best game of the 2007 season on the road against Arizona and its consensus All-America cornerback Antoine Cason, who also won the Jim Thorpe Award for the nation’s best defensive back. Smith caught 11 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Lobos to a 29-27 victory in Tucson.
New Mexico takes on Nevada in New Mexico Bowl II on Saturday, Dec. 22 in Albuquerque. The game will be televised live on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. Mountain.