College All-Star Bowl won’t be back
This state is no longer big enough for two bowl games.
The College All-Star Game, a football showcase for college seniors, was played in the Upstate for the past two seasons. However, the game will cease operations, according to its founder and executive producer David Wyatt.
On Wednesday, Wyatt was announced as the director of player development for the Medal of Honor Bowl, another senior showcase that debuted Jan. 11 at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston.
“When I started, I wanted to develop a game as a platform to really represent South Carolina,” Wyatt said. “We’re one of the best, if not the best, football states in the country. It’s one of the natural resources, if you will, that I think we can showcase.”
Wyatt said the Medal of Honor Bowl organizers had the same intentions when they established the Lowcountry game a year ago.
“Their press release could’ve been our press release,” said Wyatt, who realized the two organizations could achieve their shared objective more effectively as complements than competitors.
“It just made more sense,” he said, “rather than divide the state and have people in Charleston saying ‘That Upstate game is not as good as us,’ and people up here going, ‘Well, those guys in Charleston aren’t as good as us,’ which was going on. We didn’t like that. That was dividing the state. It was defeating the purpose for which we originally started both games.”
Shortly after the College All-Star Bowl was played in February, Wyatt met with organizers for the Medal of Honor Bowl to discuss options for consolidation.
“It was clear as we talked that we both believed that having one collegiate all-star game was best for the state moving forward,” said State Representative Samuel Rivers Jr., the Medal of Honor Bowl governmental liaison, in a statement. “The opportunity to bring in David’s expertise in player development and leadership to the Medal of Honor Bowl became an important element.”
Wyatt also serves as a sports, entertainment and business attorney with the Gleaton, Wyatt and Hewitt firm in Greenville. A certified NFL agent for more than 13 years, Wyatt’s client roster includes former Clemson defensive lineman Nick Eason, who was recently hired as an assistant coach with the Tennessee Titans.
In two years, Wyatt helped expand the College All-Star Bowl to include players from across the country. The most recent game was played at Furman University and televised by CBS Sports Network.
In his role with the Medal of Honor Bowl, Wyatt will develop a player leadership conference and coordinate a business mentor program. The Medal of Honor Bowl is scheduled for Jan. 10 in Charleston.
“The College All-Star Bowl really was gaining a lot of traction, and I think that traction can continue with the Medal of Honor Bowl,” Wyatt said. “It just makes sense, to combine the state and its resources behind making the Medal of Honor Bowl the best college all-star bowl in the nation.”