By Michael Murillo,
CFL.ca
NCAA football fans don’t have to lose track of their favourite players when they leave their competitive teams and conferences. Each week, College Connection looks at a pair of former college stars who are making waves today in the CFL. Their teams will meet in an upcoming match-up, televised in the U.S.
This week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto Argonauts, October 26, available on CBC.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Robert Bean, DB, Mississippi State Bulldogs. Bean only played two years at Mississippi State (following two years at Georgia Military College) but they coincided with two of the school’s most successful seasons. In 1998 Bean had 33 tackles and five interceptions, earning All-SEC second-team honours for his efforts. The Bulldogs won the SEC Western Division championship that year and played in the Cotton Bowl, marking the school’s first New Year’s Day bowl appearance in more than half a century. In 1999 Bean had 44 tackles and blocked four punts; he also blocked a field-goal in a Peach Bowl win over Clemson, which helped the school finish at #12 in the final rankings.
Bean played with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL, and spent time in the Arena Football league before signing with Winnipeg in 2006, where he promptly led the team in interceptions. He has 41 tackles so far in 2007.
Toronto Argonauts: Chuck Winters, DB, Michigan Wolverines. Winters was an immediate contributor at Michigan (1993-1996), starting every game at free safety as a freshman and finishing third on the team in tackles. He was also third-leading tackler as a sophomore. As a junior Winters was the Wolverines’ leader in interception return yardage, and as a senior he ranked in the school’s all-time top 10 list for punts returned with 24. During his tenure at Michigan the school compiled a 2-2 bowl record, with appearances in the Hall of Fame, Holiday, Alamo and Outback Bowls.
Winters spent more than two years in the Arena Football League, where he found success as a receiver and kick returner in addition to his defensive duties (he finished second in team receiving and first in team kick returns with Detroit in 2002). He signed with Toronto in 2003, and has increased his season tackles total every year he’s been with the team. With five more tackles (he has 33 so far this year) in 2007, Winters will continue that streak.
If you’d like to see a specific school or player featured in College Connection, contact Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@hotmail.com.
(The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of the Canadian Football League)
