University of Tennessee Athletics
EIGHT VOLS SET FOR SENIOR ALL-STAR CLASSICS
December 20, 2005 | Football
Dec. 20, 2005
Eight Tennessee seniors will display their wares over the next month during a quartet of collegiate football all-star games. The games begin Saturday with Chris Hannon's appearance in the inaugural Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Football Classic in Jackson, Miss.
The Vols also are slated to have representation in the Hula Bowl in Honolulu, the East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco and the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Hannon finished his career with 69 receptions for 850 yards, a 12.3-yard average. In 46 games, the Sarasota, Fla., native started 21 contests and is believed to be one of only nine Vols to catch at least 12 touchdown passes in his career.
Linebacker Omar Gaither is taking part in the Jan. 21 Hula Bowl, which is moving back to Honolulu's Aloha Stadium this season after an eight-year stay on the island of Maui. Gaither made 210 tackles in his four-year career, finishing in the top three on the team each of his last two seasons. The Charlotte, N.C., product led the SEC in 2005 with four forced fumbles and his 18 tackles in the 2004 SEC Championship Game were the most by a Vol in a regulation contest since Shon Walker had 19 vs. Kentucky in 1991.
Linebacker Kevin Simon returns to his home metropolitan area and joins defensive end Jason Hall at the East-West Shrine Game, also slated for Jan. 21. A native of Walnut Creek, Calif., Simon battled through injuries to play only two full seasons for the Vols. But he led the team in tackles each of those years - 115 stops in 2003 and 88 this season. Hall made 2005 his best season. The Marietta, Ga., product had a late-season streak of five consecutive games with at least one sack and finished with seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss to rank among the league leaders in both categories.
Finally, offensive guard Cody Douglas, defensive end Parys Haralson, defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona and offensive tackle Albert Toeaina are the invitees to the Jan. 28 Senior Bowl.
Douglas started more than half (24) of his 45 career games played for the Vols, making all of his starts at the right guard position. The La Marque, Texas, native was a 2005 team captain and known for his ability to fight through injuries and play multiple positions. Haralson was a two-year captain out of Flora, Miss., who finished his UT career third on the all-time tackle-for-loss chart with 46.5, trailing only Leonard Little and Reggie White. At the end of the 2005 season, Haralson was leading all active SEC players with 21.5 career sacks.
Mahelona earned All-America honors in 2004 and finished his Tennessee career with at least one tackle for loss in 16 of 24 games played. The Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, product had 77 tackles in two years and 26.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Toeaina started 18 games in his two-year career and was the only player to see action on every offensive snap during Tennessee's overtime win this year at LSU.
-- A summary of this year's postseason All-America selections had Tennessee products Jesse Mahelona and Arron Sears among the 2005 honorees. Mahelona was a second-team All-America choice by Rivals.com and made the Associated Press third team. Sears earned third-team honors from College Football News.
