Thursday, March 13, 2008 – San Diego Chargers linebacker Jyles Tucker will attend the final Team USA practice of a two-day training camp at the University of San Diego at 2pm on Saturday, March 15.
Tucker, who won AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors as a rookie during the 2007 NFL season, will meet the 40-player Team USA roster that is traveling to Kawasaki, Japan to play in the GE Global Challenge Bowl.
Team USA holds its camp at Manchester Field at the University of San Diego at 10am and 2pm on both Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15. The high school seniors will then travel to Japan for a week of practices, sightseeing and a unique cultural experience, before taking on the Japanese junior national team on March 22.
“We are delighted that Jyles and the Chargers have given us their support and the team will be excited to listen to words of advice and inspiration from an NFL player,” said Team USA head coach Jeff Scurran of Santa Rita High School, Tucson, AZ.
Tucker, who will himself travel overseas when the Chargers play at Wembley Stadium in London in October, recorded three sacks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown as San Diego won 30-17 at Oakland in the final week of the regular season.
Before Tucker’s visit, Scurran will spend valuable hours on the practice field preparing a group selected from 12 states and 27 high schools, who began arriving in San Diego on Thursday.
“The first thing we have to do is bond as a team,” said Scurran. “At this point we are trying to teach them some of the terminology so that they will have a better idea of what we are doing.”
Scurran has assembled a coaching staff that hails from Arizona, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Full details of the Team USA players and coaching staff can be found at the event website www.GlobalFootball.com.
“Having held coaching clinics all over the country, I have been exposed to some great coaches in all the states I’ve visited and some of them are here on this coaching staff,” explained Scurran. “I have chosen those who will get on well together and teach the same philosophy of the game to the players. I want guys who know how to take care of the individual athlete as well as coach the team.”
While in San Diego, the Team USA all-stars will also have an opportunity to relax at a local beach and visit the San Diego Hall of Champions.
Team USA GE Global Challenge Bowl Schedule for San Diego:
Fri March 14
10am Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 12pm)
2pm Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 4pm)
Sat March 15
8.45am Team Photo at Manchester Field, University of San Diego
10am Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 12pm)
2pm Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 4pm)
Sun March 16
8.20am Flight from San Diego to San Francisco / Tokyo
Jyles Tucker
Position: LB
College: Wake Forest
Height: 6-3 / Weight: 258
Age: 24 Experience: R / Acquired: UDFA ‘07
Hometown: Dover, N.J.
TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed two-year contract with Chargers as undrafted rookie, May 4, 2007. 2007: Played first career game on special teams Nov. 25 vs. Baltimore after being signed from practice squad…shared fourth-quarter sack eight-yard sack with Shaun Phillips Dec. 2 at K.C….tied Tim Dobbins team high with three special teams tackles against Detroit Dec. 16…named AFC Defensive Player of Week and GMC Defensive Player of Week following coming out party at Oakland Dec. 30 with three sacks and first-career NFL touchdown…started series in third quarter with nine-yard sack on first-down…then on third-and-13 play, sacked Russell and forced fumble, and loose ball rolled into end zone where Tucker recovered…was first touchdown since freshman year at Wake Forest when he sacked and stripped current Charger teammate and former Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst and returned ball 12 yards for touchdown…later sealed 30-17 win over Raiders with late fourth-quarter sack and forced fumble on fourth-and-two play with under one minute remaining in game.
COLLEGE: Honorable mention All-ACC as senior…named ACC Rookie of Week after first career start vs. Clemson during which he stripped QB Charlie Whitehurst of ball and returned it 12 yards for touchdown…finished career with 85 tackles, nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss…played at Wake Forest from 2003-07…majored in religion.PERSONAL: Born in Morristown, New Jersey…attended Hargrave Military Academy after graduating from Morristown Beard High School…four year starter at Morristown as defensive end and quarterback…named to New Jersey’s All-Prep School Team…started four years at small forward on school’s basketball team and competed in track, winning conference championship in shot put.
