TicketsJan. 30, 2010
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Mardy Gilyard once worked four jobs to stay in school after losing his scholarship.
The former Cincinnati star turned in an awfully strong audition for a much more lucrative career in Saturday's Senior Bowl, racking up 103 yards receiving and catching a 32-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to help the North race to a 31-13 victory over the South.
"All my hard work just kind of came into one game," an exuberant Gilyard said. "I'm truly blessed. I worked my butt off and I played my butt off. I've been through so much in my career.
"This game sums up everything, because I've been through all the hard work, all the ups and all the downs, the peaks and the valleys. I've been through everything. I've been from the brown sticky stuff at the bottom of the barrel to the cream at the top of the coffee."
In 2006, an academically ineligible Gilyard lost his scholarship and had to take jobs ranging from cutlery salesman to construction worker to pay his steep out-of-state tuition bills. He eventually won back his scholarship.
One of the nation's top all-purpose threats, Gilyard also set up a third-quarter touchdown with a 43-yard catch down the right sideline and had five receptions. Both that pass and the TD came from Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour.
Gilyard returned two kicks for 52 yards and gained 24 on two punt returns. He was named offensive player of the game while Mississippi State's Jamar Chaney earned defensive honors.
Tony Pike, considered to be the top-rated NFL prospect among the participating quarterbacks, looked solid in a brief outing. He was 5 of 12 for 45 yards all in the first half. Gilyard caught two of those passes for 21 yards.
Long snapper Mike Windt also participated in the game, snapping eight times for the North squad.