Franchione Selected to Coach in 2006 East-West Shrine Game
Jul 20, 2005 | Football
July 20, 2005
Two former Coaches of the Year have been selected to lead the teams in the 81st annual East-West Shrine Game, Jack Hart, executive director, announced today. Houston Nutt of the University of Arkansas will be running the East squad's sideline while Dennis Franchione of Texas A&M University takes control of the West squad.
This year's premier college football All-Star game will be played on January 21, 2006 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Kickoff will be at 3 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) and the game will be telecast nationally on ESPN2. This marks the first time that the game will be played outside of San Francisco since its inception in 1925.
"It is our distinct pleasure to have Coach Nutt and Coach Franchione as our head coaches for the 81st East-West Shrine Game. They are among the very best coaches in the country, and represent two fine universities and two outstanding conferences," said Hart.
Entering his third season at Texas A&M, Dennis Franchione holds the 13th highest winning percentage (166-86-2, 65.7 percent) among all active head coaches and is 7th in terms of overall wins. In 2004, Franchione led the Aggies to a 7-4 record, with three of their four losses coming against BCS teams Utah, Texas and Oklahoma, and ended the season by earning a trip to the Cotton Bowl. Franchione was named Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1987 and has served as the head coach at Alabama, TCU, New Mexico, Southwest Texas State, Pittsburg State and Southwestern College.
"I am very excited and honored to serve as a head coach in the East-West Shrine Game," said Franchione. "The East-West Shrine Game is one of the most prestigious all-star games in the country. I am especially pleased to take part in the first East-West Shrine Game played in the great state of Texas."
Since taking over the head-coaching job at Arkansas in 1997, Houston Nutt has accomplished what only two other previous UA coaches were able to do before him: lead his team to a bowl appearance in each of his first six seasons. Under Nutt, Arkansas has won nearly 62 percent (53-33) of their games and leads the Southeastern Conference in home victories since 1997 with 38. Nutt was named Coach of the Year in 1998. Before coming to Arkansas, Nutt held head coaching duties at Murray State and Boise State.
"I'm honored to be asked to be a part of this prestigious game," Nutt said. "The East-West Shrine Game has a tradition of attracting some of the best talent in college football as well as making a difference in communities all over the nation. I'm very appreciative of the opportunity to lead the East team and contribute in a small way to the great work of the Shriners Hospitals and the other charitable causes that benefit from this event. I look forward to a great week in San Antonio next January."
The 80th East-West Shrine Game was played on January 15th, 2004 at SBC Park in San Francisco and was won by the East 45-27. The game included 43 players who were selected in the NFL Draft this past April, while an additional 24 players from the East squad and 26 from the West were later signed as free agents.
Every year, the East-West Shrine Game is played in order to help raise money and awareness for the orthopedic and burn care available at 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children at no cost. To date, the game has raised over $14 million and has treated over 750,000 children. For more information, go to www.shrinegame.com.
