FORT WORTH, Texas (May 11, 2012) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. Company, has renewed its option to continue as the title sponsor of the Armed Forces Bowl for two more years. The continuation of the contract was announced yesterday evening by Pete Riley, executive vice president of integrated operations at Bell Helicopter, and Brant Ringler, the game’s executive director, at the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl 10th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration. The event was held at Amon G. Carter Stadium, the home of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, and featured more than 200 guests including Fort Worth city officials, the bowl’s sponsors, volunteers and committee members.

Owned and operated by ESPN, the Armed Forces Bowl initially signed Bell Helicopter as the game’s title partner in August 2006. The initial agreement was for two years, with Bell Helicopter picking up a two-year option in December 2007 to be title partner for the game through the 2009 postseason. Bell Helicopter renewed its Armed Forces Bowl title agreement in September 2009 to continue as the title sponsor through the 2011 game and has now enacted a two-year option for the 2012 and 2013 contests.

“Bell Helicopter is proud to continue our sponsorship of the Armed Forces Bowl,” said John Garrison, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter. “The event’s emphasis on providing well-deserved recognition for our men and women in uniform and honoring their service to this nation makes us proud to be associated with this bowl.”

Bell Helicopter is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell’s global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.

“The leadership at Bell Helicopter is on a mission to make it a priority for all our armed forces and their families to be properly recognized for their service to our country,” said Ringler. Bell’s renewal allows the Armed Forces Bowl to continue the growth of the game as we begin the celebration of our 10th anniversary.

With the contract extension, Bell Helicopter will serve as title sponsor of the Armed Forces Bowl for a 7th and 8th year. The longevity as title sponsor is now amongst the top 10 of tenured title sponsors across the NCAA’s 35 bowl games. 

Since Bell Helicopter’s initial sponsorship of the bowl in 2006, a service academy team has appeared in four of the postseason Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls. The bowl currently holds agreements with both Navy (2013 and 2016) and Army (2014 and 2017) to participate in future games in Fort Worth, if bowl eligible.

The 10th edition of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be played Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium with a 10:45 a.m. (CST) kickoff. The game will be aired on ESPN and ESPN Radio. 

During Bell Helicopter’s sponsorship, the bowl game has been played at two sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with the game averaging nearly 40,000 fans over the six year duration. With the renovation of Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was moved to Gerald J. Ford Stadium for the 2010 and 2011 games, but will be returning to its home stadium at TCU for the 2012 game.

Owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has featured a military theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all five branches of the military are prevalent throughout the game. Past Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have included fan-fest areas showcasing military hardware; flyovers; demonstrations by several of the military’s top skydiving teams; the awarding of custom homes to wounded warriors; on-field induction ceremonies; military bands and honor guards; and the awarding of the annual "Great American Patriot Award" (GAPA) presented by Armed Forces Insurance. For additional information about the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, please visit ArmedForcesBowl.com, Facebook.com/ArmedForcesBowl or Twitter.com/ArmedForcesBowl.

Ticket information for the 2012 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be released in the coming months and can be obtained at ArmedForcesBowl.com. Military veterans and active-duty personnel receive free admittance via the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl corporate military ticket underwriting program. 

Bell Helicopter-Textron
Bell Helicopter-Textron is an American manufacturer of commercial and military helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft with its headquarters in Fort Worth. Bell Helicopter provides the United States Armed Forces with the world’s best military helicopters, including the V-22 Osprey, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters. A sister company, Textron Systems, produces the new M1117 Armored Security Vehicle, which is designed for speed and for deflecting rocket-propelled grenades and land mines.

Fort Worth, Texas, May 10, 2012 – It may be spring right now, but football season isn’t far away in Texas and a unique kickoff celebration was held Thursday at Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of TCU to launch activities in the Metroplex as the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl returns home for its 10th anniversary celebration.

Among the several hundred people attending the special function at the Moncrief Club in the south end zone of the newly-renovated stadium were representatives from the City of Fort Worth, Bell Helicopter and ESPN.

Owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), the nationally-broadcasted 10th annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will air on ESPN and ESPN Radio and will be played Saturday, Dec. 29 at Amon G. Carter Stadium with a 10:45 a.m. (CT) kickoff.

The Honorable Betsy Price (pictured), Mayor of Fort Worth, was one of the featured speakers at the Thursday afternoon function along with Pete Riley, Executive Vice President of Integrated Operations at Bell Helicopter.  Also speaking were Pete Derzis, Senior Vice President and General Manager of ESPN Regional Television, and Brant Ringler, Executive Director of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.  Emcee for Thursday’s event was veteran Metroplex television personality Scott Murray.

The post-season football game returns to Amon G. Carter Stadium after playing the past two seasons at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas.  The $164-million renovations to Amon G. Carter Stadium were announced in August 2010 and construction began immediately following the 2010 regular season.  Capacity for the completed Amon G. Carter Stadium will be 45,000.

“Is this not the greatest city in the world to live in,” reflected Mayor Price, the 44th mayor in Fort Worth history who was an active part of the volunteer staff of the BHAFB during its inaugural year in 2003. “As the new mayor of Fort Worth, I am very fortunate to inherit this wonderful event that honors our amazing military and I have great memories of our experience serving as a volunteer for the first game in 2003.

“We sincerely appreciate all that ESPN and Bell Helicopter do for our community and for our military men and women through this event. We encourage everyone to get involved in this event and I want to be the first to purchase tickets for this year’s game which I know will be another tremendous opportunity to showcase everything that Fort Worth has to offer.”

Among the other announcements at the event was the contract extension announcement for 2013 and 2014 by Bell Helicopter, the Fort Worth-based international company that has been the title sponsor of the Armed Forces Bowl since 2006.

“On behalf of our 11,300 employees, Bell Helicopter is looking forward to returning to our home in Fort Worth and are very excited to host the game in the newly renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium,” stated Riley on behalf of Bell Helicopter, which has been the title sponsor of the BHAFB since 2006. “As we enjoy the excitement of the game, let us not lose sight of the men and women in uniform who show their commitment to their country every day by making sacrifices for the defense of freedom around the globe.”

Riley added, “Finally, we would also like to thank the sponsors and the hundreds of volunteers who make the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl happen. Without your willingness to donate your time and talent we would not be able to showcase the hospitality of North Texas and our great City of Fort Worth.”

A video highlighting the top 10 moments of the first nine Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls was also shown to the more than 200 attendees at the 10th anniversary kickoff event.  The 2009 game, which saw the United States Air Force Academy defeat the University of Houston, 47-20 had the top spot, featuring back-to-back kickoff returns by the Cougars and Falcons, a first in NCAA bowl history. The narrator of the four-minute video was former NFL player and current ESPN commentator Jesse Palmer.

“This is a very special day to come together here in Fort Worth to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl and reflect on all the people who have been a part of it for the past decade,” said Derzis, who helped to establish this game in Fort Worth and has been part of the BHAFB since its inception. “It’s amazing to witness the passion of not only the 18 teams who have competed in this game, but the hundreds of volunteers who have given so much to help the success of this event.

“From the first meeting over 10 years ago to this very day, this event has truly become much, much more than a bowl game. ESPN is privileged to work with an outstanding company like Bell Helicopter and have such a dedicated staff to work together with the amazing volunteers to put together a fitting tribute each year to our unbelievable military personnel who give so much on behalf of our country. We sincerely thank everyone involved for the first 10 years and look forward to being in Fort Worth for another inspiring decade.”

More than a bowl game, the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has featured a military theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all five branches of the military are prevalent throughout the game. Past Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have included fan-fest adventure areas showcasing military hardware; flyovers; demonstrations by several of the military’s top skydiving teams; the awarding of custom homes to wounded warriors; on-field induction ceremonies; military bands and honor guards; and the awarding of the annual "Great American Patriot Award" (GAPA) presented by Armed Forces Insurance.

“Who’s happy to have our game back in Fort Worth,” asked Ringler, who has been part of the BHAFB staff since 2004 and the executive director since 2009, as he addressed the enthusiastic crowd. “Amon G. Carter stadium is our home and what a home our friends at TCU are building for Fort Worth. I think people get the point that we truly have an event in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl that is More Than A Bowl Game. And, we’re excited to be fully back in Fort Worth and to work alongside great people every day that wish to make this event something our city and be proud of and wish to be part of year in and year out.

“And I know everyone in this room holds this same Fort Worth spirit and will do their part to make sure our stadium is full come game day, so we can properly honor and recognize our men and women of the United States Armed Forces.”

Ticket information for the 2012 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be released this summer and will be available at ArmedForcesBowl.com. Military veterans and active-duty personnel receive free admittance via the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl corporate military ticket underwriting program.  For additional information on all bowl activities, please visit ArmedForcesBowl.com, Facebook.com/ArmedForcesBowl or Twitter.com/ArmedForcesBowl.

The 10th edition of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be played Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium with a 10:45 a.m. (CST) kickoff. ESPN and ESPN Radio will air the game as the postseason college football bowl game returns home to Fort Worth, Texas.

Due to renovations at Amon G. Carter Stadium starting in November 2010, the previous two Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl games were played at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In 2010, a Ford Stadium record crowd of 36,742 watched Army score a 16-14 win over SMU, and in 2011, BYU rallied in the closing seconds to defeat Tulsa 24-21.

“We are very pleased to have our 10th anniversary game featured on ESPN as the Saturday lead into other bowl games,” said Brant B. Ringler, executive director of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. “We also look forward to continuing our great relationship with TCU after staging several highly successful events at Amon G. Carter Stadium for the first seven years of the bowl game.”

The $143-million renovations to Amon G. Carter Stadium were announced in August 2010 and construction began immediately following the 2010 regular season. Capacity for the completed Amon G. Carter Stadium will be approximately 45,000.

Owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has featured a military theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all five branches of the military are prevalent throughout the game. Past Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have included fan-fest areas showcasing military hardware; flyovers; demonstrations by several of the military’s top skydiving teams; the awarding of custom homes to wounded warriors; on-field induction ceremonies; military bands and honor guards; and the awarding of the annual "Great American Patriot Award" (GAPA) presented by Armed Forces Insurance. For additional information about the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, please visit ArmedForcesBowl.com, Facebook.com/ArmedForcesBowl or Twitter.com/ArmedForcesBowl.

Ticket information for the 2012 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be released in the coming months and can be obtained at ArmedForcesBowl.com. Military veterans and active-duty personnel receive free admittance via the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl corporate military ticket underwriting program. 

The list of National Football League draftees that have participated in the first nine Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls increased by three as a trio of players from the 2010 postseason game were selected in last week’s NFL draft in New York City.

With tackle Kelvin Beachum, defensive back Richard Crawford and projected tight end Taylor Thompson of SMU being selected in last week’s NFL draft, a total of 48 former Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl participants have now been drafted into the NFL. Led by the 12 Cal Bears, players from 10 of the 13 schools that have participated in the first nine Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have had players drafted in the past nine NFL Drafts. Only Air Force, Army and BYU have not had players drafted.

In addition to the Cal “dozen”, eight players from Utah (2006 BHAFB game) have been draft with six from Cincinnati (2004), five from Boise State (2003), four each from TCU (2003) and SMU (2010), three each from Houston (2005, 2008 and 2009) and Kansas (2005), two from Marshall (2004) and one from Tulsa (2006). 

Three former Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl participants were NFL first-round picks, including Kansas defensive back Aqib Talib (2008 draft), and Cal center Alex Mack (2009) and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (2010). Nine former BHAFB participants were selected in the second-round followed by three in the third-round, six in the fourth-round, eight in the fifth-round, seven in the sixth-round, and 12 in the seventh-round.

Player, School, BHAFB game, Position, Height, Weight, Drafted (team/round/pick/year)

•        Daryn Colledge, Boise State, 2003, T, 6-4, 300, Green Bay Packers / 2nd / 47th pick / 2006
•        Gerald Alexander, Boise State, 2003, DB, 6-0, 210, Detroit Lions / 2nd / 61st pick / 2007
•        Legedu Naanee, Boise State, 2003, WR, 6-2, 225, San Diego Chargers / 5th / 172nd pick / 2007
•        Korey Hall, Boise State, 2003, LB, 6-1, 230, Green Bay Packers / 6th / 192nd pick / 2007
•        Derek Schouman, Boise State, 2003, TE-FB, 6-2, 247, Buffalo Bills / 7th / 222nd pick / 2007

•        Bo Schobel, TCU, 2003, DE, 6-5, 268, Tennessee Titans / 4th / 103rd pick / 2004
•        Anthony Alabi, TCU, 2003, T, 6-5, 315, Miami Dolphins / 5th / 162nd pick / 2005
•        Michael Toudouze, TCU, 2003, G, 6-6, 302, Indianapolis Colts / 5th / 162nd pick / 2006
•        Herbert Taylor, TCU, 2003, T, 6-4, 282, Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 196th pick / 2007

•        Trent Cole, Cincinnati, 2004, DE-LB, 6-3, 270, Philadelphia Eagles / 5th / 146th pick / 2005
•        Tyjuan Hagler, Cincinnati, 2004, LB, 6-0, 236, Indianapolis Colts / 5th / 173rd pick / 2005
•        Daven Holly, Cincinnati, 2004, DB, 5-10, 186, San Francisco 49ers / 7th / 215th pick / 2005
•        John Bowie, Cincinnati, 2004, DB, 5-11, 186, Oakland Raiders / 4th / 110th pick / 2007
•        Brent Celek, Cincinnati, 2004, TE, 6-4, 261, Philadelphia Eagles / 5th / 162nd pick / 2007
•        Haruki Nakamura, Cincinnati, 2004, DB, 5-10, 190, Baltimore Ravens / 6th / 206th pick / 2008

•        Jonathan Goddard, Marshall, 2004, DE, 6-0, 242, Detroit Lions / 6th / 206th pick / 2005
•        Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall, 2004, RB, 5-11, 195, New York Giants / 7th / 250th pick / 2007

•        Kevin Kolb, Houston, 2005, QB, 6-3, 218, Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 36th pick / 2007
•        Donnie Avery, Houston, 2005, WR, 5-11, 186, St. Louis Rams / 2nd / 33rd pick / 2008
•        Sebastian Vollmer, Houston, 2008, T, 6-8, 315, New England Patriots / 2nd / 58th pick / 2009

•        Aqib Talib, Kansas, 2005, DB, 6-2, 202, Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 1st / 20th pick / 2008
•        Anthony Collins, Kansas, 2005, T, 6-6, 308, Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 112th pick / 2008
•        Derek Fine, Kansas, 2005, TE, 6-2, 250, Buffalo Bills / 4th / 132nd pick / 2008

•        Chris Chamberlain, Tulsa, 2006, DB, 6-2, 226, St. Louis Rams / 7th / 228th pick / 2008

•        Eric Weddle, Utah, 2006, DB, 5-11, 203, San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 37th pick / 2007
•        Paul Soliai, Utah, 2006, DT, 6-4, 344, Miami Dolphins / 4th / 108th pick / 2007
•        Sean Smith, Utah, 2006, DB, 6-2, 215, Miami Dolphins / 2nd / 61st pick / 2009
•        Brice McCain, Utah, 2006, DB, 5-9, 185, Houston Texans / 6th / 188th pick / 2009
•        Freddie Brown, Utah, 2006, WR, 6-4, 215, Cincinnati Bengals 7th / 252nd / 2009
•        Zane Beadles, Utah, 2006, G, 6-4, 310, Denver Broncos / 2nd / 45th pick / 2010
•        Stevenson Sylvester, Utah, 2006, LB, 6-2, 225, Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 166th pick / 2010
•        R. J. Stanford, Utah, 2006, DB, 5-10, 183, Carolina Panthers / 7th / 223th pick / 2010

•        DeSean Jackson, Cal, 2007, WR, 6-0, 178, Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 49th pick / 2008
•        Craig Stevens, Cal, 2007, TE, 6-3, 255, Tennessee Titans / 3rd / 85th pick / 2008
•        Thomas DeCoud, Cal, 2007, DB, 6-1, 196, Atlanta Falcons / 3rd / 98th pick / 2008
•        Lavelle Hawkins, Cal, 2007, WR, 5-11, 187, Tennessee Titans / 4th / 126th pick / 2008
•        Justin Forsett, Cal, 2007, RB, 5-8, 190, Seattle Seahawks / 7th / 233rd pick / 2008
•        Alex Mack, Cal, 2007, C, 6-4, 312, Cleveland Browns / 1st / 21st pick / 2009
•        Zack Follett, Cal, 2007, LB, 6-2, 231, Detroit Lions / 7th / 235th pick / 2009
•        Cameron Morrah, Cal, 2007, TE, 6-3, 244, Seattle Seahawks / 7th / 248th pick / 2009
•        Tyson Alualu, Cal, 2007, DT, 6-3, 295, Jacksonville Jaguars / 1st / 10th pick / 2010
•        Syd’Quan Thompson, Cal, 2007, DB, 5-9, 182, Denver Broncos / 7th / 225th pick / 2010
•        Chris Conte, Cal, 2007, DB, 6-2, 197, Chicago Bears / 3rd / 93rd pick / 2011
•        Mike Mohamed, Cal, 2007, LB, 6-3, 239, Denver Broncos / 6th / 189th pick / 2011

•        Aldrick Robinson, SMU, 2010, WR, 5-10, 184, Washington Redskins / 6th / 178th pick / 2011
•        Taylor Thompson, SMU, 2010, TE, 6-6, 259, Tennessee Titans / 5th / 145th / 2012
•        Richard Crawford, SMU, 2010, DB, 5-11, 191, Washington Redskins / 7th / 213th / 2012
•        Kelvin Beachum, SMU, 2010, T, 6-2, 303, Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 248th / 2012

In addition, another 14 players with Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl participation signed NFL free agent contracts, including a pair of Houston standouts running back Bryce Beall and quarterback Case Keenum.  Beall was the 2008 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl MVP as he led the Cougars to a 34-28 win over Air Force when he rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown along with catching four passes for 92 yards.

Keenum, college football’s all-time passing leader, threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and ran for two TDs in the 2008 Houston win over the Falcons.  In the 2009 rematch between the two teams, Air Force intercepted Keenum six times as the Falcons prevailed 47-20.  The Houston quarterback passed for 222 yards in the 2009 game with a 10-yard scoring streak to another Patrick Edwards.

Also signing a free agent contact after the 2012 draft was BYU tackle Matt Reynolds, who had one of the best plays during the 2011-2012 bowl season against Tulsa as he delivered a hit with his helmet off as quarterback Riley Nelson scrambled away from pressure.  That hit allowed Nelson to find Cody Hoffman in the end zone with 12 seconds to go before halftime to close the Cougars’ deficit to 14-10.  BYU rallied in the final seconds of the game to defeat Tulsa 24-21 on a two-yard touchdown pass from Nelson to Hoffman.  Here is a list of potential 2012 NFL draft picks with BHAFB experience.

Air Force (2007, 2008 and/or 2009 BHAFB)
•        Ben Garland, DT, 6-5, 275, Denver Broncos (2007, 2008 and 2009 BHAFB)

Brigham Young (2011 BHAFB)
•        Terence Brown, C/G, 6-4, 305, Miami Dolphins (2011 BHAFB)
•        Hebron “Loni” Fangupo, DT, 6-1, 323, Houston Texans (2011 BHAFB)
•        McKay Jacobson, WR, 5-11, 193, Philadelphia Eagles (2011 BHAFB)
•        Matt Reynolds, T, 6-4, 302, Carolina Panthers (2011 BHAFB)

Houston (2008 and/or 2009 BHAFB)
•        Bryce Beall, RB, 5-11, 224, Dallas Cowboys (2008 and 2009 BHAFB, 2008 MVP)
•        Patrick Edwards, WR, 5-9, 172, Detroit Lions (2009 BHAFB)
•        David Hunter, DT, 6-2, 297, Houston Texans (2008 and 2009 BHAFB)
•        Case Keenum, QB, 6-0, 208, Houston Texans (2008 and 2009 BHAFB)
•        Marcus McGraw, 6-0, 228, Arizona Cardinals (2008 and 2009 BHAFB)

SMU (2010 BHAFB)
•        Cole Beasley, WR, 5-9, 177, Dallas Cowboys (2010 BHAFB)
•        Matt Szymanski, K, 6-1, 196, Kansas City Chiefs (2010 BHAFB)

Tulsa (2011 BHAFB)
•        G. J. Kinne, QB, 6-1, 234, New York Jets (2011 BHAFB)
•        Tyrunn Walker, DE, 6-3, 294, New Orleans Saints. (2011 BHAFB)

A total of nine players that have competed in at least one Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl are listed as possible draft picks for this week’s National Football League draft.  Topping the list of potential selections are Case Keenum of Houston and Brigham Young offensive tackle Matt Reynolds.  Keenum, college football’s all-time passing leader, played in the 2008 and 2009 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls against Air Force.  Keenum threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and ran for two TDs as the Cougars defeated the Falcons 34-28 in the first of two post-season meetings between the two schools in 2008.  Air Force intercepted Keenum six times in the 2009 contest as the Falcons prevailed 47-20 as the Houston quarterback passed for 222 yards and a 10-yard scoring streak to another 2012 potential draftee Patrick Edwards.    Reynolds had one of the best plays during bowl season in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against Tulsa as he delivered a hit with his helmet off as quarterback Riley Nelson scrambled away from pressure.  That hit allowed Nelson to find Cody Hoffman in the end zone with 12 seconds to go before halftime to close the Cougars’ deficit to 14-10.  BYU rallied in the final seconds of the game to defeat Tulsa 24-21 on a two-yard touchdown pass from Nelson to Hoffman.  Here is a list of potential 2012 NFL draft picks with BHAFB experience.  Bryce Beall, who was the 2008 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl MVP, led Houston to a 34-28 win over Air Force as he rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown along with catching four passes for 92 yards.

Brigham Young (2011 BHAFB)
Hebron “Loni” Fangupo, DT 6’1", 323
Matt Reynolds, T, 6’4", 302

Houston (2008 and 2009 BHAFB)
Bryce Beall, RB, 5’11", 224
Patrick Edwards, WR, 5’9", 172
Case Keenum, QB, 6’0", 208

SMU (2010 BHAFB)
Kelvin Beachum, T, 6’2", 303
Taylor Thompson, TE, 6’6", 259

Tulsa (2011 BHAFB)
Curnelius Arnick, ILB 6’0" 230
G. J. Kinne, QB, 6’1", 234

Led by the 12 Cal Bears, players from 10 of the 12 schools that have participated in the first eight Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have had players drafted in the past eight NFL Drafts.  Only Air Force and Army have not had players drafted as the military academy players must face years of service in the armed forces following their graduation.  However, 2007 BHAFB participant Chad Hall of Air Force is now playing with the Philadelphia Eagles.  A total of 45 former Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl participants have been drafted into the NFL, including eight from Utah (2006 BHAFB game), six from Cincinnati (2004), five from Boise State (2003), four from TCU (2003), three each from Houston (2005, 2008 and 2009) and Kansas (2005), two from Marshall (2004) and one each from Tulsa (2006) and SMU (2011).  Three former Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl participants were NFL first-rounders, including Kansas defensive back Aqib Talib (2008 draft), and Cal center Alex Mack (2009) and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (2010).  Nine former BHAFB participants were selected in the second-round followed by three in the third-round, six in the fourth-round, seven each in the fifth- and sixth-round, and 10 in the seventh-round.  The 2012 NFL draft will undoubtedly include additional former BHAFB players from several years, including both 2010 and 2011.

Player, School, BHAFB game, Position, Height, Weight, Drafted (team/round/pick/year)

• Daryn Colledge, Boise State, 2003, T, 6-4, 300, Green Bay Packers / 2nd / 47th pick / 2006
• Gerald Alexander, Boise State, 2003, DB, 6-0, 210, Detroit Lions / 2nd / 61st pick / 2007
• Legedu Naanee, Boise State, 2003, WR, 6-2, 225, San Diego Chargers / 5th / 172nd pick / 2007
• Korey Hall, Boise State, 2003, LB, 6-1, 230, Green Bay Packers / 6th / 192nd pick / 2007
• Derek Schouman, Boise State, 2003, TE-FB, 6-2, 247, Buffalo Bills / 7th / 222nd pick / 2007
• Bo Schobel, TCU, 2003, DE, 6-5, 268, Tennessee Titans / 4th / 103rd pick / 2004
• Anthony Alabi, TCU, 2003, T, 6-5, 315, Miami Dolphins / 5th / 162nd pick / 2005
• Michael Toudouze, TCU, 2003, G, 6-6, 302, Indianapolis Colts / 5th / 162nd pick / 2006
• Herbert Taylor, TCU, 2003, T, 6-4, 282, Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 196th pick / 2007
• Trent Cole, Cincinnati, 2004, DE-LB, 6-3, 270, Philadelphia Eagles / 5th / 146th pick / 2005
• Tyjuan Hagler, Cincinnati, 2004, LB, 6-0, 236, Indianapolis Colts / 5th / 173rd pick / 2005
• Daven Holly, Cincinnati, 2004, DB, 5-10, 186, San Francisco 49ers / 7th / 215th pick / 2005
• John Bowie, Cincinnati, 2004, DB, 5-11, 186, Oakland Raiders / 4th / 110th pick / 2007
• Brent Celek, Cincinnati, 2004, TE, 6-4, 261, Philadelphia Eagles / 5th / 162nd pick / 2007
• Haruki Nakamura, Cincinnati, 2004, DB, 5-10, 190, Baltimore Ravens / 6th / 206th pick / 2008
• Jonathan Goddard, Marshall, 2004, DE, 6-0, 242, Detroit Lions / 6th / 206th pick / 2005
• Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall, 2004, RB, 5-11, 195, New York Giants / 7th / 250th pick / 2007
• Kevin Kolb, Houston, 2005, QB, 6-3, 218, Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 36th pick / 2007
• Donnie Avery, Houston, 2005, WR, 5-11, 186, St. Louis Rams / 2nd / 33rd pick / 2008
• Sebastian Vollmer, Houston, 2008, T, 6-8, 315, New England Patriots / 2nd / 58th pick / 2009
• Aqib Talib, Kansas, 2005, DB, 6-2, 202, Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 1st / 20th pick / 2008
• Anthony Collins, Kansas, 2005, T, 6-6, 308, Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 112th pick / 2008
• Derek Fine, Kansas, 2005, TE, 6-2, 250, Buffalo Bills / 4th / 132nd pick / 2008
• Chris Chamberlain, Tulsa, 2006, DB, 6-2, 226, St. Louis Rams / 7th / 228th pick / 2008
• Eric Weddle, Utah, 2006, DB, 5-11, 203, San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 37th pick / 2007
• Paul Soliai, Utah, 2006, DT, 6-4, 344, Miami Dolphins / 4th / 108th pick / 2007
• Sean Smith, Utah, 2006, DB, 6-2, 215, Miami Dolphins / 2nd / 61st pick / 2009
• Brice McCain, Utah, 2006, DB, 5-9, 185, Houston Texans / 6th / 188th pick / 2009
• Freddie Brown, Utah, 2006, WR, 6-4, 215, Cincinnati Bengals 7th / 252nd / 2009
• Zane Beadles, Utah, 2006, G, 6-4, 310, Denver Broncos / 2nd / 45th pick / 2010
• Stevenson Sylvester, Utah, 2006, LB, 6-2, 225, Pittsburgh Steelers / 5th / 166th pick / 2010
• R. J. Stanford, Utah, 2006, DB, 5-10, 183, Carolina Panthers / 7th / 223th pick / 2010
• DeSean Jackson, Cal, 2007, WR, 6-0, 178, Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 49th pick / 2008
• Craig Stevens, Cal, 2007, TE, 6-3, 255, Tennessee Titans / 3rd / 85th pick / 2008
• Thomas DeCoud, Cal, 2007, DB, 6-1, 196, Atlanta Falcons / 3rd / 98th pick / 2008
• Lavelle Hawkins, Cal, 2007, WR, 5-11, 187, Tennessee Titans / 4th / 126th pick / 2008
• Justin Forsett, Cal, 2007, RB, 5-8, 190, Seattle Seahawks / 7th / 233rd pick / 2008
• Alex Mack, Cal, 2007, C, 6-4, 312, Cleveland Browns / 1st / 21st pick / 2009
• Zack Follett, Cal, 2007, LB, 6-2, 231, Detroit Lions / 7th / 235th pick / 2009
• Cameron Morrah, Cal, 2007, TE, 6-3, 244, Seattle Seahawks / 7th / 248th pick / 2009
• Tyson Alualu, Cal, 2007, DT, 6-3, 295, Jacksonville Jaguars / 1st / 10th pick / 2010
• Syd’Quan Thompson, Cal, 2007, DB, 5-9, 182, Denver Broncos / 7th / 225th pick / 2010
• Chris Conte, Cal, 2007, DB, 6-2, 197, Chicago Bears / 3rd / 93rd pick / 2011
• Mike Mohamed, Cal, 2007, LB, 6-3, 239, Denver Broncos / 6th / 189th pick / 2011
• Aldrick Robinson, SMU, 2010, WR, 5-10, 184, Washington Redskins / 6th / 178th pick / 2011

The bowl season is over and the 2011 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl is still attracting attention.

In a blog by ESPN.com’s Andrea Adelson ("What we learned from non-AQ bowl season"), BYU’s 24-21 win over Tulsa was highlighted.  In addition, two BYU players were named to ESPN’s all-bowl team – offensive tackle Matt Reynolds and punter Riley Stephenson.

The BYU victory also earned the Cougars a No. 25 ranking in the USA Today poll as the Provo-based institution was the first school listed in "others receiving votes" in the Associated Press rankings. Another blog made a case for the Cougars to be included in the AP rankings as "BYU is one of only 11 programs nationally to be ranked in at least one of the two major polls during five of the last six seasons."  BYU also becomes the first Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl participant to be ranked in the top 25 in a final poll since Boise State (16th in AP and 15th in USA Today) and TCU (25th in AP and 24th in USA Today) in 2003.

With the outcome for the 2011 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl being decided in the final minute, the December 30 post-season contest was one of 18 bowl games this season with a victory margin by a touchdown or less.

BYU won the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl with 11 seconds remaining in the contest on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Riley Nelson to Cody Hoffman to cap a 12-play, 48-yard drive. Tulsa had taken a 21-17 lead with 10:42 left in the game on a 30-yard touchdown pass from G. J. Kinne to Bryan Burnham. After a six-play drive stalled on the Tulsa side of the 50, a BYU punt by Riley Stephenson pinned the Golden Hurricane at their own 1-yard line where the Cougars forced a punt to start their game-winning drive with 4:18 left in the contest.

Bowl results for the 2011-2012 post-season can be found at www.armedforcesbowl.com. After two years staging the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, the post-season game will return in 2012 to Fort Worth and the newly-renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium.

NOTE – The 12 schools that have competed in the first eight Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls combined for a 95-59 record during the 2011-2012 season. Ten of the 12 schools competed in bowl games this year. BYU became the 13th school to compete in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

By Ryan Haddox

The line out of Las Vegas when the Armed Forces Bowl matchup was announced was a “Pick ‘Em”, or in Layman’s terms, a toss up. The game is one of the more evenly matched contests of the 2011 bowl season, pitting the 9-4 BYU Cougars against the 8-4 Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Both teams come to Dallas out of state, and ESPN color commentator and former Heisman trophy winner Andre Ware talked about what kind of experience it is to get to showcase this game in a football hotbed like Texas.

“It’s a good opportunity because it gives it some Texas flavor; you get to find out exactly what the state it is all about. So many people from outside of Texas have this preconceived notion about how the state actually is, so you get to spend some time and do it in a bowl setting, but as you get closer to game day, you start to get the thirst to play.”

While Ware acknowledged that it is a special experience for out of state kids to come play football down here, he also lauded quarterbacks G.J. Kinne and Riley Nelson, saying, “What you see on film is that they exude leadership, the guys around them are all ears, you can tell they have the full attention of their offensive unit. And especially with G.J., he means so much to Tulsa’s offense that they really have to have him play well, and so he takes that responsibility and leadership and he produces every week. On the other side, Riley Nelson, he took over about three games into the season and he really earned and played his way into that type of role as well.”

Ware’s keys to the game included that Tulsa get G.J. Kinne into a comfort zone early, saying “He’s gotta play well in order for them to have success, so they have to get him going.” As for BYU, he said, “its simple, BYU turned the ball over nine times in their last five games, so they have to take care of the football.”

For both schools, the advice needs to be heeded. Andre Ware played college football at its highest level in 1989, and the guy knows a thing or two about being successful at the college level.

By Diandra Marquez

What a great way to kick off this years Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl with the ninth annual VIP Party.

The Westcott Parking Lot near Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the SMU campus was full of activities for people of all ages. You could feel the level of pride in the air as different branches of the U.S. military came together and showed everyone how they served our country. There were many different activities for everyone to participate in and get a feel of what it took to be a soldier and to serve in the U.S. military. Located in the back corner of Adventure Land during the ninth annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bow, the elegant ESPN VIP Party event was another rousing success.

This event again provided the bowl’s special guests a place to mingle and talk about the upcoming game between BYU and Tulsa. The atmosphere of the party was accentuated with the sound of Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, one of the most revered entertainment groups among the USO and U.S. forces worldwide. This proved to be a great event leading toward an exciting game -  a 24-21 victory by BYU with the winning touchdown coming in the final 11 seconds of regulation.

By Tyler Scott

Fans were entertained by a plethora of activities at the Armed Forces Adventure Park Friday morning just hours before BYU and Tulsa took the field at SMU’s Ford Stadium in Dallas.

Set up just outside the football complexes on SMU’s campus, the Adventure Parkarea featured stations from all five branches of the United States Armed Forces. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard all made use of this great event to recruit future heroes to their respective branches.

Recruiting was only a small portion of the Adventure Park area, though. Fans were granted access to interact hands on with many very special aspects of the United States military. Many got to discover the rich traditions of the respective military branches by exploring large trailers filled with pictures and memorabilia. Others found a little competition in football tossing and military pull-up contests. Loud music, free food and prizes also accompanied the party. 

A BYU fan from Tulsa, Okla., was impressed with how the park highlighted the importance of bringing the fans from both teams together.

“[The Adventure Park] makes for a good, fun collegiate game experience. You know, you get together with two sides and enjoy each other even though you’re playing against each other,” Mark explained. “It makes the game exciting and meaningful.”

From exploring tanks and personnel carriers to riding in flight simulators to shaking hands with active heroes of the US Armed Services, the Adventure Park offered a unique opportunity for fans to not only interact with each other, but also with those who serve our country.

The Armed Forces Adventure Park emphasized the fact that the Armed Forces Bowl is much more than a bowl game.

By Ryan Haddox

When BYU finally made the decision to take its football team out of the Mountain West Conference in the summer of 2010 and on into the unknown land of conference independence, everyone had an opinion.

Some fans gleamed with excitement, some were fraught with uncertainty. The BYU board of trustees, the school administration, the coaching staff and everyone else in Provo had an opinion on what they were jumping into.

One perspective that got mildly over looked that summer is an important one, the player perspective. While a football game is a football game, going from playing for conference championships and standings is a different world than playing independent of a conference.

Senior left tackle Matt Reynolds acknowledged the difference in going from a conference schedule to an independent schedule, and said there was an adjustment.

“The biggest difference just comes from playing teams you’re not used to playing. When we were in the Mountain West, we played San Diego State, Air Force, and all those guys every year, and you get to know their offenses and defenses very well. You get to know the teams very well. Now the challenge is playing teams like Ole Miss, Texas, and every game kind of becomes a preseason game or a postseason game because you’re playing people that you’re just not used to playing. It’s been different.”

While playing a vastly different schedule certainly has had its affects on the Cougars, one would seem to think it would be a bit more difficult to get up for a game every week without any conference tie-ins, but Reynolds dispelled that, saying, “We want to play the best we can regardless of where it is, and I think it’s a bit more motivational if anything because we want to prove that we can play anyone outside of the Mountain West and win.”

While BYU certainly showed the country this year that it can hang with some of the big boys of college football, beating Ole Miss in Oxford and narrowly losing to Texas in Austin, all while posting 10 total wins, there is no doubt that the boys in Provo had an atypical season. With coach Bronco Mendenhall at the helm and solid senior leadership from guys like Matt Reynolds, BYU turned the uncertainty into a positive, and the future is bright for the Cougars.

By Tyler Scott

SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium experienced an about-face transformation as BYU and Tulsa were set to face off in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Friday Dec. 30 at 11 AM. 

The most noticeable changes to the stadium included the large Armed Forces Bowl logo badging covering the red SMU Mustang on the 50-yard line. Tulsa boasted it’s signature royal blue accompanied by white letters in the south end zone, as BYU displayed it’s own BYU blue with white “BYU” lettering in the north end zone.

Bell Helicopter, now in its ninth season as the bowl’s sponsor, made its mark on Ford Stadium by supplying large signs to cover the 8 foot brick wall behind each team’s bench. Signage with large Armed Forces Bowl logos also appeared on the home entrance of the stadium and wrapped each field goal post.

Signage and team badging were certainly not the extent of the setup. Bell Helicopter displayed three functioning military helicopters at the top of Gerald Ford’s distinctive south grass area. Lining the top of the grass were multiple independent mobile food vendors and advertising kiosks.

Flags honoring each branch of the United States Armed Forces flew behind the fans on sitting on the east side of the stadium. The three large flagpoles in the south end zone were draped with the American, Texas and POW-MIA flags respectively.

Bell Helicopter and the Armed Forces bowl staff performed quite a makeover at Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The staff will have to change gears next year as the bowl game will return to Fort Worth in TCU’s renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium after a two-year hiatus to Dallas and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the rapidly-growing classic.