Cooper Rush to play in East-West Shrine Game
Although Cooper Rush's final career game as the starting quarterback of the Central Michigan football team will end on Dec. 19, the three-year starter will have at least one more collegiate football appearance after that.
On Tuesday, Rush accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. The all-star contest was created in 1925 to support Shiners Hospital for Children.
Rush helped lead the Chippewas to a 6-6 record in his final season and a trip to the Miami Beach Bowl against Tulsa. During his senior season, Rush was named to the Mid-American Conference Third Team as he threw for 3,299 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The Charlotte native ranks second all-time in career passing yards (12,653), completions (998) and passing touchdowns (90) at CMU.
Aside from his play on the field, Rush went to New York City on Dec.6 for the 59th annual National Football Foundation Awards Ceremony where he was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is given to the Nation's top scholar athlete.
Chippewas to play Tulsa in Miami Beach Bowl
Coming into Sunday, the status of the Central Michigan football team's postseason was a mystery.
With Western Michigan's invitation to the Cotton Bowl, the Chippewas' path to a bowl game became clear.
CMU accepted a bid to the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl at 2:30 p.m.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be able to go out to New York and meet all the other finalists,” Rush said.
In November, Rush became the second athlete in CMU history to be named an NFF National Scholar-Athlete. Rush has a degree in sports management and has a 3.86 GPA.
Rush said maintaining success on the field and in the classroom wasn’t too difficult for him.
“We block it off kind of nice — we have football in the morning and class in the afternoon,” he said. “It’s not too hard if you stay focused and stay on task.”
Joining Rush at the NFF ceremony was Western Michigan's senior quarterback Zach Terrell, who also accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game. Terrell took home the Campbell Trophy at the event in New York.
Rush is the first member of CMU’s team to play in the all-star game since former defensive lineman Leterrius Walton in 2015.
