Poole, Harrell each notch an interception at East-West Shrine Game
Former Gators defensive back Brian Poole and linebacker Anthony Harrell each went without interceptions during their final season at Florida in 2015, but it didn’t take them long to fill up the stat sheet in that category at Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.
During the opening series of the contest on a 3rd and 6 with the West team’s offense at its own 24, former Western Kentucky quarterback Brandon Doughty saw his pass intercepted by the 6-foot-2, 237-pound Harrell, who returned it 10 yards until fumbling the ball. Luckily for the East squad, it managed to recover the fumble and capitalized on the turnover with a field goal on the ensuing possession.
But later on in the first quarter, the 5-foot-10, 211-pound Poole made perhaps an even more dynamic play on the ball. With the West squad driving in the red zone, on a 1st and goal at the East 6, Doughty threw another pick – this time to Poole, who ripped it out of former Illinois receiver Geronimo Allison’s hands and returned it 98 yards for the game’s first touchdown for a 9-0 lead with 3:25 left in the first.
Poole’s interception return was the only touchdown the East team scored Saturday, as it fell to the West All-Stars 29-9.
Harrell’s father, former Gators standout James Harrell, served as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for the East All-Stars.
During the contest Poole suffered a collarbone injury and is expected to miss about four weeks, he told the Tampa Bay Times. After the game, he was seen wearing a sling.
The NFL combine takes place from Feb. 23-29 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the slate for the defensive backs set to begin on Feb. 27.
Meanwhile, former Gators offensive lineman Trip Thurman did not participate in Saturday's NFLPA Collegiate Bowl because of a minor ankle injury he suffered in practice this past week.
All video is courtesy of the NFL Network.
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