Vikings Defensive Coordinator George Edwards led the West squad to a 10-3 win over the East in the 92nd annual East-West Shrine Game on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Edwards was selected from a pool of applicants to be head coach and built a staff of coaches from around the league that included Vikings assistants Kevin Stefanski, Hank Fraley and Andrew Janocko.
Stefanski, who was named as Minnesota's quarterbacks coach on Friday, served as offensive coordinator, Fraley coached the offensive line and Janocko coached tight ends for a West team of draft-eligible college seniors.
It was the first time that active NFL coaches were picked to coach in the annual all-star game.
Arizona defensive line coach Brentson Buckner coached the East squad, but it was Edwards who received a victory dumping of Gatorade by players at the end of the game.
Louisiana-Lafayette running back Eli McGuire rushed for the game's only touchdown, an 18 yarder with 12:38 left in the game. Idaho's Austin Rehkow added an extra point from the NFL's 33-yard distance to go along with a 27-yard field goal he put through the uprights in the first quarter.
The East had a chance to tie the game with 6:26 to go after Washington State's Gabe Marks muffed a punt that was recovered by Purdue's Deangelo Yancey at the 13-yard line.
The West, however, forced a fumble by Michigan's De'Veon Smith on a third-and-2 that was recovered by San Diego State linebacker Calvin Munson with 5:17 to go.
Quick start slows down
Wes Lunt (Illinois) started at quarterback for the West and opened the game with a 37-yard pass to Samford receiver Karel Hamilton on the opening snap of the game.
The West followed with a 35-yard rush by Utah running back Joseph Williams to the 11-yard line.
The drive, however, stalled when Williams was stuffed for a loss of 1 from the 2-yard line by Louisville's DeAngelo Brown, who beat his former Cardinals teammate, center Tobijah Hughley, to get across the line of scrimmage.
After a quick three-and-out, Lunt led the West on a drive that netted 38 yards and yielded a 27-yard field goal by Rehkow, who also handled punting duties.
A 5-yard tackle for loss by Mississippi State linebacker Richie Brown on a third-and-goal pass play to Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale forced the field goal.
The East struggled to move the ball throughout the game but did get a 21-yard field goal by North Carolina's Nick Weiler that was set up by a 19-yard completion from Central Michigan's Cooper Rush to Florida State's Kermit Whitfield.
Passing leaders
Lunt completed 11 of 14 passes (78.6 percent) for 101 yards.
The East was led by Rush, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 94 yards.
Defense wins at line of scrimmage
The short amount of time for college all-star games, which involves one week of practices, generally helps defenses more than offenses, but they are also set up to showcase matchups.
Defensive linemen on both teams seemed to have the best days along the line of scrimmage.
Brown, the defensive tackle, had a role three tackles for loss by the East.
Arkansas DE Deatrich Wise, Jr. teamed with Arizona LB Paul Magloire, Jr. to stop Smith for no gain on a fourth-and-1 from the West 43 to open the fourth quarter.
Swaying momentum
In addition to the 37-yard catch to open the game, Hamilton also hauled in a 24-yard catch from Cincinnati's Gunner Kiel.
The second catch occurred a play after the stop by Wise and Magloire.
The West followed with a well-timed reverse by Marks for a gain of 8 and a 7-yard run by McGuire before the touchdown by the former Ragin' Cajun.
Unique rules
The East-West game implements a few rules that are different from NFL or college games.
Offenses are not allowed to use motion or shifts, and defenses are not allowed to blitz or stunt, but defensive backs are allowed to play press coverage.
Possessions after a team scores started at the 25-yard line instead of having kickoffs.
