Eastern Michigan Athletics
Four Eagles to Play in the 2018 SPIRAL Tropical Bowl
1/8/2018 11:12:00 AM | Football
The game takes place Sunday, Jan. 14 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Four Eastern Michigan University football players will participate in the 2018 SPIRAL Tropical Bowl scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla. Defensive lineman Derrick Dunlap (Indianapolis, Ind.-Lawrence Central), defensive lineman Oddie Granger III (East Saint Louis, Ill.-East Saint Louis-Dodge City C.C.), and linebacker Ike Spearman (Saint John, Ind.-Lake Central) will join linebacker Jason Beck (Indianapolis, Ind.-Arsenal Technical) in the all-star showcase.
Beck, an All-MAC Third Team honoree and Academic All-MAC selection, was an iron man for EMU, as he tied the program record for games played (49) and games started (47) in his illustrious career. In his time on defense, he racked up the seventh-most tackles in EMU history with 353 stops, including 179 solo tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. The Indianapolis, Ind. native led the Eagles in tackles in 2017 with 83 stops (40 solo, 43 assisted). Overall, Beck ranked 19th in the MAC in tackles per game (6.7) while posting eight games with seven-or-more stops.
Dunlap was a consistent part of the EMU defensive in his five seasons in the Green and White. In 37 career games, Dunlap totaled 32 stops, including 10 solo tackles.
In 25 career games, Granger had 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two pass deflections at the line. He has started every game this season on one of the top defensive units in the country.
Spearman started 11 games this season at middle linebacker position. The sixth-year recorded at least three tackles in all but two games, including turning in a nine stop performance against Army West Point, Oct. 14, while adding eight tackles at Kentucky, Sept. 30. Spearman also finished with 4.5 tackles-for-loss, including posting three of them against MAC opponents, as well as adding a strip sack against Northern Illinois, Oct. 26.
After setting program records on the offensive side of the ball last season, it was the defense's time to shine in 2017, as they had one of the most successful defensive campaigns in program history. The 23.3 points allowed per game was the 12th best mark in school history in the modern era (since 1976), and the best since 1993. Furthermore, the 364.4 yards of total offense allowed was the second-best mark since 1998 and best since 2011.
On the national scale, the Eagles ranked in the top-50 nationally in 10 major defensive categories, including second in fourth down defense, 17th in defensive touchdowns, 36th in team sacks, 42nd in points per game allowed, and 43rd in total defense.
Furthermore, Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's crew proved to be very stingy in the fourth quarter, allowing just 3.8 points per game over the course of the final 15 minutes. Even better at home, the Eagles did not give up a fourth quarter point inside "The Factory". Nationally, EMU ranked fourth in the fewest points given up in the fourth. The defense also posted three returns for touchdowns, the most by an EMU squad since 1994.
The SPIRAL Tropical Bowl is a premier FBS Division I level College Football All Star Game played in Daytona Beach, Florida annually in mid January. The SPIRAL Tropical Bowl showcases the top college football seniors to NFL scouts and GM's who travel from around the country to the event. Over 110 SPIRAL Tropical Bowl alumni have gone on to the NFL since it's inception in 2016, including former EMU offensive lineman Cole Gardner, who played in the game last season, and went on to be signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Beck, an All-MAC Third Team honoree and Academic All-MAC selection, was an iron man for EMU, as he tied the program record for games played (49) and games started (47) in his illustrious career. In his time on defense, he racked up the seventh-most tackles in EMU history with 353 stops, including 179 solo tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. The Indianapolis, Ind. native led the Eagles in tackles in 2017 with 83 stops (40 solo, 43 assisted). Overall, Beck ranked 19th in the MAC in tackles per game (6.7) while posting eight games with seven-or-more stops.
Dunlap was a consistent part of the EMU defensive in his five seasons in the Green and White. In 37 career games, Dunlap totaled 32 stops, including 10 solo tackles.
In 25 career games, Granger had 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two pass deflections at the line. He has started every game this season on one of the top defensive units in the country.
Spearman started 11 games this season at middle linebacker position. The sixth-year recorded at least three tackles in all but two games, including turning in a nine stop performance against Army West Point, Oct. 14, while adding eight tackles at Kentucky, Sept. 30. Spearman also finished with 4.5 tackles-for-loss, including posting three of them against MAC opponents, as well as adding a strip sack against Northern Illinois, Oct. 26.
After setting program records on the offensive side of the ball last season, it was the defense's time to shine in 2017, as they had one of the most successful defensive campaigns in program history. The 23.3 points allowed per game was the 12th best mark in school history in the modern era (since 1976), and the best since 1993. Furthermore, the 364.4 yards of total offense allowed was the second-best mark since 1998 and best since 2011.
On the national scale, the Eagles ranked in the top-50 nationally in 10 major defensive categories, including second in fourth down defense, 17th in defensive touchdowns, 36th in team sacks, 42nd in points per game allowed, and 43rd in total defense.
Furthermore, Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's crew proved to be very stingy in the fourth quarter, allowing just 3.8 points per game over the course of the final 15 minutes. Even better at home, the Eagles did not give up a fourth quarter point inside "The Factory". Nationally, EMU ranked fourth in the fewest points given up in the fourth. The defense also posted three returns for touchdowns, the most by an EMU squad since 1994.
The SPIRAL Tropical Bowl is a premier FBS Division I level College Football All Star Game played in Daytona Beach, Florida annually in mid January. The SPIRAL Tropical Bowl showcases the top college football seniors to NFL scouts and GM's who travel from around the country to the event. Over 110 SPIRAL Tropical Bowl alumni have gone on to the NFL since it's inception in 2016, including former EMU offensive lineman Cole Gardner, who played in the game last season, and went on to be signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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