Gruden’s QB Camp Returns For Its Seventh Season This Spring

Orlando, FL – March 31, 2015 – Wide World of Sports: Jon Gruden during Gruden’s QB Camp class of 2015
(Photo by Scott Clarke / ESPN Images)

The start of the 2016 – 2017 NFL season is roughly six months away. Even with so much time until football returns, any true NFL fan will agree that it is never too soon to talk football. That being the case NFL fans will be happy to know that ESPN has announced the return of Gruden’s QB Camp this spring.

Gruden’s QB Camp is an integral part of ESPN’s annual pre-NFL Draft programming. This year it returns for its seventh year beginning April 12^th at 8:30pm ET on ESPN and will run for a total of five weeks leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft. It will air across the ESPN networks, including ABC. As a bonus for audiences, previous episodes of Gruden’s QB Camp will be available via ESPN Classic VOD beginning in the first week of April. Excerpts of each episode will be run on NFL Live, SportsCenter, and other shows.

This year’s season of Gruden’s QB Camp will feature projected first round picks Jared Goff (California — 1^st Team All-Pac 12 selection), and Carson Wenz (North Dakota State – Most Outstanding Player from the NCAA D1 National Championship over the past two years). Also expected to appear on Gruden’s QB Camp this year are: Connor Cook (Michigan State — Big Ten QB of the Year and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award-winner), Christian Hackenberg (Penn State – 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year), Cardale Jones (Ohio State – 2015 College Football Playoff National Champion), Paxton Lynch (Memphis – AAC 1st Team selection), and Dak Prescott (Mississippi State – 2016 Reese’s Senior Bowl MVP).

Over the course of its past six seasons Gruden’s QB Camp has welcomed fifty players. Forty-three of those fifty players were quarterbacks. Of those quarterbacks, ten have gone on to be starting QBs in the NFL including: Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers QB) and Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks QB). More information on this year’s season of Gruden’s QB Camp is available online with all of the latest NFL headlines at:

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Panthers Look To Stay Perfect Monday Night On ESPN’s MNF Broadcast

Courtesy: ESPN

Before the 2015 – 2016 NFL season kicked off, very few of the major talking heads out there had much faith in the Carolina Panthers. Many felt that the Panthers would even come close to the playoffs. Now almost halfway through the regular season, Carolina sits undefeated at 6 – 0. Now next Monday, Cam Newton and company will look to stay undefeated as they go under the lights to take on Andrew Luck and the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts.

Next Monday night, ESPN’s Monday Night Football will broadcast live from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte as Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers host Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts. The 3 – 4 Colts lead the AFC South and have gone 3-2 in their last five games while the Panthers have not yet been taken down. It is one of five teams that currently sit undefeated this far into the season. This means that it will have plenty to play for Monday Night when the Colts come into Charlotte. Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden will be in the booth for the call. Lisa Salters will also be on hand for additional commentary and news throughout the game.

Ahead of Monday’s game, Chris Berman and Suzy Kolber will co-host ESPN’s weekly pre-game broadcast of Monday Night Countdown beginning at 6pm ET. Berman will be live in ESPN’s studios alongside NFL analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, and ESPN Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter. Trent Dilfer, Ray Lewis, and Steve Young will join Suzy Kolber live from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.  Those not near a TV Monday night can still catch the game online via WatchESPN.  The game will also be simulcast on ESPN Deportes for the network’s Spanish-speaking audiences.  More information on Monday night’s broadcast of Monday Night Football is available online now along with all of the latest NFL headlines at:

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MNF

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and headlines in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Eagles, Panthers Close Out Week 10 Of NFL’s 2014 – 2015 Season

Courtesy: ESPN

Week 10 of the 2014 – 2015 NFL season closes out Monday night on ESPN when the Carolina Panthers come in to Philadelphia to face the Eagles.

The conference matchup is an important one for both teams.  Both teams will be looking to add another notch to their “W” column.  Philadelphia is currently 6 – 2 on the season.  Carolina on the other hand, is currently 3 – 5 on the season.  So a win will mean just as much for both teams.  For Carolina, it would mean being one game closer to getting back in the black.  For Philadelphia, it would be another important step towards the team’s playoff hopes for this season.  Philadelphia is 3 – 1 in its last five games and 3 – 2 against conference opponents.  Against non-conference foes, Philly is 3 – 0.  Carolina is 3 – 3 so far in conference play and have gone 0 – 3 – 1 in its last five games.  It has lost its last three games, too.  So a win against a conference foe Monday night would be just as big for the Eagles as for the Panthers as the season progresses.

Adding to the storylines for Monday’s game, Philadelphia is undefeated at home so far this season, going 4 – 0 at home.  Carolina on the other hand is 1 – 2 – 1 on the road.  That means that Carolina will come in to Monday night’s game very much the underdog.  Interestingly enough, Cam Newton is a perfect 2 – 0 on Monday Night Football as are the Eagles and head coach Chip Kelly.  This makes Monday night’s matchup all the more exciting for fans.

Mike Tirico will have the call for Monday night’s game.  He will be joined in the booth by analyst Jon Gruden.  ESPN will have more than five hours of coverage for Monday night’s game before kickoff.  It all leads up to Monday night’s pregame coverage on Monday Night Countdown at 6pm ET.  Suzy Kolber will anchor that broadcast.  She will be joined by NFL analysts Trent Dilfer, Ray Lewis, and Steve Young.  Studio host Chris Berman will be joined by NFL analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, and Keyshawn Johnson and ESPN NFL Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter.

More information on Monday Night’s broadcast andpre-game coverage is available online at:

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl/mnf
http://espn.go.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MNF

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Jon Gruden’s Quarterback Camp Returns This Spring

Courtesy: ESPN

Jon Gruden’s “Quarterback Camp” will return this Spring.

Gruden’s series of SportsCenter specials will return this spring for its fifth season.  Gruden mentors a handful of college football’s top quarterbacks in the series, as they prepare to take the next step in their careers.  This year’s installment of Gruden’s “Quarterback Camp” will see nine of college football’s top quarterback prospects.  Those names include the likes of 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, two-time BCS National Champion A.J. McCarron of Alabama, and Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville.  The complete list of this year’s “QB Camp” participants is noted below.

2014 Gruden’s QB Camp participants:

Quarterback	School
Blake Bortles	Central Florida
Tajh Boyd	Clemson
Teddy Bridgewater	Louisville
Derek Carr	Fresno
Jimmy Garoppolo	Eastern Illinois
Jordan Lynch	Northern Illinois
A.J. McCarron	Alabama
Johnny Manziel	Texas A&M
Aaron Murray	Georgia

 

Gruden prepares a specialized lesson plan of sorts for each of the participants in his “QB Camp.”  Through his specialized plan, he points out to each prospect, a balanced look at both their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to see where they need to improve in order to be successful NFL talent.  Over the past four seasons of his “QB Camp” Gruden has mentored no fewer than twenty-nine quarterbacks from twenty-seven schools.  Fourteen of those QBs went on to be NFL regular season starters.  Among the names that Gruden has mentored through his series are: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton and current NFL Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson, of the Seattle Seahawks.

Gruden’s “QB Camp” moves this year to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Arena at Walt Disney World Resort outside Orlando.  It replaces Gruden’s Tampa office, where the “QB Camp” was previously held.  The new set will replicate his Tampa office, playfully dubbed the “Fired Football Coaches Association.”  The 220-acre facility also includes athletic fields, which will be used for quarterback workouts.

More information on Jon Gruden’s “Quarterback Camp” and all things NFL is available online now at http://espn.go.com/nfl and http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.