International Bowl: USA playing for keeps against IFAF World Team

By Mitch Stephens Feb 5, 2013, 12:00am

Back-to-back losses have USA looking at International Bowl with more urgency.

AUSTIN, Texas — Cory Jasudowich described the taste as sour. Like a bitter lemon. Grown in Canada.

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker from Cheshire Academy (Cheshire, Conn.) was on the USA under-19 team that lost in the World Championships to Canada 23-17. That was only six months after the IFAF World Team defeated the Americans 35-29 in last year's International Bowl.

Cory Jasudowich
Cory Jasudowich
Courtesy USA Football
Tonight, Team USA has loads of motivation to prevail in the fourth annual International Bowl at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. The game will be televised live (8 p.m. CT) in the United States and Canada on CBS Sports Network and streamed internationally at www.youtube.com/usafootball.

"It was rough," said Jasudowich, a vivacious team leader who was voted team captain for a second straight game. "As a team captin, I'm trying to convey to the guys what a sour taste that was, that we need to bring it to the table (tonight)."



Beyond a new scheme, under new first-year head coach Aaron Brady, and primarily a new roster, Jasudowich said the approach this week as been team bonding. Not the surface kind.

"The family stuff," said Jasudowich, who said his letter of intent Wednesday to Connecticut in the nation's largest National Signing Day ceremony at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. "We really need to have each other's back. These guys (the World Team) might be a little bigger and older, but we're going to have more heart. We want to win badly."

Jasudowich is very big into family. That's largely why he decommitted from Boston College to stay near home in Connecticut.

He said his mother Lisa and father Ken have not missed an athletic even he's played in. Ever.

"Since I started playing flag football when I was four," Jasudowich said. "That's who I play for. That's why I always play so hard because I know my family is in the stands. They've their for me every step of the way. I owe everything to them."

He's also close to his sister Alisha, who is also athletic. "Family is everything and that's what I'm hoping comes across with our team tonight."



Team USA coaches and players arrived a week ago. After 10 practices and a walkthrough, the U.S. coaching staff has shown 45 of the best high school football players in America what they need to do.

It's up to them now to go out and execute the plan.

Shane Cockerille
Shane Cockerille
Courtesy USA Football
"Everybody is as ready as they are going to be," said Team USA quarterback and captain Shane Cockerille of Gilman (Baltimore, Md.). "There's nothing more to refine. We're ready to play. We're excited."

Brady of Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga College Prep was the defensive line coach in 2011, when Team USA beat the World Team, 21-14. Last year's loss, the first in three games for the U.S., still stings.

"This is a huge game for myself, the staff, the players and everyone associated with USA Football," Brady said. "There is national pride riding on this. There was a lot of work put in to get us all to where we are."

Team USA installed an offense and defense in six days, bringing together 45 players and eight coaches from 20 different states. The schemes are designed to adjust on the fly because little is known of the other team.



No film has been traded. There's no scouting reports.

"It's our job to put players in the position to make plays. It's up to them to make them," Brady said. "These are elite athletes. We are not going to slow them down with too many assignments. We want them to play fast."

Cockerille said the players appreciate that, and they know what's on the line in this game as well. They want to prove that the best football is still being played here in the United States.

"We are getting a chance to play for our country," Cockerille said. "We take that to heart."

IN THE TRENCHES: The toughest challenge of any game like the International Bowl is gelling along the offensive line. One breakdown up front can leave an entire offense going backward.

It helps when players are as talented as the one Team USA has, U.S. offensive line coach Joe Dale Cary said. It helps even more when they like and respect each other.



"This group of guys are really a unit," said Cary, an assistant coach at Port Neches-Groves High School. "They picked up everything really quick, and they've got each other's backs."

The admiration is mutual. Left guard Colin Goebel, an Iowa commit from Naperville North (Naperville, Ill.), said when Coach Cary speaks, all the linemen listen.

"I like his aggressive way of playing offensive line – going all out on every play," Goebel said. "He's a great coach, he knows a lot. He is really emphasizing footwork, which is key."

POWER LUNCH: Former University of Texas All-American and two-time Super Bowl champion Dan Neil spoke to Team USA on Monday during the USA National Team Luncheon presented by Marriott.

Neil offered advice to the Team USA players who will sign Wednesday with top college programs, and he provided some insight into his experiences as a football player.

Hard work, self-discipline, preparation and staying humble are the keys to success at the sport's highest levels, Neil said. Everybody on the team has to contribute toward success, even if everyone doesn't share in the limelight.



"As soon as you care more about the guy next to you than you do about yourself, you have a chance to build something," said Neil, who played right guard for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII. "When everyone is doing that, you have a chance to be champions."

Neil also stressed the importance of earning a degree while in college. An education benefits a player during his football career and after.

"You will not make it in the NFL if you cannot study and learn," Neil said. "We will all get beat physically at some point or another, but coaches have no patience for someone who gets beat mentally."

USA Football writer Joe Frollo contributed to this report.

U.S. Under-19 National Team roster:

No

Name

Pos

Ht

Wt

High school

Hometown

College verbal

 1

Jourdan Lewis

DB

5-10

159

Cass Tech

Detroit, Mich.

Michigan

 2

Shane Cockerille

QB

6-2

205

Gilman School

Baltimore, Md.

Maryland

 3

Devin Butler

WR

6-1

179

Gonzaga College

Washington, D.C.

Notre Dame

 4

Justin Bridges-Thompson

LB

6-2

195

Spartanburg

Spartanburg, S.C.

UNC-Charlotte

 6

Ishmael Hyman

WR

6-0

170

St. John Vianney

Holmdel, N.J.

Kansas

 7

Rodney Adams

WR

6-1

166

Lakewood

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Undecided

 8

Austin Henyon

QB

6-1

195

Trinity Valley

Benbrook, Texas

Undecided

 9

Deric Robertson

DB

6-2

195

Killeen

Killeen, Texas

Oklahoma State

10

Shaquem Griffin

DB

6-1

183

Lakewood

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Central Florida

11

Taurean Ferguson

DB

5-9

170

Jonesboro

Jonesboro, Ga.

Vanderbilt

13

Delando Johnson

LB

6-2

180

Calvert Hall

Towson, Md.

Toledo

15

Matthew McCrane

K-P

5-11

165

Brownwood

Brownwood, Texas

Kansas State

16

Brandon McDowell

WR

5-9

170

DeSoto

DeSoto, Texas

Texas State

17

Lance Virgile

LB

6-2

215

St. Thomas Aquinas

Miramar, Fla.

Wake Forest

18

Paul James

DL

6-4

245

Norland

Miami, Fla.

Illinois

20

Marco DelVecchio

DB

5-11

185

Bishop Hendricken

Warwick, R.I.

Undecided

21

Tere Calloway

DB

5-11

185

Seattle Prep

Seattle, Wash.

Nevada

22

Chase Abbington

RB

6-4

210

Fort Zumwalt South

St. Peters, Mo.

Missouri

23

Damien Haskins

RB

5-9

213

New Boston

New Boston, Texas

Oregon State

24

Shaquill Griffin

DB

6-0

184

Lakewood

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Central Florida

25

Darrell Songy

LB

6-1

220

John B. Connally

Pflugerville, Texas

Oregon State

30

Samuel Douglas

LB

6-2

185

Arlington

Arlington, Texas

TCU

32

Khalid Hill

TE

6-2

230

East English Village Prep

Detroit, Mich.

Michigan

34

Terrell Newby

RB

5-10

180

Chaminade College

West Hills, Calif.

Nebraska

40

Ben Gedeon

LB

6-3

215

Hudson

Hudson, Ohio

Michigan

50

Donovan Munger

OL

6-4

290

Shaker Heights

Shaker Heights, Ohio

Ohio State

54

Cory Jasudowich

LB

6-2

235

Cheshire Academy

Cheshire, Conn.

Connecticut

57

Wyatt Teller

DL

6-4

264

Liberty

Bealeton, Va.

Virginia Tech

60

Austin Droogsma

OL

6-4

305

Gulf Breeze

Gulf Breeze, Fla.

Florida State

61

Aubry Beal

OL

6-1

285

DeSoto

DeSoto, Texas

Air Force

63

Octavius Jackson

OL

6-4

285

Colquitt County

Moultrie, Ga.

Florida

66

Jacob Hyde

DL

6-2

313

Clay County

Manchester, Ky.

Kentucky

70

Ben Hughes

DL

6-2

310

University

Waco, Texas

Oklahoma State

72

Jake Campos

OL

6-7

250

Valley

West Des Moines, Iowa

Iowa State

73

Colin Goebel

OL

6-5

280

North

Naperville, Ill.

Iowa

77

Sam Kronshage

OL

6-5

300

The Woodlands

Woodlands, Texas

Colorado

78

Jake Thomas

OL

6-6

305

Columbus

Columbus, Miss.

Mississippi State

79

Jack Kurzu

OL

6-4

313

Mary Institute Country Day

St. Louis, Mo.

Oklahoma State

81

Derrick Willies

WR

6-3

190

Rock Island

Rock Island, Ill.

Iowa

86

Alex Leslie

TE

6-5

220

New Braunfels

New Braunfels, Texas

Iowa State

88

Quincy Adeboyejo

WR

6-3

175

Cedar Hill

Cedar Hill, Texas

Mississippi

99

Tevin Montgomery

DL

6-5

295

Tabor Academy

Marion, Mass.

Boston College


*-Tyler Bruggman

QB

6-1

190

Brophy Prep

Phoenix, Ariz.

Washington State


*-David Dawson

OL

6-4

282

Cass Tech

Detroit, Mich.

Michigan


*-Matthew Miller

OL

6-5

260

St. John’s Jesuit

Maumee, Ohio

Wisconsin

 

*-Lewis Neal

DL

6-1

232

Hunt

Wilson, N.C.

LSU

 

*-Anu Solomon

QB

6-1

202

Bishop Gorman

Las Vegas, Nev.

Arizona

*-Injured, will not play


IFAF World Team roster:

No

Name

Pronounciation

Country

Pos.

1

Keegan Arnyek

Key-gan ARN-yek

Canada

CB/KR

2

David Nader

David NAY-der

Austria

DB

3

Yuta Shimozuru

YU-tah shim-o-ZU-ru

Japan

DB

4

Severin Haidacher

Sev-er-in HI-dog-er

Austria

DB

5

Keldyn Alhstedt

Kel-den ALL-sted

Canada

DB

6

Kevin McGee

 

Canada

DB

7

Michael Schmidt

 

Canada

DB

8

Rees Paterson

  

Canada

DB

9

Matthias Rebl

mah-THIGH-us REH-bull

Austria

DB

10

Robin Gonzalez

 

Mexico

WR

11

Anthony Mahoungou

 mah-HON-gu

France

WR

12

Shaquille Johnson

 

Canada

WR

13

Brett Blaszko

BLAS-ko

Canada

WR

14

Louis-Philippe Simoneau

lou-EE fell-EEP SIM-on-oh

Canada

P/K

16

Antony Auclair

OW-clair

Canada

QB

17

Drew Burko

Drew BURK-oh

Canada

QB

18

Hugo Richard

 

Canada

QB

19

Daniel  Fereti

Daniel fer-RITZ-ee

American Samoa

QB

20

Fabian Seeber

 SEE-bur

Austria

LB

21

Tanner Doll

  

Canada

LB

22

Connor Ralph

  

Canada

LB

23

Naoki Hayashi

nay-OH-kee hi-YASH-ee

Japan

LB

24

Francisco Dickinson

  

Mexico

LB/RB

25

Nic Demski

  

Canada

RB

26

Mercer Timmis

  

Canada

RB

27

Jorge Alcantara

HOR-hey ahl-can-TER-ah

Mexico

RB

28

Nicolas Khandar

  

France

RB

30

Dylan Bakker

  

Netherlands

LB

31

Malo Feula

MAL-ow fay-OO-la

American Samoa

LB

32

Howard Tautu

Howard tah-OO-tu

American Samoa

LB

33

Jean-Gabriel Poulin

John-Gabriel PULL-in

Canada

LB

50

Cosmo Anders

  

Austria

OL

60

Sean McEwen

  

Canada

OL

52

Jordan Arkko

 AR-ko

Canada

OL

53

Jordan Filippelli

 fill-eh-PELL-ey

Canada

OL

54

Fred Lauina

Fred la-WIN-ah

American Samoa

OL

55

Jordan Medal

  

Canada

OL

56

Joachim Christensen

YO-ah-kim

Denmark

OL

57

Kenzo Shimano

KEN-zo shi-MAN-oh

Japan

OL

51

Christian Cederquist

 SEE-dur-quist

Denmark

OL/DL

80

Derrick Derah

 dare-AH

Netherlands

WR

82

Adrià Botella

ah-dree-AH bo-TELL-ah

Spain

WR

83

Honda  Brandt-Ammon

  

Australia

WR, KR

90

Felix Schildorfer

 SHILL-dor-fer

Austria

DL

91

Jacob LeBlanc

  

Canada

DL

92

Adam Melanson

Adam MEL-an-son

Canada

DL

93

Máximo Gonzálezsanchez

 

Mexico

DL

94

Brett Wade

 

Canada

DL

95

Brayden Twarynski

Bray-din twar-IN-skee

Canada

DL

96

Troy Weissbach

WEISS-bock

Canada

DL

97

Edward Godin  

GOD-in

 

Canada