Julian Edelman’s big Super Bowl games seem like forever ago.
The former Kent State quarterback turned receiver made Group of Five players and fans proud when he was named Super Bowl LIII MVP following his 10-catch, 141-yard outing in the New England Patriots’ 13-3 win over the LA Rams. College football betting odds had Edelman at +2000 to win the award.
This year’s big game features 12 players from current G5 programs, but there is also one player who should be considered a Group of Five product in Rashee Rice. The former SMU standout has the shortest odds to win MVP among G5 players at 50/1.
Here’s a list of the other 12 guys representing a G5 school in Super Bowl LVIII:
Kansas City Chiefs
OL Mike Caliendo, Western Michigan
LB Darius Harris, MTSU
WR Richie James, MTSU
CB Nic Jones, Ball State
CB L’Jarius Sneed, LA Tech
San Francisco 49ers
OL Spencer Burford, UTSA
S Tashaun Gipson Sr., Wyoming
CB Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama
RB Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana
OL Jaylon Moore, Western Michigan
CB Charvarius Ward, MTSU
CB Samuel Womack II, Toledo
Noteworthy Items
Strong MTSU Showing
Rick Stockstill may have only won one conference championship in his 18 years at the helm of the program but it seems he put out more NFL talent than one might think. Blue Raider alums Darius Harris, Richie James, and Charvarius Ward will take the field on Sunday.
Ward is in his second season with the Niners after spending his first four with the Chiefs, where he was part of the 2019 Super Bowl team. He has started in every game the past two seasons and has been solid on the outside. He leads the league with 23 pass breakups and has added 72 tackles and five interceptions.
We’ll see if he can help slow down Mahomes and Co.
Defensive Backs Galore
Of the 12 players repping a G5 school, six of those guys are defensive backs. This includes a pair of rookies in Darrell Luter Jr. and Nic Jones. They haven’t seen much action this season but still find themselves on the active roster.
Tashuan Gipson Sr. and L’Jarius Sneed are two guys who have been around a little longer and have made their fair share of plays both in their careers and this season. Sneed was responsible for arguably the biggest play in the AFC Championship when he forced Ravens wideout Zay Flowers to fumble out of the end zone in the third quarter.
Gipson Sr. is in his 12th year in the league and has started every game since 2014. The Wyoming product has 60 tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception on the season.
Each G5 Conferences Represented
Even with the MAC and CUSA surprisingly leading the way here with four players from each league taking the field in this year’s Super Bowl, each G5 conference will be represented. The Mountain West and AAC both have one player with Gipson Sr., and Spencer Burford while there are two former Sun Belt players.
This helps solidify how many great players there are throughout the Group of Five landscape.
Coaches With G5 Coaching Ties
Kansas City
- Head coach Andy Reid was the UTEP offensive line coach from 1987-88
- Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was the defensive backs coach for Bowling Green in 1996-97
- Defensive line coach Joe Cullen spent 2001 in the same role at Memphis
- Outside linebackers coach Ken Klajole spent 1986-88 as the UTEP defensive backs coach, 1995 as Hawaii’s defensive coordinator, and 1996-97 in the same role at Nevada
- Defensive assistant Rod Wilson was the inside linebackers coach for Coastal Carolina in 2021
San Francisco
- Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was the defensive backs coach at App State in 2001 and at Bowling Green in 2003
- Running back coach Bobby Turner was the Fresno State RBs coach from 1983-88
- Offensive line coach Christopher Foerster held the same position at Colorado State from 1983-87
- Safeties coach Daniel Bullocks spent 2015 as the cornerbacks coach for Eastern Michigan
- Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider held the same role at CSU from 1997-2002
