Blackwell Classic game could be moved to new date

By Austin Bishop

July 23, 2008 09:54 am

— CLINTON — The Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Classic may have been played in July for the last time.
The game, sponsored by the Mississippi Association of Coaches, is
traditionally played the week of the association's annual coach's clinic.
But prior to the North's 16-7 win over the South on Thursday night at Robinson-Hale Stadium on the campus of Mississippi College, there was some serious talk among organizers and coaches about possibly moving the game.
"It is something that has been discussed," MAC executive director Johnny Mims told reporters last week. "No decisions have been made of yet."
The move of the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic from June to December has been met with rave reviews. One of the biggest reasons given for moving the Mississippi-Alabama games were that the players had already signed with four-year schools and the college coaches were discouraging the players from participating.
There has been some discussion of moving the Bernard Blackwell game to December as well, but that could be a difficult proposition. State testing goes on during that week.
"There is already so much going on in December," Mims said.
That may lead to moving the game to another month altogether.
"December may just be too tight to fit another game in," said Eupora head football coach Junior Graham. "One thing we are talking about is June, the same place the Mississippi-Alabama was being played. It would be before the players have reported to junior college or wherever they will be playing the next year.
"But right now, nobody's sure."
For years the game was the premier all-star game in the state, before the creation of the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic 20 years ago.
After that time the game has basically been used as a showcase for the players not chosen for the game in Mobile.
The South currently leads the series 26-25-1.