Dartmouth Website

by Gordon Morton

Cramer Shines in East-West Shrine Game

January 10, 2004

Senior Casey Cramer (Middleton, Wis.) had his chance to shine in the national spotlight, and he did not disappoint.

On January 10 in San Francisco, Cramer played in the 79th annual East-West Shrine game before a crowd of more than 25,000. It was a chance for the Big Green tight end to show his stuff against some of the top I-A players in the nation.

"He did real well," said Dartmouth Head Coach John Lyons. "We're definitely proud of him. He showed he could play at that level. There were very few I-AA players selected to the game, and he acquitted himself very well."

The only Ivy Leaguer selected for the game, Cramer led the East squad with six catches for 36 yards, including one 27-yard catch-and-run. While his performance on the field caught the eye of several NFL scouts, Cramer's hard work during the week leading up to the game may have been even more important.

"He had a great week of practice and really improved his stock by what he did during his time there," added Lyons.

Players from 18 of the top 25 teams appeared in the contest which was won by the West squad, 28-7. A tight end at Dartmouth, Cramer split his time during the game between tight end and fullback.

"It was good that he was playing fullback because that's where he's projected to play in the NFL. He played on every special team and that'll help him, too," added Lyons.

Cramer was the first Big Green gridder selected to the game since current Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler led the 1994 East squad. Fiedler earned co-MVP honors in that game, helping propel him to a successful career in the NFL, a path Cramer hopes to follow.