Jan. 14, 2009

The University of South Carolina football team will be represented by three players in postseason senior all-star games. Linebacker Jasper Brinkley and offensive lineman Jamon Meredith will play in the East-West Shrine Game, while wide receiver Kenny McKinley will participate in the Under Armour Senior Bowl.

Brinkley is a 6-2, 269-pound linebacker from Thomson, Ga. He was third on the squad with 65 tackles during the 2008 campaign while starting all 13 games for the Gamecocks. He logged 5.0 tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks. He was Carolina’s top tackler in the 2009 Outback Bowl against Iowa, as he collected 11 stops and also had an interception. Brinkley was a second-team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches in 2008 and was a first-team all-conference performer in 2006.

Meredith, a 6-5, 297-pounder from Simpsonville, S.C., started nine games along the offensive line in 2008 and finished his Carolina career with 38 career starts. He played the bulk of the ’08 season at left guard but also played extensively at both left and right tackle during his Gamecock career.

McKinley, a 6-0, 187-pounder from Mableton, Ga., left Carolina as the school’s all-time leader in both career receptions (207) and career receiving yardage (2,781). He caught a pass in each of his final 43 games as a Gamecock, also a school record. He was an honorable mention All-SEC performer as a senior after leading the squad with 54 receptions and 642 yards despite missing three games due to injury. He was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2007.

The 84th annual East-West Shrine Game will be held Saturday, January 17, at Robertson Stadium in Houston. The game will be televised by ESPN2 with kick time set for 4 p.m. ET. Brinkley and Meredith will be on the East squad, which will be coached by Bobby Ross.

The Under Armour Senior Bowl will be held January 24 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The 60th annual game will kick at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised by the NFL Network. McKinley will be on the South squad, which will be coached by the Jacksonville Jaguars staff.