For many of the Tiger football alumni, the inaugural Tiger Bowl was much more than a spring football game.

Thanks to an impressive list of activities prepared by the Tiger Athletics Department, it was a chance for many of them to return to campus and show their support for the program.

According to Dan Crowley, '01, a former record-setting quarterback for the Tigers and the newly-named Director of Development Team Support, the turnout was tremendous.

The day started with a first-time event called the Captain's Breakfast and it was held at the Towson University Marriott.

After the Captain's Breakfast, the football alumni returned to Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium for the annual Alumni Game, a game of touch football that matched up nearly three dozen former Tigers.

From there, it was on to the Football Alumni Tailgate before the Tiger Bowl kicked off at 1:00.

The Captain's Breakfast turned out to be the highlight of the day. Scheduled to run from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., it went well past the allotted time. Former Tiger football players related their feelings about the program to a captivated audience that included the seniors on the 2011 Tiger football team.  

"This was the first time we've done anything like this and the turnout was just fantastic," says Crowley. "We filled the room and nobody wanted to leave. I know that our seniors were very impressed.

"Everyone who spoke had the same theme," he added. "The theme was to take advantage of the opportunities you get. It was really nice to hear these men share the great experiences that they had with Tiger football. A lot of the alumni brought their sons and that was great. The breakfast was supposed to end at 8:30 but we didn't leave until almost 10 a.m."

Former linebacker Rusty McKinney, '01 (right) told the Tiger seniors, "Be great at everything you do - whether it is in the weight room, at practice, doing school work, summer workouts, in a social setting, and everything. Be great at it and if you are not, work every day towards that greatness."

He also added, "Believe in yourself and your teammates. Count on each other and hold one another accountable for everything you do. The opportunity is now, so take advantage of it."

Currently an assistant football coach at Bentley University, McKinney encouraged the Tiger seniors to "lead your teammates and step out of your comfort zone. Take a stand and demand the absolute best from yourself and every team member. Accept nothing less."

Former defensive tackle Bill Stup, '89 was a Tiger co-captain in 1988. In his career, he made 266 tackles and 21 quarterback sacks. He is also the father of junior fullback Billy Stup, a member of the Tiger football team.

He told the Tigers, "It's time to start winning again. What you're hearing about the tradition is true. I was part of the 1985 and 1986 teams when we were ranked as high as second in the nation in Division II. In 1986, we were the last Towson team to go to the national playoffs.

He added, "You can't do it by yourselves. You need to hold each and every teammate accountable from now until August so we can bring that tradition back. I will always remember my last game. It was a home game against Liberty and we had a tough loss. It's a game we should have won and the memory has never left me. Work so that doesn't happen to you."

Former fullback Gary Weishaar, '82 was one of the oldest Tiger captains to speak. A Tiger co-captain in 1981, he caught 94 passes for 980 yards and seven touchdowns in his career.

He said, "My experience as a Tiger football player is one of the most cherished memories of my life. As you know, there are certain perks that come with being a Tiger football player. Students and faculty openly recognize you as a football player. Sometimes, it works in your favor and sometimes, it doesn't.

"As a football player, you are immediately recognized as a 'person set apart' from the rest of the student population," he added. "By default, you immediately have certain responsibilities. You have a responsibility to be an ambassador to your University and to represent it well. You also have a responsibility to be a coachable player and a responsibility to your teammates to work hard and to play each play like it was your last play. You also have a responsibility to your parents to be the best sons you can be and you have a responsibility to yourself to be disciplined and self-motivated to be the best person you can be."

Gary also spoke about leadership. He said, "A leader is someone who takes individuals from where they are to where they need to be. A leader has charisma, character and integrity. When you go on your first job interview after you graduate, charisma may get you in the door - but character and integrity will keep you there."

He also left the seniors with something to think about. He said, "The characteristics of a Kingdom emanate from the King. Everything you control emanates from you. Take control of yourselves and lead by example and performance. Then, you will be a great leader."

Former Tiger linebacker Gary Worthington, '92 was one of the team captains in 1991. Named as the Tigers' Most Valuable Player twice, he was thrilled to be back on campus.

He said, "When I entered my first year as a student-athlete at Towson, I saw all of the huge football players and I wondered if I was good enough to play at this level. I was aware of the history and tradition at Towson and I wanted to continue that tradition. I had a group of seniors take me under their wing and show me the ropes. They taught me how to work hard and stay dedicated and determined to be successful."

He also told the seniors "Don't talk about it, be about it. Don't tell me how good you are going to be. Show me. Don't say what you're going to do. Just do it. Actions speak louder than words. Take a young football player or players under your wing and lead them. Lead by example. Go to class, study hall, weight room, film, meetings. Do it! With actions come results. Hopefully, those actions will produce that winning tradition and continue the history that Towson football is known for."

Looking back on the Captain's Breakfast, Gary said, "I was so happy to see all of those captains from so many eras. I was even more proud to have my 12-year old son in attendance to witness all of those college football players and listening to the testimonies of their college football experiences. I can't wait for the next one."

Former cornerback Gary Hatcher, '91 was one of the Tiger co-captains in 1990. He recalled that the coach will say things in the pre-game like "the time is now" or "you have 60 minutes of game time to play this game" or "let's win today."

He explained that those pre-game pep talks were very important and true, it was technically too late if proper preparation and dedication weren't applied before then.

Hatcher added, "The key to taking advantage of an opportunity lies in the responsible choices that proceed the opportunity. Talking football, the opportunity is being able to put that Tiger uniform on and then ultimately game day."

He explained, "The key to maximizing the success of that opportunity is in your preparation, dedication, and respect for each other.  The choices you make leading up to a career, your dreams, or game day will put you in the best position to take advantage of your opportunities.

"Each player must understand that collegiate sports are a means to a secondary education," he added. "It is a privilege that requires immense sacrifice and responsibility beyond that of a normal student. Only a select few get the opportunity to play collegiate sports."

Gary also advised, "Running parallel to your football experience is REAL LIFE.  The constant between football and real life are YOU and the individuals you share the moment with.  Make sure you bond with every teammate and stick together until the time runs out.  Counsel each other and listen to the good counsel of those who came before you.  You'll find out that it will benefit you far more than just winning the game; it'll benefit you a winning life. THIS IS YOUR TIME! God Bless You Tigers."

Mark Angle, '88, Mike Arbutina, '95, Andre Atkins, '99, Julian Blair, '93, Phil Brown, '98, Casey Cegles, '10, Darnell Evans, '01, Bryan Fitzpatrick, '05, Jon Grubb, '03, Allante Harrison, '06, Demetrius Harrison, '08, Sean Hendricks, '02, Kevin Howard, '93, John Kelley, '03, Marcus Lee, '09, Ron Meehan, '80, George Mitchell, '06, Adam Nepp, 01, Sean Schaefer, '09, Dan Todd, '02, Jay Wasserman, '88 and John Webb, '08 were among the other attendees at the Captain's Breakfast.

Crowley summed up the event by adding, "There were so many great messages and they were delivered by so many different people. I know that next year we are going to need a much bigger room and a longer time period."

Mike Waddell, the new Director of Athletics at Towson University, was impressed by what he saw and heard at the Captain's Breakfast.

He said, "One of the critical elements of moving Towson Athletics forward in a championship direction is that we have a keen understanding of what has gone on before us.  Saturday's event with our football alumni was an outstanding time for all - including our rising senior class, who had a chance to hear about our proud Tiger Tradition from the men who were a part of some of our greatest teams and several of whom have gone on to play in the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.

"It was an enlightening and emotional morning as we discussed an impactful and emotional game," he added.  "Championship football cannot be played without a full heart and I have no doubt that our young men have a more focused understanding of what they represent after attending our Captain's Breakfast.  I look forward to this becoming a new tradition here at Towson and for the unity that exists within some of our other programs with past student-athletes, coaches and support staff to begin to take shape with our football program in the years to follow."

After breakfast, the Captain's Breakfast attendees reconvened on Minnegan Field at Unitas Stadium for the Alumni Football Game.

Although no official statistics were kept and there were some discrepancies with the final score, nearly everyone agreed that Schaefer's team defeated Crowley's team by a convincing margin.

Schaefer, who passed for a school record 11,644 yards during a career that lasted from 2005 to 2008, was the captain of one team while Crowley, who threw 81 touchdown passes in his career, captained the other one.

"Sean did a much better job recruiting than I did," explained Crowley. "We were playing six-on-six and he had these young guys who kept coming in and out. I had a lot of the older guys on my team and we struggled at times."

Former wide receiver Tamba Tongu, '10 was unofficially recognized as the Player of the Game while Matt Prizzi, '03 received kudos for playing the entire game with his baseball cap backwards on his head.

Although Jermon Bushrod, '07 didn't participate in the Alumni Game, the New Orleans Saints tackle was seen on the sidelines laughing and shaking his head.

At the conclusion of the game, the Tiger football alumni adjourned to take part in the Football Alumni Tailgate.

Then, they settled in to watch the current Tigers play in the Tiger Bowl.

Coach Rob Ambrose was very pleased to have such a great alumni turnout for the Tiger Bowl, the Captain's Breakfast and the Tailgate.

"It was really tremendous to see so many alumni return," he said. "They are the people that have made this program special and their support is crucial."