Dilweg Outplays Bigger Names : Duke Quarterback Gives East 21-10 Hula Bowl Win

The West had All-American quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Rodney Peete, whereas hardly anybody knew about Anthony Dilweg of Duke.

Dilweg threw 3 touchdown passes to Andre Rison of Michigan State Saturday to lead the East to a 21-10 victory in the Hula Bowl.

“We read each other real well,” Dilweg said. “Everything just clicked.”

Dilweg, named the game’s outstanding offensive player, passed to Rison on touchdowns of 21 and 13 yards in the first half and opened the second half by throwing for a 34-yard score.

The Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, Dilweg completed 12 of 17 passes for 145 yards and had 1 interception.

Rison and Dilweg stayed after practice 3 days to perfect their timing rather than heading for the beach.

“That’s what won the game,”’ Rison said.

The East defense had 6 All-Americans to harass Aikman and Peete.

East defenders sacked Aikman twice and intercepted two of his passes.

Peete led the West’s only touchdown drive, but he left the game in the second quarter with a strained shoulder. He watched the second half from the sidelines in street clothes with his right arm in a sling but was OK after the game.

“This was the hardest-hitting all-star game I’ve ever seen,” said East Coach Lou Holtz of national champion Notre Dame. Holtz was on the losing West sideline here in 1979 when he coached at Arkansas.

“I finally won one here. It caps a good season.”

Cornerback Deion Sanders of Florida State was the game’s outstanding defensive player, with an interception and 4 pass breakups.

Rison’s three touchdown receptions tied a Hula Bowl record set by Oscar Roan of Southern Methodist in 1975 and equaled by Walter Abercrombie of Baylor in 1982.

Peete led a 41-yard scoring drive that ended with a 1-yard dive by Eric Metcalf of Texas with 40 seconds left in the first half and brought the West to within 14-7.

The score was set up when Peete hooked up with Hart Lee Dykes of Oklahoma State on a 40-yard pass play on the previous play. That was the only pass Peete completed in 5 attempts.

All-American place-kicker Kendall Trainor of Arkansas added a 30-yard field goal for the West late in the third quarter.

The East stopped three deep West drives in the fourth quarter. All-American defensive tackle Tracy Rocker of Auburn recovered Metcalf’s fumble at the 5-yard line, and the East stopped the West on downs at the 18-yard line with 7:15 left.

Louis Oliver of Florida intercepted Aikman’s tipped pass in the end zone with a minute to play.

Aikman finished the game 11 for 29 for 107 yards.

“There was a lot of pressure,” Aikman said. “Anyone watching the game could see that.”

Peete, who took over in the second quarter, fumbled 3 times, twice on snaps and once on a sack by Butkus Award winning linebacker Derrick Thomas of Alabama. However, the West recovered each fumble.

The West sacked quarterback Chuck Hartlieb of Iowa three times and Dilweg once. Three of those sacks were by All-American defensive end Broderick Thomas of Nebraska.