Jim Fassel is getting a closer look at Wisconsin's Ron Dayne, just in case.
``Somebody's going to pick him up in the draft and they're going to be very happy,'' the New York Giants coach said Thursday from Maui, where he's scouting players at the Hula Bowl.
The Giants draft at No. 11, and Fassel is hoping the Heisman Trophy winner, all-time NCAA rushing leader and New Jersey native will be available.
Several scouts have questions about Dayne's quickness and ability to catch passes, giving Fassel hope he will be on the board when the Giants pick.
``I've been impressed with him. I like his running instincts,'' he said. ``We picked up a couple of running backs last year, but every time you get a chance to get a running back or a quarterback of this caliber, you can't pass it up. I think the guy is going to be a great player.''
Fassel said he decided to come to the Hula Bowl at the urging of scout Tom Boyster, and was interested since he said the Giants have had success finding players at this game.
So while the rest of the Giants coaching staff and all but three scouts are at the Senior Bowl, Fassel doesn't feel he's missing anything by not being at what amounts to a convention of NFL coaches, executives, agents, players and future players.
Dayne is the only marquee name at the Hula Bowl, with nearly all the top players at the Senior Bowl. Fassel said players feel pressure to go where the NFL executives are.
Two players on the roster for the South team in the Hula Bowl -- Oklahoma defensive back William Bartee and Arizona running back Trung Candidate -- decided instead to play in the Senior Bowl.
``Most agents feel the Senior Bowl has the majority of NFL coaches, so their guys can get looked at by more coaches, and that's primary,'' Fassel said. ``But I think this game has significance.''
Dayne said he wouldn't be playing in the Hula Bowl, or any all-star game, if Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez wasn't coaching the North in Saturday's game.
``The main reason I'm here is coach Alvarez,'' Dayne said. ``I wanted a chance to play for him one more time.''
QB debate? Chris Redman and Chad Pennington are considered the top two quarterbacks in the NFL draft, surrounded in debate over who will be chosen first.
Even so, there's no competition between them.
``We're definitely friends,'' said Redman, who finished his Louisville career ranked third on the NCAA's career passing list with 12,541 yards.
``Absolutely friends, no competition at all,'' said Pennington, who led Marshall to a 13-0 record and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
The friendship started in 1998 when Marshall beat Louisville 54-35 in the Motor City Bowl. They got to know each other in the days leading up to the game, and Pennington even talked fishing with Redman's father.
A year later, they've grown into the best available quarterbacks in April's NFL draft and will end their collegiate careers as teammates in Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Both are on the North team, side by side in practice every day, pushing each other to do their best in front of the NFL scouts.
``Who goes first or who goes second, we'll find out,'' Pennington said. ``But I don't think it really matters. We're both here trying to become professionals, and hopefully we'll both end up somewhere.''
