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Duke All-America linebacker Michael Tauiliili will participate in the 84th annual East-West Shrine Game on Saturday (2 p.m., ESPN2) in his hometown of Houston.

Tauiliili will play for the East squad under former Georgia Tech and Maryland head coach Bobby Ross.

Tauiliili is one of eight players from the ACC to participate in the contest, joining linebacker Robert Francois of Boston College, kicker Graham Gano of Florida State, wide receiver Aaron Kelly of Clemson, defensive lineman Orion Martin of Virginia Tech, defensive lineman Darryl Richard of Georgia Tech, offensive lineman Jaimie Thomas of Maryland and offensive lineman Edwin Williams of Maryland.

Ellerbe, from Hamlet, N.C., played in 43 games with 20 starts in his career. He was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick as a junior. He missed three games due to an injury this season and finished with 33 tackles.

Richard, from Destrehan, La., had 34 tackles, including 10 for loss of yardage, and four sacks this season. Word-Daniels, from Hoover, Ala., had 24 tackles and an interception.

Two Georgia Tech players, defensive end Michael Johnson and defensive tackle Vance Walker, will play in another all-star game, the Jan. 24 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Georgia receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and defensive tackle Corvey Irvin will play in the Senior Bowl.

FLORIDA: Quarterback Tim Tebow had surgery on his right shoulder Monday and was expected to be ready for spring practice in April.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner had surgery at Shands Florida Surgical Center to remove a bone spur and hopefully reduce chronic inflammation.

Tebow, who announced Sunday that he will return for his senior season, injured his non-throwing shoulder against Kentucky in October 2007 and re-aggravated it earlier this season. He had painkilling injections before each of the final six games last season. It was unclear whether he received shots this season.

"The surgery went well," team physician Dr. Pete Indelicato said in a statement. "He should be able to begin throwing in the next three to four weeks and a full recovery is expected."

Tebow threw 32 touchdown passes in 2007, ran for 23 more scores and became the first sophomore to win the Heisman. He did less this season, but accomplished more by leading the Gators to their second national title in three years.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Arkansas secondary coach Lorenzo Ward has left the Razorbacks to become defensive coordinator at South Carolina.

The Gamecocks announced the hiring Monday. Ellis Johnson, South Carolina's previous defensive coordinator, will now become the assistant head football coach for defense.

"It's a blessing to have the opportunity to work with a great friend of mine in Ellis Johnson," Ward said. "Also having the responsibility of carrying a coordinator title is a huge step to help me someday become a head coach."

This is the second straight offseason a coach has left Arkansas to become South Carolina's defensive coordinator. Johnson left last January to join the Gamecocks.

UTAH: Utah defensive end Paul Kruger and defensive back Sean Smith are entering the NFL draft.

Both were first-team all-Mountain West picks in 2008.

Kruger, a sophomore, had a team-high 7.5 sacks and added 61 tackles for the Utes (13-0), who finished the season No. 2 in The Associated Press poll.

In a statement issued through the university on Monday, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Kruger says the decision to forgo his final two years of college eligibility is one of the hardest he's had to make.

Smith, a 6-3, 214-pound junior, led the Utes with five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. He also broke up a team-high nine passes.

They are in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., training for the draft.