| Lean, well-cut athlete with above average quickness and agility…Has superb
balance and change-of-direction skills, displaying a smooth backpedal…Breaks
from his backpedal with no wasted motions, displaying proper acceleration and
turnover, with fluid hip turn…Has an above average closing burst and is
very fluid moving laterally…Stays tight with the receiver in the short area,
showing the sudden burst necessary to prevent separation on vertical routes…His
ability to maintain position on the receiver and his strength in press coverage
allows him to cut off angles…Shadows very well in the short area, using
his hands properly to redirect…Uses his power to prevent receivers from
shielding him on jump balls…Gets a good vertical rise to challenge for the
ball at its highest point….Has natural hands for the interception and the
cutting ability to gain yardage on the runback…Three-year starter whose
big-play ability was extremely evident in the team’s first five victories
of the 2002 season, as his performance on the field was largely responsible for
the team’s success in his final campaign…A talented athlete, he not
only starred on the gridiron, but also competed on the Irish soccer team earlier
in his career…Recorded 148 tackles (102 solos) with a 6-yard sack, 14 stops
for losses of 40 yards, 11 interceptions for 181 yards in returns, 18 pass deflections,
two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery as he started 33 of 42 games during his
career…His three interceptions for touchdowns tied the school career-record,
first set by Tom Schoen (1965-67) and matched by Bobby Leopold (1976-78) and Allen
Rossum (1994-97).
2002 SEASON
All-American first-team choice by The NFL Draft Report, The Sporting News,
Football Writers Association, Associated Press, Walter Camp, CNN/SI and American
Football Coaches Association, becoming the school’s first consensus All-American
since 1993… Team Most Valuable Player and finalist for the Bronko Nagurski
Award, given to the nation’s top defensive player…One of four players
to earn Captains’ Award honors…Lined up at right cornerback, finishing
sixth in the nation with seven interceptions for 84 yards in returns…Only
the sixth player in school history to return two interceptions for touchdowns
in a season…Recorded 65 tackles (43 solos) with five stops for losses
of 12 yards… Caused and recovered a fumble…Deflected seven passes…Returned
nine punts for 85 yards (9.4 avg).
Maryland…Did not allow a reception as he intercepted 3 passes for 11
yards in returns, made 4 tackles (3 solos) with a stop for a 3-yard loss and
returned a punt 8 yards.
Purdue…Collected 4 solo tackles, returned a punt 13 yards and deflected
a pass near the goal line as time expired in a 24-17 decision.
Michigan…Posted 8 tackles (6 solos) (6 solos), stopped tailback B.J. Askew
for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-down play, caused a fumble to set up a scoring
drive, recovered another fumble, returned 2 punts for 25 yards and had a fourth
quarter 10-yard interception return to seal a 25-23 triumph.
Michigan State…Made 5 tackles (3 solos) with a stop for a 4-yard loss
and a pass break-up.
Stanford…Deflec |
