Junior defensive tackle is considered the Gamecocks' top interior lineman and one of the top defensive linemen in the SEC... two-year starter, figures to be a fixture in the middle of the line again in 2009... started 22 games over his first two seasons in the Garnet & Black... is both a solid run stopper and pass rusher... possesses excellent quickness and strength... has tremendous power and the ability to get off blocks... logged 61 tackles in his first two seasons with 5.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks... single-game best is six tackles against North Carolina in 2007... earned second-team Freshman All-America honors by the Sporting News in 2007... did not participate in the spring drills in 2009. 2008: Limited early in the fall by a broken right hand... started in 12 of 13 contests... did not start against Kentucky when Carolina opened in a three-man front... recorded 22 tackles in 13 games, including 17 solo stops... logged a season-high five tackles against Vanderbilt... had a sack against Georgia and a half-sack against Wofford. 2007: Named to the Sporting News second-team Freshman All-America squad and CollegeFootballNews.com third-team Freshman All-America team... also named Freshman All-SEC by both the SEC coaches and by the Sporting News... made 10 starts, most among the squad's freshmen... registered 39 tackles, most among the defensive tackles... 27 of the 39 tackles were solo stops... tied for third on the squad with 3.0 sacks... made his first career start against Georgia... had a sack against South Carolina State... registered a season-high six tackles, including 2.0 sacks in the win at North Carolina... also had five stops against LSU and Arkansas... recovered a fumble against Florida... enrolled at Carolina in January and went through spring drills. 2006: Spent the season at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., where he was coached by Robert Prunty... played at Hargrave with fellow Gamecock Clifton Geathers... was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 21 overall prep school prospect and was given a four-star rating... was a three-star prospect by Scout.com and considered the nation's 61st-best defensive tackle. HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Banneker High School in College Park, Ga. in 2006... the school also produced former Gamecock Carlos Thomas... coached by Benny Crane... was credited with 74 tackles including five sacks as a senior after logging 80 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior... named his team's Best Defensive Player... invited to play in the North-South All-Star Game... competed in the shot put for the track & field team. |
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