Tree of Life

29 Apr

Power Offense Sputters In Loss by Dominic Errico

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, April 29th, 2013 – 9:16 am

Pittsburgh Power games might air on ThisTV these days, but perhaps Nick-At-Nite would be a better choice for a network. Every Power game I’ve watched this year seems to be a rerun and I think we all know how the show ends.

One week after taking a few steps forward on offense this time the Power (1-4) settled back into their usual struggling selves and lost a game that was easily within reach. This time the beneficiaries of their generosity were the San Antonio Talons (2-3) who defeated the Power 42-37 Sunday afternoon at Consol Energy Center.

Pittsburgh’s defense continued to play strong with two interceptions, two forced turnovers on down and they held Talons quarterback Nick Hill in check both in the air (189 yards) and on the ground (13 yards).

The problem was that every time the Power grabbed some momentum, the offense gave the ball back. A prime example was the first play from scrimmage following a Chris LeFlore interception. Running back Kirby Griffin coughed the ball up and the Talons recovered.

That’s the maddening thing about this team, they make crucial mistakes every time they have a chance to take control of a game. It doesn’t help a rookie quarterback to be under constant pressure though and Jordan Jefferson took four more sacks tonight. Even when he did manage to scramble away from the pass rush he’d miss some open receivers or they would drop the ball. Conversely San Antonio’s leading receiver, Jomo Wilson, found himself wide open in the end zone and Nick Hill did not miss.

Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is really that simple. Sometimes it’s a matter of having enough playmakers. The playmakers are abundant on defense but on offense they are few and far between.

Coach Stingley mentioned how they keep trying to make the offensive scheme simpler and easier to execute but, as we have seen, there doesn’t seem to be progress coming. At what point do you stop trying to dumb down the offense and instead find players who can do more than the very basics of AFL football?

The Power brought in an offensive consultant Jon Lyles to show Mike Tomczak the ropes and to the naked eye it sure seems as though he has taken over most of the play calling. Today’s offense failed because of execution.

Mike Washington admitted in the post-game press conference how it is frustrating to see the same players making the same mistakes repeatedly. While he would not clarify who he is talking about, you have to wonder how much longer this team can watch the same story and not change the channel, or at least change a few faces on this roster.

You need to do that just to show some accountability. I’ve heard numerous times in the past few years how players are always a phone call away from being replaced if they don’t perform. It’s clear as day some players on this team aren’t performing and yet we’ve seen very few roster moves to try and shake things up. Jordan Jefferson keeps trotting out there and making the same mistakes over and over again., the offensive line continues to get beat on the edges and receivers continue to make crucial drops.

The very fact this team hangs around and competes in these games is a testament to how good this Power defense has played. Imagine how good this team could be if the offense got up to even average AFL standards?

Shane Austin came into the game and once again the Power offense moved down the field and scored two touchdowns under his leadership. Isn’t it time to finally end this Jordan Jefferson experiment and go with Austin?

Like this Talons game, there is so much within reach of this Power team if they can fix some of these major issues and start winning some football games. Philadelphia has stumbled to a 2-3 start and sits just one game ahead of the Power and despite this awful start the Power remains tied for the fourth playoff spot in the American Conference.

This team can get where they want to go this season if they start making some tough choices right now. Stand pat and keep doing the same thing and we’ll be watching the same episode on Nick-At-Nite again, only it’s not quite as funny the 10th time you’ve seen it.

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28 Apr

Steelers Draft LB Williams

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 – 1:56 pm

VINCE WILLAMS
Linebacker
Florida State University Seminoles
6-1 – 250
Davenport, Florida
Ridge Community High School
6th Round – 206th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Played in 50 games during his career, starting 26 games during his final two seasons … recorded 140 tackles (86 solo), three sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, seven passes defensed and one interception … earned All-ACC Honorable Mention, Phil Steele Postseason All-ACC Second Team honors and was a Under Armour Senior Bowl selection.

2012 SEASON
Senior who started all 14 games for FSU at the middle linebacker spot…helped Florida State’s defense lead the nation in yards allowed per play (3.86), rank second nationally in total defense (254.14 ypg) and rank in the top six nationally in scoring defense (14.71 ppg), rushing defense (92.29 ypg), pass defense (161.86 ypg), pass efficiency defense (95.43) and opponent three-and-outs (6.29 per game)finished fourth on the team with 59 tackles as he eclipsed 50 tackles for the second straight season…recorded five or more tackles in seven of his 14 games…set a career-high with 10 tackles in the Orange Bowl win over Northern Illinois which included his first sack of the season…set a career high with 6.5 tackles for loss for the season and a new career best with two stops behind the line in the ACC Championship Game win over Georgia Tech…had a big game in a key road win at Virginia Tech recording five tackles, a tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery…recorded tackles for loss in four of the last five games…named one of four team captains and given the Leadership Award on defense at the team’s annual banquet.

2011 SEASON
A redshirt junior, who started 12 of 13 games at middle linebacker in his first season with an expanded role…ranked fifth on the team with 54 tackles (30 solo, 24 assisted)…also added five tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and three pass break-ups…earned his first career start against ULM and had a game-high and a career-best seven tackles…had six tackles versus Oklahoma and five at Clemson…had three tackles and a sack at Duke…tied for team-lead and matched his career-best with seven tackles against Maryland…ended the season recording five tackles in the Champs Sports Bowl win over Notre Dame…received one of two awards for best attitude on the defense at the team’s annual banquet.

2010 SEASON
A redshirt sophomore who saw his first playing time since the 2008 season, when he missed all of the 2009 season with a back injury…was among the players who made the greatest strides in the offseason conditioning program since the arrival of strength coach Vic Viloria…earned playing time behind senior Kendall Smith at middle linebacker after enjoying an outstanding spring practice…registered a single-season high 17 tackles while participating in 11 of 14 games…posted a season-high five tackles (four solos) in the season opener against Samford…had three tackles in extended playing time against North Carolina…credited with two pass breakups which came against Oklahoma and UNC.

2009 SEASON
Battled a back injury that led to a redshirt season, though he returned to the practice field over the final month of the regular season.

2008 SEASON
Played in 12 games as a true freshman and finished second on the team among first-year defenders with 10 tackles…graduated early from high school and enrolled in January 2008, which allowed him to get up to speed in spring practice…had three tackles in each of his first two games – against Western Carolina and Chattanooga…was the back-up at middle linebacker…saw action in every game except the win at Miami.

HIGH SCHOOL
Earned a four-star ranking as an inside linebacker as a high school senior…named Polk County Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and all-county honors as a sophomore…amassed almost 300 tackles with 48 tackles for loss and 25 sacks over three varsity seasons…earned 3A second-team All-State honors as a senior…co-MVP of the Scout.com combine in Jacksonville…chose Florida State over LSU, Ohio State and Florida.

PERSONAL
Older brother of fellow Seminole Karlos who was a sophomore in 2012…born December 27, 1989.

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28 Apr

Steelers Draft WR Brown

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 – 1:49 pm

JUSTIN BROWN
Wide Receiver
University of Oklahoma Sooners
6-3 – 209
Wilmington, Delaware
Penn State Nittany Lions
Concord High School
6th Round – 186th Overall

CAREER NOTES
After playing at Penn State from 2009-11 transferred to Oklahoma for his final season … started 39 of 49 games played in his career, registering 146 receptions for 1,926 yards (13.2 avg.) with eight receiving touchdowns … recorded 637 yards on 71 career punt returns (9.0 avg.) with one touchdown.

2012 SEASON (Oklahoma)
Started all 13 games at wide receiver in his only season at Oklahoma … named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention as a wide receiver and return man by coaches … leads the team in punt returns and punt return yards while ranking second on the team in all-purpose yards (1,121), receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns … tied a school record with 15 catches and set a career high with 146 yards against Oklahoma State … recorded his first touchdown as a Sooner at Texas Tech.

2011 SEASON (Penn State)
Junior Started 11 games at Penn State … finished No. 20 in career receiving yards in program history … was the only Nittany Lion to have at least one catch in every game … second on the team with 35 receptions and 517 receiving yards and two touchdowns … led the team with 27 punt returns for 220 yards and was third with 737 all-purpose yards … had a 69-yard touchdown against Houston in the TicketCity Bowl … had four catches for 86 yards vs. Purdue.

2010 SEASON (Penn State)
Sophomore started eight games, playing in every game at Penn State … third on the team with 33 receptions for 452 yards and one touchdown … in first career start, made one grab for nine yards against Kent State … set then-career-bests with four catches for 84 yards in win over Temple … at Ohio State, caught five passes for 64 yards, including his first career touchdown reception … against No. 10 Michigan State, caught six passes for 106 yards, his first career 100-yard receiving game.

2009 SEASON (Penn State)
Freshman Played in 10 games … had five receptions for 78 yards on the year … also provided a spark for the punt return unit with seven returns … most notable game was a three-catch, 45-yard effort against Eastern Illinois … one of eight true freshmen to see playing time.

High School
Earned all-state honors as a wideout and defensive back for Coach George Kosanovich at Concord HS … recorded 27 catches for 500 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior season … Rivals.com named him a four-star recruit and the top prep player in Delaware in 2008 … as a junior, was named first-team all-state at defensive back and second-team all-state at wide receiver, as well as first-team all-county at wide receiver, defensive back and punter.

Personal
Son of Joel and Iris Brown with two older brothers, Joel and Jeremiah … Jeremiah played football at California University of Pennsylvania and a cousin, Christian LeMay, plays quarterback at Georgia … likes to go to the movies, play pool and hang out with friends … interested in becoming a sports broadcaster … born in Cheltenham, Pa.

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28 Apr

Steelers Draft DB Hawthorne

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 – 1:46 pm

TERRY HAWTHORNE
Cornerback
University of Illinois
6-0 – 190
East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis High School
5th Round – 150th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in both 2011 and 2012 … Played in 44 career games, making 26 starts and posting 163 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack, six interceptions, including two pick-sixes, and 28 passes defended … Helped lead Illinois to back-to-back bowl victories in 2010 (Texas Bowl) and 2011 (Kraft Fight Hunger) … Defensive MVP of the 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl … Anchored a 2011 Illini defense that ranked seventh nationally in total defense (286.2 ypg) and third nationally in pass defense (162.3 ypg)

2012 SEASON
Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by media … Earned Illinois Point Award as top Defensive Skill Player at annual postseason banquet … Led the team with seven passes defended (six PBUs and one INT) … Played in 11 games and started nine, making 44 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, six PBUs and one INT in senior season … Also returned 12 kicks for 255 yards (21.2 ypr), including an Illinois season-long of 45 at Ohio State … Recorded an interception, his first of the season, and five tackles, including one for a loss, at Northwestern … Posted 10 tackles, including career-highs in solos (9) and TFLs (2.0), recorded his first career sack and had a career-best six kickoff returns for a career-high 158 yards, including a career-long 45-yarder, at Ohio State … Broke up a pass, made one tackle and posted two kickoff returns, including a 27-yarder against Indiana … Missed Michigan game due to injury … Registered seven tackles before leaving the game due to injury at Wisconsin … Recorded four tackles and one PBU against Penn State … Registered four tackles, one PBU and a 25-yard kick return against Louisiana Tech … Made five tackles, including one TFL, and broke up a pass in season-opening win over Western Michigan … Named to the preseason watch list for the Paul Hornung Award … Named a preseason third-team All-Big Ten selection by Phil Steele.

2011 SEASON
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media … Played in all 13 games, making 11 starts at cornerback … Also took over punt return duties late in the season … Had 60 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, a team-high three interceptions and a team-high 11 passes defended on the season … Tied for the Big Ten lead in passes defended per game (0.85) … Earned Defensive Player of the Game honors in Illinois’ win over UCLA in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl after scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 39-yard interception return … Also recorded five tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a PBU, and returned four punts for 31 yards against UCLA … Recorded three tackles, a half-TFL and two PBUs against Minnesota … Led the Illini with a career-high 15 tackles, one forced fumble and one QB hurry against Wisconsin … Posted two tackles and one TFL and returned his first punt for six yards against Michigan … Recorded three tackles and one interception against Penn State … Led team with nine tackles, including a career-high eight solos, along with an interception and a career-high three PBUs against Western Michigan … Shared the team lead with eight tackles, including one TFL and a PBU in win over Arizona State … Recorded one tackle and one TFL against South Dakota State … Posted four tackles in season-opener against Arkansas State.

2010 SEASON
Played in eight games on the season, making one start … Missed five games (the first four games and the Minnesota game) due to injury … Had 28 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, three PBUs and one interception on the season … Made his first start of the season in the Texas Bowl, where he led the team with a career-high nine tackles, including seven solos, and 1.5 TFLs in the win over Baylor … Had four tackles and a half-TFL at Fresno State … Tallied two tackles and a PBU in win over Northwestern … Recorded three tackles and two PBUs at Michigan … Secured his only interception of the season and had four tackles and one TFL in win over Indiana … Tallied three tackles, including his first TFL of the season against Michigan State … Preseason first-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview … Preseason third-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports.

2009 SEASON
Earned Freshman All-Big Ten honors from The Sporting News … Played in all 12 games, making five starts … Had 30 tackles, five PBUs and one interception which was returned for a TD on the season … Recorded four tackles and a career-best three PBUs against No. 5 Cincinnati … Recorded first career interception and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown in win over Minnesota … Also had a career-high five solo tackles and a PBU against Gophers … Recorded season-best six tackles, including a touchdown saver from behind in win over Michigan … Returned four kickoffs for 74 yards, including a long of 22 against Penn State.

HIGH SCHOOL
Parade All-American … Named nation’s top receiver by Parade Magazine … USA Today All-American … Listed as the 58th-best player in the country by Rivals.com … SuperPrep All-American … SuperPrep Midwest Offensive Player of the Year … Champaign News-Gazette Player of the Year … St. Louis Post-Dispatch first-team All-State and All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year … Champaign News-Gazette All-State … Ranked No. 54 on PrepStar’s Dream Team … Named the No. 3 player in the Midwest by SuperPrep … MaxPreps first-team All-American … Named to the EA Sports All-America team … A four-star recruit by Rivals.com … MaxPreps top-100 player … Ranked the No. 6 wide receiver nationally by Rivals.com … Three-year starter for East St. Louis … No. 1 player in the state of Illinois by Rivals.com … A four-star recruit by Scout.com … Scored 28 touchdowns and recorded 1,009 receiving yards as a senior … Also ran back four interceptions for touchdowns … Averaged 21 yards per catch in 2008 … Played receiver, defensive back, punter and returned punts as both a junior and senior … Rated the 11th-best receiver by Scout.com … Registered 1,100 yards receiving as a junior and scored 15 touchdowns … Recorded 118 tackles and eight interceptions, three returned for touchdowns … Also posted a 44.8 punting average, 263 punt return yards and scored 132 points for his Illinois 7A State Championship team … Ranked the No. 12 receiver nationally by Tom Lemming … High school coach was Darren Sunkett.

PERSONAL
Born on Jan. 1, 1990 … Son of Diane Hawthorne and Ricky McGary … Enrolled in the general curriculum … Nickname is Black Cat … Chose Illinois over Arizona, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

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28 Apr

Steelers Draft QB Landry Jones

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 – 1:44 pm

LANDRY JONES
Quarterback
University of Oklahoma Sooners
6-3 – 221
Artesia, New Mexico
Artesia High School
4th Round – 115th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Jones started 50-of-52 games at Oklahoma, setting the school position record with 48 consecutive starts (previous mark was 34 by Steve Davis; 1973-75)…Shattered school and Big 12 Conference career-records and placed himself high on the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision record charts with 1,388 completions of 2,183 passes (63.58%) for 16,646 yards and 123 touchdowns…Scored three times on 132 carries for minus 375 yards…On 2,315 offensive plays, he amassed 16,271 yards in total offense and was responsible for 126 touchdowns…His passing yardage total ranks third in NCAA annals behind Case Keenum of Houston (19,217; 2007-11) and Timmy Chang of Hawaii (17,072; 2000-04), as his 16,646 yards topped the old conference mark of 15,793 yards by Graham Harrell of Texas Tech (2005-08) and shattered the previous Oklahoma record of 8,403 yards by Sam Bradford (2007-09)…His average of 320.12 yards per game passing is the eighth-best figure by an NCAA FBS performer…His 123 touchdowns placed fifth in major college annals, topped by Case Keenum (155), Kellen Moore of Boise State (142; 2008-11), Graham Harrell (134; 2005-08) and Colt Brennan of Hawaii (131; 2005-07)…His 123 scoring strikes surpassed the previous school mark of 88 by Sam Bradford…His 16,271 yards in total offense ranks third in college football history, chasing Timmy Chang (16,910) and Case Keenum (20,114) on the NCAA all-time chart…That total bettered the old Big 12 career-record of 15,611 yards by Graham Harrell and shattered the Sooners’ all-time mark of 8,439 yards by Sam Bradford…Jones’ 2,315 total plays broke the old league all-time record of 2,283 by Brad Smith of Missouri (2002-05)…His 2,183 pass attempts broke Graham Harrell’s previous Big 12 mark of 2,011 (only two players in conference history with at least 2,000 attempts in a career) and surpassed the old Sooners record of 1,025 by Josh Huepel (1999-2000)…Jones’ 1,388 pass completions bettered the previous school career record of 654 by Huepel and rank second in Big 12 history behind Graham Harrell’s NCAA record 1,403.

2012 SEASON
The fifth-year senior earned All-Big 12 Conference second-team accolades from the Associated Press and The NFL Draft Report, in addition to being named an honorable mention by the league’s coaches…Guided a unit that ranked fifth in the nation in passing (336.46 ypg), 12th in total offense (497.85 ypg) and 15th in scoring (38.15 ypg)…Jones finished 11th in the major college ranks with an average of 319.77 yards per game in total offense, as he completed 367-of-555 passes (66.13%) for 4,267 yards and 30 touchdowns…Carried 14 times and on 569 plays, he amassed 4,157 yards while guiding the Sooners to a 10-3 record…Threw for at least 300 yards in six contests, including a pair of consecutive 500-yard performances…His 367 pass completions rank second on the school season-record chart behind Jones’ 2010 total of 405…His 555 pass attempts placed third on that school annual record chart behind his record 617 from the 2010 season and 562 in 2011…His 4,267 yards passing rank fourth on the OU annual chart, topped by Jones’ 4,463 in 2011, 4,718 in 2010 and 4,720 by Sam Bradford in 2008…His 30 touchdown tosses are good for seventh on the Sooners’ season-record list, while his 4,157 yards in total offense rank fourth…In a 52-7 rout of Kansas, he hit on 20-of-29 tosses for 300 yards and three scores…That was followed by 356 yards on 35-of-51 attempts vs. Notre Dame…He bounced back with 32-of¬45 tries for 405 yards and four scores vs. Iowa State, marking the 14th time in school history a Sooner threw for 400 yards in a contest…For only the second time in Oklahoma annals, Jones generated 554 yards passing and six touchdowns on 38-of-51 throws vs. West Virginia. His six scoring strikes tied the school game-record Jones set in 2009 vs. Tulsa. His 554 yards broke his own OU record of 505 yards vs. Kansas State in 2011. His 38 completions are the third-best game total by a Sooner and his 554 yards in total offense established another school mark, along with placing fifth on the Big 12 game-record list (his passing yardage was also good for fifth in league game annals)…Jones recorded the third 500-yard passing game for his career (also only three ever by a Sooner) when he gained 500 yards with three touchdowns on 46¬of-71 passes the next week vs. Oklahoma State. His passing yardage is good for third on the school chart and his 46 completions topped the old OU game-record of 39 by Josh Huepel vs. Mississippi in 1999. His 71 attempts broke his own school record of 62 vs. Oklahoma State in 2010…In the Cotton Bowl, Jones closed out his career by hitting on 35-of-48 chances for 278 yards and a score vs. Texas A&M.

2011 SEASON
The Manning Award finalist would end his junior season as the owner of 13 program passing records, including become Oklahoma’s all-time passer with a then 12,379 career yards, which had ranked fifth in Big 12 Conference history…The All-Big 12 first-team pick by The NFL Draft Report guided a team that finished fifth in the nation in passing (349.38 ypg) and total offense (512.31 ypg) while the Sooners ended tenth in scoring (39.54 ppg)…Jones was the nation’s sixth-rated player with an average of 341.46 yards per game in total offense…His 355 pass completions rank third on the school season-record chart, while his 562 attempts are topped by Jones’ 2010 record 617 tries…He ranks third on the OU annual list with 4,463 yards passing and eighth with 29 touchdown tosses…Scored twice on 32 carries and generated 4,439 yards in total offense (third-best season total by a Sooner) on 594 offensive plays…Threw for over 300 yards eight times, with five 400-yard efforts that included a then career-best 505 yards (second on the school game-record list) on 35-of-47 tosses, along with five touchdowns vs. Kansas State…That was the third time in 2011 that Jones had five touchdowns in a game, accomplishing that feat a week before the KSU clash, when he connected on 30of-55 attempts for 412 yards vs. Texas Tech; and hit on 23-of-33 throws fore 425 yards in an October meeting vs. Ball State…Prior to the BSU game, he had completed 35-of-48 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns vs. Missouri…His final 400-yard performance for the year came vs. Baylor, as he threw for 447 yards on 36-of-51 attempts vs. the Bears.

2010 SEASON
Jones, the Sammy Baugh Award winner, earned honorable mention All-American from Sports Illustrated…The All-Big 12 Conference first-team pick by the Dallas Morning News and Kansas City Star, he added league second-team accolades from the Associated Press…Named the Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game after setting OU bowl records in yardage (429) and passing touchdowns (three) in Oklahoma’s win over Connecticut, the sophomore set school season-records by completing 405-of-617 passes (65.64%), topping the previous marks of 355 completions and 562 attempts by Jones in 2009…His 4,718 yards passing are topped by only Sam Bradford’s 4,720 in 2008 and is good for eighth on the conference annual record report…His 38 touchdown tosses rank third on the OU record list, topped by Bradford’s 50 scoring strikes in 2008 and Jason White’s 40 in 2003…His pass efficiency rating of 146.31 ranked second in the conference and was the eighth-best rating ever by a Sooner…Gained 4,590 yards in total offense, ranking behind Sam Bradford’s 4,767 yards in 2008 on the OU record chart. That yardage figure also ranks eighth on the Big 12 season-record list…Threw for over 300 yards ten times, with three of those contests generating at least 400 passing yards, including 453 with four touchdowns on 32-of-46 chances vs. Colorado; adding 468 yards and four scores on 37 pass completions (tied for third on the OU game list) of 62 throws (second-highest game total by a Sooner) vs. Oklahoma State before he connected on 34-of-49 throws for 429 yards and three touchdowns vs. Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl…His 59 pass attempts vs. Texas A&M (completed 36 for 290 and a score) ranks third on the OU game-record chart.

2009 SEASON
Jones started 10 of the 12 games he appeared in…The NFL Draft Report’s Freshman All-American placed third in the voting by the league’s coaches for Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year accolades…He led a team that ranked 11th in the nation in passing (289.23 ypg), as Jones finished 28th in the FBS with an average of 257.08 yards per game in total offense…His 261-of-449 passes (58.13%) rank eighth on the school season-record list and his 3,198 yards passing, along with 26 passing touchdown strikes both rank ninth in OU season annals…Generated 3,085 yards on 484 offensive snaps…Threw for over 300 yards three times, picking up 336 yards with a school game-record six touchdowns behind 25¬of-37 throws vs. Tulsa…Added four scores and 294 yards on 26-of-37 chances vs. Kansas State and 392 yards with five touchdowns while hitting on 24-of-39 passes in the Texas A&M clash…Finished his rookie season with 30-of-51 throws for 418 yards and three touchdowns to guide the Sooners to a 31-27 decision over Stanford in the Sun Bowl, as his 418 yards set a then school postseason record and rank second-best in Sun Bowl history.

2008 SEASON
Red-shirted as a freshman.

HIGH SCHOOL
Jones attended Artesia (N.M.) High School, playing football for head coach Cooper Henderson…Led his team to consecutive Class 4A state championships, throwing for a combined 7,013 yards and 89 touchdowns…The first title came during his junior season, as the All-State selection threw for 3,432 yards and 45 scores, also rushing for 294 yards and nine scores in 2006…As a senior, Jones earned EA Sports and Parade All-American honors, in addition to being a finalist for the Joe Montana Quarterback of the Year Award, given to the nation’s best prep passer…Selected as New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year in 2007, gaining 3,850 yards on 366 pass attempts and 44 touchdowns on his way to yet another state title…Finished his high school career by starring in the Under Armour ESPN All-American game…Rated the nation’s second-best multi-purpose quarterback by EA Sports and ESPN regarded him as the third-best passer in the prep ranks…Both Scout.com and Rivals.com placed him sixth on their national quarterback recruiting list, with Rivals also rating him the best overall player in the state of New Mexico.

PERSONAL
The Multidisciplinary Studies major married Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball guard Whitney Hand on July 6th, 2012…Landry was named after Dallas Cowboys Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry…Son of Kellye and Kevin Jones…Born 4/04/89…Resides in Artesia, New Mexico.

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28 Apr

Steelers Draft Safety Shamarko Thomas

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 – 1:42 pm

SHAMARKO THOMAS
Strong Safety
Syracuse University Orange
5-9 – 217
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Ocean Lakes High School
4th Round – 111th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Thomas started 39-of-48 games at strong safety for Syracuse, posting 263 tackles (177 solos) with four sacks for minus 35 yards and 16.5 stops for losses of 55 yards…Gained 27 yards on two interception returns and deflected four other tosses…Caused four fumbles and recovered three others.

2012 SEASON
Thomas was named All-American third-team by The NFL Draft Report and the team co-captain was a consensus All-Big East Conference first-team selection, in addition to earning Eastern College Athletic Conference Division I All-Star recognition…Started all 13 games, as he led the team with a career-high 88 tackles (62 solos), adding a 6-yard sack and 3.5 stops for losses of 9 yards…Ranked third in the league with three forced fumbles and had one fumble recovery…Gained 27 yards on the first two interceptions for his career…In the Northwestern clash, he tallied two tackles, including a sack for a loss of six yards, and forced a fumble…Recorded seven tackles, including six solo and one tackle for a loss of one yard, and recorded his first career interception vs. Southern California… Notched six tackles, including two solo vs. Stony Brook…At Minnesota, he registered a season-high nine tackles, including six solo tackles and then tied his season-high nine tackles which included seven solo tackles and one for a loss of one yard vs. Pittsburgh… At Rutgers, he tallied six tackles, including two solo and then earned a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for his effort vs. Connecticut, which included four solo tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception, which he returned 27 yards…At South Florida, he notched a team-high nine tackles, including six solo, and recovered a fumble that set up a touchdown…At Cincinnati, he again earned spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for his career-high 14 tackles, including 10 solo, and forced a fumble…Had six solo tackles vs. Louisville and at Missouri, the safety recorded six tackles, including four solo, followed by a Temple contest where he posted six tackles, including five solo…At the New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. West Virginia, he notched four tackles, including two solo and 0.5 for a loss of one yard.

2011 SEASON
Thomas was named All-Big East second-team by The NFL Draft Report, as he ranked third on the squad with 67 tackles (47 solos) in 10 starting assignments, adding three stops for losses of five yards, three pressures and a pass deflection…In the Wake Forest tilt, he had 10 tackles, including five solo…Collected six tackles, including five solo and one for a loss of one yard vs. Rhode Island… At USC, he made seven tackles with four solo stops…At Tulane, he recorded four tackles and had one pass break up…Added five tackles, including four vs. West Virginia and totaled eight tackles, including six solo vs. Syracuse…At Connecticut, he made seven tackles, including four solo, posting posted six tackles, including four solo in the South Florida contest and made six tackles, including five solo and one for a two-yard loss vs. Cincinnati…At Pittsburgh, he was in on eight tackles, including seven solo.

2010 SEASON
Thomas started nine of the 13 games he appeared in at strong safety…Ranked fourth on the team with 67 tackles (38 solos) that included two sacks for minus 19 yards and 3.5 stops for losses of 21 yards…Deflected three passes and advanced a fumble recovery three yards.

2009 SEASON
A member of ESPN.com’s All-Big East Conference freshman team, Thomas played in 12 games, starting seven contests – vs. Louisville, Rytgers and Connecticut as a strong safety; vs. Maine at right cornerback; and vs. West Virginia, Akron and Cincinnati at left outside linebacker…Registered 41 tackles (30 solos), a 10-yard dasck and 6.5 stops for losses of 20 yards…Also caused and recovered a fumble.

HIGH SCHOOL
Thomas attended Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, Va.) High School, playing football for head coach Chris Scott…Was a teammate of current Syracuse defensive end Brandon Sharpe… Was a two-sport standout, excelling in track and football…Led the team with 77 tackles and five interceptions as a junior…As a senior, Thomas was named All-State, All-Region and All-Tidewater first-team, as the two-time All-District selection would go on to set school records in career tackles, interceptions and defensive touchdowns…In his final campaign, he recorded a team-high 102 tackles, six interceptions, 11 pass deflections and one blocked field goal as a team captain, leading the squad to a 12-1 record on the way to garnering squad defensive MVP honors…Concluded his gridiron prep career by playing for the United States team that won the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship…In track, Thomas earned All-State honors competing in the 100-meter dash and as the anchor of the 4 x 100 relay that placed seventh in Virginia.

PERSONAL
Child and Family Studies major, enrolled in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics…Born Shamarko Lanell Thomas in February, 1991…Resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

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28 Apr

Steelers Draft Class

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk Radio on Sunday, April 28th, 2013 – 1:23 pm

PITTSBURGH ─ The Steelers added nine draft picks as well as agreeing to terms with 15 rookie free agents following the 2013 NFL Draft, the team announced today. The 24 rookies will participate in the team’s rookie minicamp next weekend, which runs Friday through Sunday, May 3-5.

The Steelers’ 2013 draftees include linebacker Jarvis Jones (1st round, 17th overall), running back Le’Veon Bell (2nd, 48th), wide receiver Markus Wheaton (3rd, 79th), safety Shamarko Thomas (4th a, 111th), quarterback Landry Jones (4th b, 115th), cornerback Terry Hawthorne (5th, 150th), wide receiver Justin Brown (6th a, 186th), linebacker Vince Williams (6th b, 206th) and defensive end Nicholas Williams (7th, 223rd).

The 15 undrafted rookies include defensive end Brian Arnfelt (Northwestern), linebacker Alan Baxter (Northern Illinois), guard Nik Embernate (San Diego State), wide receiver Reggie Dunn (Utah), offensive tackle Mike Farrell (Penn State), offensive tackle Mike Golic, Jr. (Notre Dame), defensive end Cordian Hagans (Louisiana-Lafayette), guard Chris Hubbard (UAB), defensive tackle Omar Hunter (Florida), long snapper Luke Ingram (Hawaii), center Joe Madsen (West Virginia), running back Curtis McNeal (USC), center Ivory Wade (Baylor), defensive tackle Anthony Rashad White (Michigan State) and wide receiver J.D. Woods (West Virginia).

Following is a list of the Steelers 2013 draft picks and rookie free agents:

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2013 DRAFT PICKS

No. in
Rnd. Rnd. Overall Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Age College
1. 17 17 Jarvis Jones LB 6-2 248 23 Georgia
2. 18 48 Le’Veon Bell RB 6-1 230 21 Michigan State
3. 17 79 Markus Wheaton WR 5-11 189 22 Oregon State
4a. * 14 111 Shamarko Thomas S 5-9 213 22 Syracuse
4b. 18 115 Landry Jones QB 6-4 225 24 Oklahoma
5. 17 150 Terry Hawthorne CB 6-0 195 23 Illinois
6a. 18 186 Justin Brown WR 6-3 207 22 Oklahoma
6b. ** 38 206 Vince Williams LB 6-1 233 23 Florida State
7. 17 223 Nicholas Williams DE 6-5 309 23 Samford

* Acquired 14th pick (111th overall) in the fourth round via a trade with the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers traded their 2014 third-round selection in return for the 111th overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft.
** Compensatory selection

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2013 ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

Player Pos. Ht. Wt. College
Brian Arnfelt DE 6-4 298 Northwestern
Alan Baxter LB 6-0 238 Northern Illinois
Nik Embernate G 6-4 304 San Diego State
Reggie Dunn WR 5-9 178 Utah
Mike Farrell T 6-6 303 Penn State
Mike Golic, Jr. T 6-4 300 Notre Dame
Cordian Hagans DE 6-4 299 Louisiana-Lafayette
Chris Hubbard G 6-4 286 UAB
Omar Hunter DT 6-0 318 Florida
Luke Ingram LS 6-5 258 Hawaii
Joe Madsen C 6-3 310 West Virginia
Curtis McNeal RB 5-7 191 USC
Ivory Wade C 6-4 313 Baylor
Anthony Rashad White DT 6-1 335 Michigan State
J.D. Woods WR 6-0 203 West Virginia

– 30 –

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27 Apr

Steelers Take WR Wheaton

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports Talk Radio on Saturday, April 27th, 2013 – 11:56 am

MARKUS WHEATON
Wide Receiver
Oregon State University Beavers
5-11 – 182
Chandler, Arizona
Chandler High School
Mountain Pointe High School
3rd Round – 79th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Wheaton appeared in 49 games for Oregon State, starting 30 consecutive contests at split end…Hauled in a school all-time record 227 passes, ranking third on the career chart with 2,994 yards receiving and sixth with 16 touchdown receptions…Added 631 yards with five scores on 83 carries (7.60 ypc), 68 yards on three punt returns (22.67 avg) and 81 yards on four kickoff returns (20.25 avg)…Scored 126 points as he recorded two solo tackles with a fumble recovery, also tallying 3,774 all-purpose yards on 346 touches, an average of 77.02 yards per game and 10.91 yards per play…His 227 grabs rank eighth in Pac-12 Conference history and topped the previous school mark of 222 by James Rodgers (2007¬11), joining Mike Hass (220; 2002-05) and James Newson (213; 2000-03) as the school’s only 200-catch performers…His 2,994 yards receiving is the third-best career total by a Beavers performer, surpassed by Mike Hass (3,924 yards) and James Newson (3,572)…Gained at least 100 yards receiving 11 times, tying Sammie Stroughter (2004-08) for third in OSU history behind Mike Hass (19) and James Newson (16)…His 16 touchdown receptions rank sixth on the school career-record list…His 73 catches as a junior rank tenth on the OSU season-record chart, as his 91 grabs as a senior tied the school mark first set by James Rodgers in 2009…Wheaton’s 986 receiving yards in 2011 placed 11th on the school annual record chart, and his 1,244 yards in 2012 placed sixth on that list…Wheaton is one of only 10 players in school history to record at least 10 receptions in a game more than once, and one of three with at least four contests that reached the century mark (10 vs. Oregon in 2010, 11 vs. Arizona State in 2011, 10 vs. Arizona and 12 vs. Nicholls State in 2012).

2012 SEASON
Wheaton received All-American second-team accolades from The NFL Draft Report, in addition to being named third-team by CBS Sports and honorable mention by Sports Illustrated…The team captain and Biletnikoff Award candidate added first-team All-Pac 12 Conference recognition, as the split end started all 13 games, extending his starting string to 30 consecutive contests…Along the way, he also extended his streak to 36 consecutive games with at least one catch, the longest by any active player in the Pac-12…The senior went on to set a school season-record with 91 receptions, tying Dwayne Jarrett of Southern California (2005) for ninth on the conference season-record chart and breaking the previous school annual mark of 90 catches by Mike Hass in 2005…His 1,244 receiving yards placed sixth on the OSU season-record list and 27th in league annals…His 11 touchdown catches are one shy of the school season-record of 12, set by James Newsom in 2002…Scored two more times on twenty carries for 142 yards (7.10 ypc), finishing with 78 points…Added two solo tackles while also recovering a fumble…Paced the Beavers with 1,402 all-purpose yards…Ranked second in the conference with 7.00 receptions per game, third with an average of 95.69 yards and 10th with 107.85 all-purpose yards per game…Generated 473 of his 1,222 receiving yards after the catch…Had at least 100 yards receiving in five contests, tying Sammie Stroughter (2006) for fifth on the OSU annual record list…Had at least seven receptions in nine contests, including in each of his first four contests, as he pulled down at least 10 balls twice…Scored at least one touchdown in eight games, producing three multiple-touchdown performances…Wheaton made eight catches for 87 yards and recovered his own fumble, as OSU prevailed in a 10-7 decision over Wisconsin in the season opener…In the UCLA clash, he generated 150 yards on nine receptions that included a touchdown, adding 10 yards on a fly sweep. It marked the 25th consecutive game that Wheaton caught at least one pass and his 150-yard effort marked the seventh time he had gained over 100 yards receiving in a game, matching Robb Thomas (1985-88) and James Rodgers (2007-11) for fifth all-time in Oregon State annals…Wheaton finished the Arizona game with a career-high 166 yards on ten receptions in a 38-35 win. His 166 yards topped his previous career-high of 150 receiving yards that he established the previous week vs. UCLA…The split end scored twice while snatching five balls for 66 yards, adding another touchdown on a reverse to stake the Beavers to a 42-24 triumph…The senior scored twice on four receptions for 108 yards vs. Arizona State, marking the third game that Whaton produced multiple scores as a receiver during 2012. He also added 57 yards on three carries vs. the Sun Devils…Followed with eight grabs for 100 yards and a score vs. Stanford…Scored via a reception and on an end-around carry, posting his fifth 100-yard receiving effort for the year, as he amassed 123 yards behind a career-high 12 receptions vs. Nicholls State. The only Beavers to ever catch more passes in a game were Mike Hass (14 vs. Arizona State in 2004), Shane Morales (13 vs. Stanford in 2008) and Jacquizz Rodgers (13 vs. Arizona in 2009).

2011 SEASON
A member of the Biletnikoff Award Watch List (given to the nation’s top receiver), Wheaton received All-Pac 12 Conference honorable mention, as his 73 receptions not only led the team and rank ninth on the school season-record list, but his average of 6.08 catches per game ranked fifth in the league…Had 120 passes targeted to him (caught 60.83%), good for 986 yards (13.51 ypc), the 10th-best receiving yardage total in OSU annals…Saw the opposition deflect 19 of the balls targeted to him (15.83%)…He had one touchdown and came up with crucial receptions that led to 14 Oregon State touchdowns and during seven other possessions that produced field goals…Had 58 first-down snatches (79.45%), as he converted 22 third-down throws and another on a fourth-down play…Gained at least 10 yards with 47 of his receptions (64.38%) that included 12 grabs for 20 yards or longer…Was tackled once for a loss and twice for no gain after the catch…Gained at least 100 yards receiving four times – vs. Sacramento State, Arizona State, Brigham Young and Washington, as he grabbed a season-high 11 balls in the Arizona State clash…Finished fourth on the team with 25 carries for 190 yards (7.60 ypc), as 11 of his attempts resulted in first downs, seven of his carries gained at least 10 yards, with two for longer than 20 yards…Had key reverses that led to five Oregon State touchdowns and two more on series that ended with field goals…Wheaton opened the season by recording the first of four 100-yard receiving performances for the 2011 campaign…For the second time during his college career, Wheaton registered at least 10 receptions (11) in a game, snaring 11 balls for 116 yards vs. Arizona State. For the fourth time during his time with OSU, he gained at least 100 yards receiving (116) in a contest…The receiver had his fifth 100-yard receiving performance for his career vs. Brigham Young, as he tallied 104 yards on eight catches. His fifth 100-yard receiving game as a Beaver broke his tie with Imani Percoats (1999) to take over sole possession of ninth place on the school career-record chart…In a 38-21 triumph over Washington on Senior Day, Wheaton sent the upper classmen home with a victory, as he not only led the team with seven receptions for 125 yards, but also paced the Beavers with 66 yards rushing on just three attempts in a 38-21 triumph. His sixth 100-yard receiving performance tied at OSU tied Robert Prescott (1997-2000) for seventh on the school all-time record list. It was also his fourth 100-yard receiving game for 2011, good for sixth on the OSU season-record chart.

2010 SEASON
Wheaton appeared in all 12 games, starting eight contests at split end (came off the bench vs. Louisville, Boise State, Arizona and Washington)…Led the team and tied for seventh in the Pac-10 Conference with 55 receptions on 90 passes targeted to him (61.11%)…Ranked ninth in the league while leading the Beavers with 675 receiving yards (12.27 ypc), as 35 of his grab s (63.64%) gained at least 10 yards, including eight for 20 yards or longer…Produced 40 first downs (72.73%), as he converted 16 third-down grabs and made five of his catches inside the red zone…Scored four times for the passing game, as he also had key receptions to set up 16 touchdown drives and on six possessions that led to field goals…Wheaton finished second on the team with 220 yards on 27 carries (8.15 ypc), as he scored twice on the ground and had key reverses that led to eight OSU touchdown drives and three field goals…Produced 11 first-down runs, with nine gaining at least 10 yards and four going for at least 20 yards…Set up another touchdown drive with a 52-yard punt return vs. Arizona State and briefly served as a kickoff returner vs. ASU and Arizona, totaling 81 yards on four runbacks (20.25 avg)… The sophomore finished third on the team with 1,028 all-purpose yards, an average of 85.67 yards per game and 11.82 yards per attempt.

2009 SEASON
As a true freshman, Wheaton appeared in 12 games and started the California clash as a split end…He collected eight receptions for 89 yards (11.13 ypc), tallying four first downs while converting a pair of third-down throws…Four of his grabs gained at least 10 yards, including two for 20 yards or longer…Had timely receptions that led to one OSU touchdown and three field goals… Carried 11 times for 79 yards (7.18 ypc) and one touchdown, as he posted four first-down runs that led to a quartet of Beavers touchdown drives.

HIGH SCHOOL
As a senior, Wheaton transferred to Chandler (Az.) High School, playing football for Wolves head coach Jim Ewan, helping lead the team to an 8-4 record to finish ranked 13th in the state in 2008…Rated the state of Arizona’s sixth-best athlete by Super Prep, he was listed as the nation’s 41st-best player by Rivals.com, as that recruiting service joined Scout.com in awarding the youngster three-star prospect status…The All-Fiesta League and All-Division V choice recorded 15 tackles with three pass deflections as a senior, as he also averaged 10.22 yards on nine punt returns and 27.0 yards on 10 kickoff returns…Toted the ball 29 times for 304 yards (10.48 ypc) with two touchdowns on the ground, adding four more scores behind 37 grabs for 736 yards (19.89 ypc) in 2008…Some of his senior season highlights featured three receptions for 61 yards and a 38-yard score, two carries for 16 yards and a 16-yard punt return vs. Ironwood; a 10-yard touchdown catch with 33 yards on four runs and a 23-yard punt return vs. Dobson; 173 yards behind seven receptions and three carries for 25 yards, including a 17-yard score vs. Desert Vista and 115 yards with a 40-yard touchdown on four rushes, in addition to a 20-yard catch, two tackles and a pass break-up in a 56-0 rout of Yuma…Delivered seven tackles (5 solos) vs. Corona del Sol; two catches for 120 yards and a 68-yard touchdown while setting up another score with a 62-yard kickoff return vs. Mesquite, followed by two tackles, a pass deflection, three kickoffs for 63 yards and five grabs for 106 yards, including a 39-yard score…His senior season ended with seven receptions for 129 yards and 17 yards on three end-around carries vs. Hamilton…Before he enrolled at Chandler High School, Wheaton and his brother, Marquese, attended Mountain Pointe (Phoenix, AZ) High School, playing football as a sophomore and junior for Pride head coach Phil Abbadessa…As a 144-pound wide receiver and defensive back, he made twelve catches for 286 yards (23.83 ypc) and three scores in 2006. He also blocked a field goal and recorded 18 tackles to earn All-Region honors…That year, some of his better performances came vs. Maryvale, where he caught a 41-yard pass for a touchdown. He had four receptions for 138 yards and a pair of touchdown in a 38-27 victory over Marcos de Niza…In 2007, Wheaton arrived back at Mountain Pointe checking in at 155 pounds. The team struggled to a 4-6 record, but the two-way player paced the Pride with 315 yards with four touchdowns on 43 carries (7.33 ypc), as he also caught 23 passes for 476 yards (20.70 ypc) with six scores and averaged 23.69 yards on 13 kickoff returns. The All-Region and All-Class 5A Central League selection also posted 49 tackles (21 solos) with an interception, returning a blocked punt 10 yards and a fumble recovery 24 yards…Some of his junior highlights featured 95 yards and a score on eight carries, adding four tackles vs. Chavez; three grabs for 30 yards to go with seven tackles and an interception vs. Sunnyside; three runs for 38 yards and a 28-yard score vs. St. Mary’s; four catches for 80 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown as he also returned four kicks for 101 yards and posted four tackles vs. Horizon before he had six tackles, a fumble recovery he returned 24 yards, two kickoffs for 32 yards and three catches for 38 yards with a 26-yard score vs. Hamilton…Also carried 10 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns with a long of 29 yards while chipping in with five tackles vs. Cibola; adding three receptions for 100 yards and a 72-yard score, a 10-yard punt return, 13 yards on three carries and a trio of tackles vs. Mountain Ridge, followed by seven runs for 78 yards, seven tackles, three kickoff returns for 94 yards and two grabs for 23 yards vs. Corona del Sol…Closed out his 2007 season with four receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns, including an 85-yarder vs. Basha before he produced nine tackles (6 solos) with a 51-yard score behind two catches for 58 yards vs. Desert Vista and then blocked a field goal try vs. Alhambra.

PERSONAL
Public Health major…Participated in the initial “Beavers Without Borders” trip during spring break of 2011, as he traveled to Guatemala to build a house for a needy family…Son of Katrina and Odis Wheaton…Father played basketball for NAIA Division II Howard Payne University…Brother, Marquese, was a teammate of Markus at Mountaine Pointe High School. He went to Phoenix Community College, earning All-Arizona Community College Athletic Conference honors after recording 39 tackles with three interceptions in 2009. He transferred to Southern Mississippi for the 2010-11 seasons, earning All-Conference USA honors as a senior, when he produced a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Navy, recovered a fumble vs. Rice that he advanced 75 yards for a score and blocked a field goal that he returned 79 yards for a touchdown vs. Navy in 2011. That year, the field cornerback also sealed a win over Southern Methodist with a pair of fourth quarter interceptions. In 25 games spanning two seasons at USM, he recorded 73 tackles (47 solos) with 2.5 stops for loss, 14 pass deflections and five interceptions…Their cousin is former University of Oregon standout defensive back, Kenny Wheaton (1994-96). Kenny was selected in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, playing for the pokes from 1997-99. In 2002, he played for the Detroit Fury in the Arena Football League before heading north to Canada, where he played for the Toronto Argonauts from 2003-08. Along with his brother Derrek, they attended McClintock High School, where they played varsity football, basketball, and baseball. At Oregon, Kenny was named the team’s outstanding player in 1996, adding All-Pac 10 Conference honors. In 1994, as a freshman, he led the Ducks with 73 tackles (96 solos) and four interceptions for 157 yards that included a 97-yard touchdown, the second-longest runback in school history. He is tied for the Oregon all-time record with three interception returns for touchdowns, adding five thefts for 128 yards and a 71-yard score in 1995 and two for 95 yards that included a 70-yard touchdown in 1996. His 350 yards via interception returns set the school career-record…Wheaton’s cousin, Andre Bailey, also played football at McClintock High School and went on to play college football at Mesa Community College before attending the University of Texas-El Paso…Wheaton has also been a long-time member of the university’s “Beavers Without Bordors” group, which consists of current and former Oregon State student-athletes who have taken trips to Guatemala (Spring Break 2011), Macedonia (Summer 2011) and Ethiopia (summer 2012). On those trips the group assisted a building of a house for needy families. There were matching funds, but many of these student-athletes did their own fundraising for the trips…Born 2/07/91 in Phoenix, Arizona.

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