Vince Wilfork

AT MIAMI: Legitimate candidate for the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Award and Outland Trophy… a first-team Preseason All-American by The Sporting News for 2003… rated the nation’s no. 2 defensive tackle by The Sporting News entering the 2003 season… outstanding interior lineman and one of the nation’s finest defensive linemen… widely heralded as one of college football’s top defensive players… a dominating player in the mold of former Miami greats Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy and Russell Maryland… a gifted natural athlete who set the UM indoor shot put record three times during the 2001 track season.

2002 (SOPHOMORE): Ranked 11th on the team in tackles, despite not starting a game… credited with 43 tackles (19 solos), 15 tackles for loss (46 yards), seven sacks (28 yards), eight quarterback hurries, one pass deflection and a forced fumble… played in 12 of 13 games… made one tackle, for a seven-yard loss, in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State… had two tackles against Virginia Tech, including a quarterback sack… made one tackle at Syracuse, for a loss of two yards, and deflected a pass… made three stops against Pittsburgh, including a quarterback sack and was credited with two hurries… missed the Tennessee game to be with his mother as she recovered from a stroke… made four tackles, including a sack and three tackles for a loss against Rutgers… made three tackles, including two solos, against the Mountaineers… registered four tackles, including two solos, against Florida State… made three tackles, including a sack and a tackle for a loss, and forced a fumble against Connecticut… had two tackles against Boston College… recorded five tackles (4 solo), including one for a loss of a yard against Temple… registered two assisted tackles, one an assisted quarterback sack for a two-yard loss, in the victory at Florida… started for the first time at UM in the season opener against Florida A&M… celebrated that starting debut by making six tackles (five solos), including 3.5 for losses of 19 yards and two quarterback sacks for 16 yards in losses.

2001 (FRESHMAN): Showed his spectacular ability during his true freshman season… proved to be one of the most disruptive defensive players in the Miami arsenal as the season progressed… working as a reserve tackle, Wilfork provided a startling change of pace for offensive linemen… finished 10th on the team in tackles despite not starting a game… played extensively as Miami rotated as many as nine defensive linemen each game… frequently bowled over opposing linemen on the way to the quarterback… led all Miami freshmen in tackles with 41 (24 unassisted), including 11 for losses totaling 23 yards… had one quarterback sack, caused three fumbles and recovered two fumbles… garnered 15 quarterback hurries… had the benefit of practicing in the spring after enrolling at Miami in January of 2001… made his UM debut with two tackles and five quarterback hurries in the season opener at Penn State… had seven tackles (three unassisted), including three stops for losses and a forced fumble, in the 61-0 win over Rutgers… had three stops at Pittsburgh… made two tackles in a 38-7 win over Troy State… had five tackles, including a quarterback sack, in the 49-27 win over Florida State… made five unassisted tackles and had two stops for losses, in addition to a forced fumble, in the 45-3 win over West Virginia… made three tackles against Temple… had two tackles against Boston College… had two tackles for losses and three stops overall in the 59-0 win over Syracuse… matched his season high with seven tackles (five solos) and forced a fumble in Miami’s 65-7 win over Washington… had two tackles and recovered a fumble in the 26-24 season-ending win at Virginia Tech.

HIGH SCHOOL: Santaluces… regarded as one of Florida’s top three defensive linemen after the 1999 season… USA Today Second-Team All-American… a SuperPrep All-American, rated the No. 10 defensive lineman nationally… rated the No. 10 defensive lineman in the Southeast Region by PrepStar… listed as the No. 7 overall prospect in Florida by SuperPrep… named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100… named to the Dallas Morning News National Top 100… named the No. 2 defensive tackle in Florida on the Florida Times-Union Super 75 list… listed as a National Blue Chip All-American nose tackle by recruiting analyst Max Emfinger… timed at 5.2 in the 40… made 88 tackles as a junior, while being double-teamed… finished his senior season with 72 tackles, with 11 sacks… finished second in the state in the Class 6A shot put and discus… coached by Ray Berger.

PERSONAL: Chose Miami over Florida, FSU, Alabama, Michigan and Kansas State… son of David and Barbara Wilfork.

WILFORK’S CAREER STATISTICS

WILFORK’S 2002 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

WILFORK’S 2001 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS