Sam Shields

Fastest Hurricane with a 4.20 40-yard dash time … Made move to defensive back in spring 2009 after spending first three seasons as a wide receiver … Shined as a gunner on special teams in 2008 and was named UM’s Special Teams Player of the Year.

2008 (JUNIOR): Played in all 13 games as either a wide receiver or the gunner on special teams … Voted UM’s Special Teams Player of the Year … Started as a wide receiver at Texas A&M, against Florida State and against Cal in the Emerald Bowl … Had 11 catches for 124 yards … Made a season-high three catches for 32 yards at Virginia, including a big third-down catch for a 13-yard gain that kept Miami’s game-tying 15-play, 95-yard drive alive in the overtime win … Also had a pair of catches against Charleston Southern and Florida State.

2007 (SOPHOMORE): Started five of the 10 games he played in and caught 27 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns … Best game of the season came against Texas A&M, when he caught six passes for a career-high 117 yards … Averaged 12.8 yards per catch … Started games against Oklahoma, FIU, at Florida State and Boston College … Against Texas A&M, led the team with the six receptions for 117 yards … Had a 51-yard catch – the third of his career -that led to a touchdown against the Aggies … At North Carolina, led the team with five receptions for 80 yards, including a four-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Wright … Against Georgia Tech, led the team with four receptions for 22 yards and caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Wright in the fourth quarter … At Virginia Tech, finished with a team-high six receptions for 81 yards … At Boston College, started and had a team-high five receptions for 39 yards, including a two-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

2006 (FRESHMAN): Played in all 13 games – starting seven times – and caught at least one pass in every game … Named honorable mention Freshman All-America by The Sporting News … One of eight UM players who were selected to the 2006 ACC Academic Football Team … Had 37 receptions (third on the team) for 501 yards (second), a 13.5-yard average and four touchdowns (tied for the team lead) … His 37 catches were the most by a Miami true freshman since Reggie Wayne caught 48 passes in 1997 … Caught three passes for 12 yards in his first collegiate game vs. Florida State … Made his first start in a three-WR formation at Louisville and caught three passes for 63 yards, including a 49-yarder … Started vs. North Carolina and recorded his first career touchdown reception in the first quarter – a 37-yard touchdown pass from safety Lovon Ponder on a trick play … Started vs. FIU and caught six passes for 88 yards, including a 54-yarder that set up a touchdown… Started at Duke and hauled in six receptions for 88 yards … Also scored two touchdowns versus the Blue Devils on passes of 18 and 26 yards from Kyle Wright for the first multi-TD game of his career … Started the MPC Computers Bowl vs. Nevada and had his first 100-yard game as a Hurricane, leading the team with four receptions for 101 yards against the Wolfpack … Scored on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Kirby Freeman that proved to be the winning score in the bowl game and marked the team’s longest pass of the season.

HIGH SCHOOL: One of the nation’s top wide receiver recruits … As a senior in 2005, caught 67 passes for 1,201 yards and 22 touchdowns to lead his school to the Class 3A state championship game with 44 of his 67 receptions were either touchdowns or first downs … Also returned two punts for touchdowns and averaged 44 yards per kickoff return, and had more than 200 yards on fake punts and reverses … As a junior, finished the season with 42 receptions for more than 800 yards and eight touchdowns and added two touchdowns on kickoff returns … As a sophomore in 2003, had 24 catches for 850 yards and 12 touchdowns … Hails from the same high school that produced Baraka Atkins and former UM tight end Chris Zellner … Rated the No. 17 wide receiver by Rivals.com, the No. 28 wideout by Scout.com, No. 9 by ESPN, No. 17 by PrepStar, and No. 13 by Collegefootballnews.com … Ranked the No. 14 player on Miami Herald’s list of state’s top 25 players … Rated No. 16 on the Orlando Sentinel’s Florida Top 100 list … Member of the PrepStar 200 and ranked the No. 17 wide receiver … Ranked the No. 5 wide receiver on the Florida Times-Union Super 75 … Coached by Fred Gilmore.

SAM SHIELDS’ CAREER STATISTICS

Additional statistics: 3 rushes for minus-11 yards in 2006

SAM SHIELDS’ CAREER HIGHS
Receptions: 6, four times (last at Virginia Tech 2007)
Receiving Yards: 117 (vs. Texas A&M 2007)
Long Reception: 78 (vs. Nevada 2006)
Touchdown Receptions: 2 (at Duke 2006)