Jonathan Vilma

AT MIAMI: The leader of the defense at middle linebacker… has been an impressive player since the beginning of his UM career… an excellent student-athlete… led the team in tackles both of the last two seasons… an excellent scholar-athlete who earned BIG EAST All-Academic Team honors in 2001 and 2002, one of a league-high 10 Hurricanes to earn that accolade the last two seasons… a Butkus Award Semi-Finalist in 2002… a unanimous first-team All-BIG EAST selection by the league’s head coaches… a first-team Verizon Academic All-American in 2002… the University of Miami’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2002-03 academic year… the recipient of the 10th Annual Walter Kichefski Football Scholarship Endowment Award, presented annually to the top scholar-athlete of the football program by the Kichefski family and the UM Athletic Hall of Fame… rated the nation’s no. 3 middle linebacker and a second-team Preseason All-American by The Sporting News for 2003.

2002 (JUNIOR): Led the team in tackles with 133 (75 solos) and had two quarterback sacks… earned unanimous first-team All-BIG EAST honors by league head coaches… was a first-team Verizon Academic All-American and All-District III selection… one of 11 semi-finalists for the Butkus Award, joining teammate D.J. Williams on that list to honor college football’s top linebacker… had eight tackles for losses totaling 13 yards, a forced fumble, recovered two fumbles (returned one for a touchdown), broke up five passes and had four quarterback hurries… had a team-best 14 tackles (five solos) in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State… had eight tackles and a quarterback sack against Virginia Tech… made 12 tackles (seven solos) and had two quarterback hurries at Syracuse… had 12 tackles (six solos), including one for a loss, against Pittsburgh… had a game-high eight stops (five solos) in the 26-3 win over Tennessee… spearheaded a defensive effort that held the Volunteers without a touchdown for the first time in 105 games… had nine tackles (six solos), including a stop for a loss and broke up two passes in the win at Rutgers… made a game-high 15 stops (14 solos) in the win at West Virginia… led all defenders with a career-high 20 tackles (12 solos) in the win over Florida State… also had a tackle for a loss, two quarterback hurries and broke up a pass against the Seminoles… made five tackles against Connecticut… had 10 tackles (seven solos) and returned a fumble recovery two yards for a touchdown in the 38-6 win over Boston College… had six tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble in the win at Temple… made eight tackles (five solos) and broke up two passes in the win at Florida… had six tackles in the season opener against Florida A&M… one of four players to serve as team captains, joining QB Ken Dorsey, C Brett Romberg and DT Matt Walters.

2001 (SOPHOMORE): Led the team in tackles with 79 (54 solos) during the regular season… an exceptional student-athlete who took control of the defense in his sophomore season… started 11 of 12 games, missing the West Virginia game with an ankle injury… fought back from a knee injury that required surgery and caused him to miss all but two practices of spring workouts to take over the starting spot at middle linebacker… took over the spot vacated by former Miami great Dan Morgan, the 2000 Butkus, Nagurski and Bednarik Award winner… developed into a playmaker in the middle as the season progressed… should contend for national recognition in 2002 after earning First-Team All-BIG EAST recognition from the league’s head coaches… also a member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team… had three games of double-digit tackles in 2001… began the season with five stops, including one for a four-yard loss, and forced a fumble in the win at Penn State… forced a fumble and recovered a fumble while tallying four tackles in the rout of Rutgers… had seven tackles against Pittsburgh… had a career-high 12 tackles (six solos) against Troy State… made nine tackles and returned a fumble 36 yards for a touchdown in Miami’s 49-27 win at Florida State, snapping FSU’s 54-game home unbeaten streak… missed the West Virginia game with a high ankle sprain… garnered 10 tackles in the shutout of Temple… had eight stops (seven solos) in a 59-0 win over Syracuse… notched his first interception and had seven tackles against Washington, returning the pickoff 16 yards to set up Miami’s first touchdown in a 65-7 victory… matched his career-high with eight solo tackles and had 11 stops overall in the victory at Virginia Tech… made two thunderous hits to keynote an outstanding performance in Miami’s 37-14 victory over Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl… credited with eight tackles (six unassisted), including three for losses totaling 13 yards, one quarterback sack (nine yards) and a forced fumble in the win over Nebraska that gave Miami its fifth national championship… earned one of five Awards of Distinction from the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club, recognizing top non-seniors to watch nationally.

2000 (FRESHMAN): Named a first-team Freshman All-America by Rivals.com… played in all 11 games as a reserve middle linebacker… had 38 tackles (29 solos) and five tackles for losses totaling nine yards… began the season with 10 tackles (eight solos) against McNeese State… made four tackles at West Virginia… had six stops (four solos) and a tackle for loss at Rutgers… had four tackles (all solos) and a tackle for a two-yard loss in the 27-24 win over top-ranked Florida State… made three tackles against Louisiana Tech… Had four tackles against Pittsburgh… made four tackles while playing for an extended period in the 26-0 victory at Syracuse… made two tackles, including a stop for a four-yard loss, in the season finale against Boston College… had two unassisted tackles in Miami’s 37-20 win over Florida in the Nokia Sugar Bowl.

HIGH SCHOOL: Coral Gables… listed as the No. 83 overall prospect in Florida by SuperPrep… credited with 11 sacks and 138 tackles as a senior… set school record with 109 solo tackles as a senior… a Miami Herald Class 6A-5A All-Dade first-team selection… rated sixth-best overall player in Dade County and 20th-best player in the state of Florida by Miami Herald… named the No. 4 outside linebacker in Florida by the Florida Times-Union Super 75 list… regarded as one of the nation’s top-60 players by Florida Prep Football… three-year letterwinner and two-year team captain in football… two-year letterwinner in basketball… timed at 4.5 in the 40… coached by Joe Montoya.

PERSONAL: Chose the Hurricanes over Florida State, Florida, Pittsburgh and Iowa… son of Fritz Vilma and Nelly Banatte.

“I think our players understand how hard he works and, to be in that role, it’s important that you lead by example. Everybody around him on this defense, I think, looks up to him and sees what he’s done.”
– Vernon Hargreaves
U.M. Linebackers Coach

VILMA’S CAREER STATISTICS

VILMA’S 2002 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

VILMA’S 2001 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS

VILMA’S 2000 GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS