| Michael Griffin |
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Safety
6-0 · 205
Austin, Texas (Bowie)
#27
Talented, aggressive and hard-hitting fourth-year defensive back ... former prep running back who developed into one of the nation's top safeties ... named a semifinalist for the 2006 Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year) ... tabbed a second-team All-American by The Associated Press and the Walter Camp Football Foundation ... has appeared in 50 career games with 28 starts and posted 364 tackles, 15 TFL, four sacks, eight INTs, 23 PBU, nine forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and a UT-record eight blocked punts ... his 364 tackles rank eighth on UT's all-time list ... his eight blocked punts rank second on the NCAA all-time list and first on UT's list ... started all 13 games at free safety in 2006 ... earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from The Associated Press and the league's coaches ... led the team with 126 tackles ... started 12 of 13 games in 2005 at free safety ... a second-team All-Big 12 selection ... led the team with 124 tackles ... tied UT's single-season record with four blocked punts ... played in all 12 games and started one in 2004 ... registered 49 tackles ... played in 12 games and started two at strong safety as a true freshman in 2003 ... led the team in special teams tackles with 21 and was seventh overall in tackles with 65 ... a former high school running back who rushed for 2,127 yards in his final two prep seasons ... a two-time member of UT's Athletics Director's Honor Roll ... drafted with the 19th pick in the first round by the Tennessee Titans in the 2007 NFL Draft.
SENIOR (2006)
Started all 13 games at free safety in 2006 ... a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year) ... tabbed a second-team All-American by The Associated Press and the Walter Camp Football Foundation ... earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from The Associated Press and the league's coaches ... named one of the Frank Denius Most Valuable Special Teams Players ... helped UT give up only 61.2 yards rushing per game (third NCAA), 297.4 yards per game (22nd NCAA) and 18.3 points per game (25th NCAA) ... the 61.2 yards rushing per game ranks second on UT's all-time list ... led the team with 126 tackles to go along with four TFL, a sack, four INT, 10 PBU, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked punts ... recorded six tackles, including a TFL, a PBU and a fumble recovery in season opener versus North Texas ... posted 14 tackles against No. 1 Ohio State ... added eight tackles at Rice ... tallied 11 tackles, a PBU and an INT against Iowa State ... recorded six tackles, a PBU and blocked the seventh punt of his career ... posted 11 tackles, including a TFL, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery versus No. 14 Oklahoma ... had six tackles, a forced fumble and a PBU against Baylor ... notched eight tackles, including a TFL, an INT and a pressure at No. 17 Nebraska ... posted 16 tackles and two PBU at Texas Tech ... had five tackles, a forced fumble, an INT and two pressures against Oklahoma State ... recorded 10 tackles, including a sack, an INT, a forced fumble, two PBU and a pressure at Kansas State ... added 15 tackles against Texas A&M ... notched 10 tackles and a PBU versus Iowa in the Alamo Bowl.
JUNIOR (2005)
Started 12 of 13 games at strong safety ... a second-team All-Big 12 selection ... key member of a defense that ranked 10th nationally in total defense (302.9 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (16.4 ppg), fourth in pass efficiency defense (96.7) and eighth in passing defense (172.0 ypg) ... led the team with 124 tackles along with four TFL, three INTs, eight PBU, three fumble recoveries and one caused fumble ... tied UT's single-season record with four blocked punts ... posted four tackles and a TFL against La.-Lafayette ... led the team with 12 tackles at No. 4 Ohio State ... notched seven tackles, including a TFL, and a PBU against Rice ... posted his second 10-tackle game with 11 tackles, three PBU and fumble recovery at Missouri ... had his second consecutive 10-tackle game with 10 stops, an INT and a PBU against Oklahoma ... recorded nine tackles and a pressure versus No. 24 Colorado ... led the team with 14 tackles, three pressures, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and blocked a punt against No. 10 Texas Tech ... tallied 11 tackles, a pressure, a PBU and blocked a punt at Oklahoma State ... was limited to 16 snaps due to an injury but still managed four tackles and an INT at Baylor ... added four tackles against Kansas on only 37 plays ... matched UT's highest single-game total since 1992 with 23 tackles, including a TFL, and blocked a punt that was returned for a TD at Texas A&M ... tallied five tackles, a PBU, a fumble recovery and blocked a punt that was recovered for a TD in the Big 12 Championship ... posted eight tackles, broke up a pass and made a crucial interception in Texas' end zone to halt a USC drive in UT's 41-38 victory for the National Championship.
SOPHOMORE (2004)
Played in all 12 games and started one ... registered 49 tackles, two TFL, one sack, two pressures, three PBUs, two blocked punts, one INT, a fumble recovery and a caused fumble ... tallied a team-high 11 special teams tackles ... part of a defense that allowed just 320.1 yards per game (23rd NCAA) and 17.9 points per game (18th NCAA) ... had one tackle versus North Texas ... recorded five tackles and recovered a fumble in UT territory at Arkansas ... recorded two tackles and a PBU against Rice ... registered a season-high nine tackles and a blocked punt that resulted in a safety versus Baylor ... made five tackles against Missouri ... started with UT in the nickel package and tallied eight tackles at Texas Tech ... had five tackles, two TFL, a forced fumble and an INT at Colorado ... the forced fumble led to a 17-yard TD drive and a 21-7 lead in the third quarter ... the interception occurred on the next Buffaloes possession and led to a 20-yard TD drive ... made one tackle versus No. 19 Oklahoma State ... recorded two tackles, a PBU, a pressure and blocked his second punt of the season against No. 22 Texas A&M ... the blocked punt came on the Aggies first possession of the second half and was returned for a TD to tie the game, 13-13 ... registered four tackles versus No. 13 Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
FRESHMAN (2003)
Played in 12 games as the primary backup at strong safety and started versus Texas Tech and Washington State with UT in the nickel package ... shared UT's Outstanding Defensive Newcomer honors ... recorded 65 tackles (51 solo), five tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one pressure ... led the team with 21 special teams tackles ... registered five tackles in his first career game (New Mexico State) ... matched the five tackles against Tulane and No. 1 Oklahoma, making four special teams tackles in each game ... had a season-high two sacks and his first career forced fumble at Iowa State ... recorded a season-high eight solo tackles at Baylor (six on defense and two on special teams) ... forced his second fumble of the season at No. 21 Oklahoma State ... made his first career start versus Texas Tech ... registered seven tackles in that game ... notched a season-high 10 tackles, while matching his season-high of eight solo tackles, and recovered a fumble at Texas A&M ... the fumble recovery came with Texas leading 20-15 in the third quarter and allowed the Longhorns to extend the lead to 28-15 on the ensuing drive, beginning a 26-0 run to end the game ... tied his season high with 10 tackles (seven solo) and recorded his third forced fumble of the season versus No. 15 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Jeff Ables at Bowie High ... two-year starter at running back ... also started at defensive back as a senior ... rushed for 2,127 yards and 25 TDs along with averaging 23.4 yards per catch in his final two seasons ... earned honorable mention all-state (5A) honors at RB as a senior ... also named All-Central Texas at both RB and DB and tabbed the District 25-5A Offensive MVP that year ... rushed for 1,181 yards and 11 TDs on 132 carries and caught six passes for 112 yards and a score in 2002 ... added 46 tackles, three PBUs and a forced fumble on defense ... top games of the season were in wins against Hays Consolidated (226 yards, three TDs) and Austin (207 yards, three TDs) ... earned all-district honors as a junior after rushing for 946 yards and 14 TDs on 126 attempts and making 11 receptions for 286 yards and four TDs ... also earned three letters in track & field (sprint & mile relays) and two in basketball (guard/forward) ... qualified for regionals in track after posting bests of 10.64 (100m) and 22.10 (200m) as a senior.
PERSONAL
Born 1/4/85 in Austin ... full name is Michael Devin Griffin ... a two-time member of UT's Athletics Director's Honor Roll ... majoring in liberal arts ... an honors student who was an academic all-district performer as a prepster ... served in community service projects in the Austin area ... his twin brother, Marcus, also is a defensive back at UT ... his parents, Ronald and Mae, are both retired from the military ... enjoys spending time with his friends and watching movies in his free time.
CAREER STATISTICS
Defense
Year G/GS TT (Solo) Sacks TFL INT (Yds-TD) PBU FC FR High
2006 13/13 126 (79) 1 (-22) 4 (-33) 4 (41-0) 10 4 2 16/TT
2005 13/12 124 (67) 0 (0) 4 (-9) 3 (0-0) 8 1 3 23/TA
2004 12/1 49 (37) 1 (-11) 2 (-15) 1 (0-0) 3 1 1 9/BU
2003 12/2 65 (51) 2 (-13) 5 (-21) 0 (0-0) 2 3 1 10/2x
Career 50/28 364 (234) 4 (-46) 15 (-78) 8 (41-0) 23 9 7 23/TA
Special Teams
Year G TT (Solo) FC FR PBLK KBLK
2006 13 8 (7) 1 0 2 0
2005 13 8 (2) 0 0 4 0
2004 12 11 (8) 0 0 2 0
2003 12 21 (16) 0 1 0 0
Career 50 48 (33) 1 1 8 0
High Games
Tackles: 23 at Texas A&M (Jr.)
Tackles for loss: 2 at Iowa State (Fr.)
PBU: 3 at Missouri (Jr.)
