| Aaron Harris |
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Linebacker
6-0 · 230
Mesquite, Texas (North Mesquite)
#2
Athletic, powerful and hard-hitting four-year linebacker who has developed into one of the nation's top linebackers ... named a 2005 Butkus Award and Bednarik Award semifinalist ... selected third-team All-America by The Associated Press ... tabbed first-team All-Big 12 by the league's coaches and The Associated Press in 2005 ... played in 51 career games (31 starts) and recorded 282 tackles, 28 TFL, 9.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two INTs and 14 PBU ... started all 13 games in 2005 ... posted 91 tackles, 12 TFL, four sacks, one INT, three PBU, seven pressures and two forced fumbles ... started all 12 games in 2004 ... tabbed consensus second-team All-Big 12 and formed one of the best LB tandems in the nation with Derrick Johnson last season ... registered 118 tackles (second on the team), 10 TFL, six pressures, nine PBU, two forced fumbles, two sacks, one fumble recovery and an INT ... started six of the last eight games at middle linebacker in 2003 ... tallied 60 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six TFL, 14 QB pressures, two PBU and two forced fumbles in 13 games in 2003 ... worked as a backup middle linebacker and was a special teams standout as a true freshman ... played in all 13 games and posted 13 special teams tackles (nine solo) that year.
SENIOR (2005)
A semifinalist for the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and the Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player) ... selected third-team All-America by the Associated Press ... tabbed first-team All-Big 12 by the league's coaches and The Associated Press ... started all 13 games ... posted 91 tackles, 12 TFL, four sacks, one INT, three PBU, seven pressures and two forced fumbles ... a key member of a defense that finished eighth in the nation in scoring defense (16.4 ppg) and 10th in total defense (302.9 ypg) ... opened with seven tackles and a forced fumble against La.-Lafayette ... hit double figures with 10 tackles, including a half sack that resulted in the game-clinching safety, at No. 4 Ohio State ... had eight tackles, two TFL and his second forced fumble against Rice ... set the tone at Missouri with a 30-yard INT return on the opening possession to set up a three-yard TD on the next play, in addition to 11 tackles, two TFL and one sack ... registered nine tackles and a sack against Oklahoma ... posted eight tackles, including two TFL versus No. 24 Colorado ... tallied 10 tackles and three PBU against No. 10 Texas Tech ... made five tackles at Oklahoma State ... repeated with five tackles at Baylor, including one sack ... had three tackles against Kansas ... recorded nine tackles at Texas A&M ... registered two tackles against Colorado in the Big 12 Championship ... added four tackles in Texas' 41-38 victory over USC for the National Championship.
JUNIOR (2004)
Started all 12 games at middle LB ... tabbed second-team All-Big 12 by the Austin American-Statesman, the Big 12 coaches and the San Antonio Express-News ... earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors from the Associated Press ... formed one of the best LB tandems in the nation with Derrick Johnson ... registered 118 tackles (second on the team), 10 TFLs, six pressures, nine PBUs, two forced fumbles, two sacks, one fumble recovery and an INT ... has registered five 10-tackle games ... a leader on a defense that allowed just 320.1 yards per game (23rd NCAA) and 17.9 points per game (18th NCAA) ... opened the season with seven tackles against North Texas ... made 13 tackles, a PBU and forced a fumble at Arkansas ... tallied nine tackles and a TFL versus Rice ... had seven tackles, three PBUs and an INT against Baylor ... the interception set up a 25-yard TD drive for UT's second score of the game ... recorded a career-high 18 tackles, along with two TFLs, three pressures and a PBU versus No. 2 Oklahoma ... became the first player at UT since Ahmad Brooks (22 vs. Colorado, 2001) to record 18-plus tackles in a game ... was also just the second Longhorn to do so since 1996 (Chris Carter, 18 vs. Notre Dame), before Derrick Johnson matched the 18 tackles against Oklahoma State ... followed with a 14-tackle performance versus Missouri ... had eight tackles and a TFL at Texas Tech ... recorded two tackles, three pressures, a PBU and a fumble recovery at Colorado ... the fumble recovery set up a 17-yard TD drive to give UT a 21-7 lead, while the PBU was a tipped ball that was intercepted by Michael Griffin and set up a 20-yard TD drive ... notched 13 tackles against No. 19 Oklahoma State ... recorded 13 tackles, two TFLs, a PBU and a forced fumble at Kansas ... registered five tackles and a sack versus No. 22 Texas A&M ...led the team with nine tackles, a sack and two PBUs versus No. 13 Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
SOPHOMORE (2003)
Played in all 13 games, including six starts ... registered 60 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six TFLs, 14 QB pressures, two PBUs and two forced fumbles ... shared UT's Most Improved Defensive Player honor ... earned one of UT's Joseph W. Moore Awards (tenacity) ... started six of the last eight games, with the exception of Texas Tech and the Holiday Bowl, because the defense opened in a nickel package ... key member of a defense which ranked ninth in the NCAA in pass defense (177.3 ypg), 25th in total defense (329.9 ypg) and 32nd in scoring defense (21.5 ppg) ... also played on special teams and recorded 10 tackles ... registered six tackles and a forced fumble versus No. 1 Oklahoma ... had his first career sack and a total of three sacks along with seven tackles and a forced fumble at Baylor ... notched a season-high nine tackles at Oklahoma State ... matched the nine tackles at Texas A&M with a season-high seven solo stops ... had seven tackles versus No. 15 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.
FRESHMAN (2002)
Appeared in all 13 games on special teams ... also saw limited action in four games at middle linebacker ... posted 13 tackles (nine solo) and a forced fumble, all on special teams ... tied his season high with two tackles and a forced fumble against Texas A&M ... added a pair of stops at Texas Tech.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Steve Bragg at North Mesquite High ... a three-year starter at linebacker ... posted 413 tackles in three varsity seasons ... named a second-team All-American by USA Today as a senior ... rated among the nation's top 10 linebacker prospects by Student Sports ... also tabbed the 2001 Texas 5A Defensive Player of the Year ... added first-team all-state, all-area and all-district honors that year ... racked up 135 tackles, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries as a senior ... had two 20-tackle games (22 vs. North Garland/20 vs. Texas 5A Division I State Champion Mesquite) that season ... played in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Game and registered seven tackles, two QB pressures and a safety ... selected the district's Defensive Player of the Year as a junior ... posted 188 tackles, five sacks, three INTs, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in helping lead team to the state quarterfinals in 2000 ... had 25 tackles and a 55-yard INT return for a TD against DeSoto that year ... earned first-team all-district honors and was named the District Sophomore of the Year after recording 90 tackles, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 1999 ... also played baseball (third base/shortstop).
PERSONAL
Born 1/30/84 in Dallas ... full name is Aaron Thomas Harris ... majoring in liberal arts ... took part in the LEAP (Learn, Enjoy and Play) Program serving as a student teacher and mentor for middle school math and science students in the summer of 2005 ... a prep AB honor roll student ... an active member of the Business Professionals of America (BPA) as a prepster ... serves as a mentor at local elementary and middle schools ... lists taking care of dogs, using computers and playing video games among his hobbies.
