The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2010 Football Roster
Roster
Sam Acho
- Position:
- DE
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 260
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Dallas, Texas
- High School:
- St. Mark's
Four-year defensive end who also played at defensive tackle as a senior ... became Texas[apos] second William V. Campbell Trophy winner (nation[apos]s top football student-athlete) in 2010 ... won the 2010 Wuerffel Trophy (all-around excellence in athletic, academic and community achievement) and ARA Sportsmanship Award ... became UT[apos]s seventh two-time Academic All-American ... named second-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and third-team All-America by the Associated Press in 2010 ... a member of the 2010 AFCA Good Works Team ... a 2010 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete ... a finalist for the 2010 Lott IMPACT Trophy and Lowe[apos]s Senior CLASS Award ... a 2010 Lombardi Award semifinalist ... a 2010 unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection ... earned a spot on the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team in 2010 ... member of the 2010 watch lists for the Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy and Hendricks Award ... played in 50 career games, including 26 starts ... posted 148 tackles, 23.5 sacks (10th on UT[apos]s career list) 37 TFL, 44 pressures, eight PBD, eight forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries (second on UT[apos]s career list) in his career ... started all 12 games as a senior ... recorded 59 tackles, 17 TFL, nine sacks, 18 pressures, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries ... his five fumble recoveries led the nation and tied the UT single-season record ... started all 14 games as a junior in 2009 ... a Lott Trophy semifinalist ... an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection ... led the team with four fumble recoveries, which tied for the most nationally (t-No. 3 UT single-season) ... also tallied 63 tackles (44 solo), 14 TFL, 10 sacks, three PBD, two forced fumbles and 15 pressures ... played in all 13 games at defensive end and on special teams in 2008 ... compiled 16 tackles, three sacks, nine pressures, two PBD and a forced fumble ... saw action in 11 games at defensive end and on special teams as a true freshman in 2007 ... tallied 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three TFL, two pressures and two PBD ... was a three-time all-conference performer and four-time member of the honor roll in high school ... ranked as one of ESPN[apos]s top 150 national prospects ... a three-time Academic All-District selection ... a three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection ... drafted with the sixth pick in the fourth round (103rd overall) by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft.
SENIOR (2010)
Became Texas[apos] second William V. Campbell Trophy winner (nation[apos]s top football student-athlete) ... won the Wuerffel Trophy (all-around excellence in athletic, academic and community achievement) and ARA Sportsmanship Award ... became UT[apos]s seventh two-time Academic All-American... named second-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and third-team All-America by the Associated Press ... a member of the AFCA Good Works Team ... a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete ... a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and Lowe[apos]s Senior CLASS Award ... a Lombardi Award semifinalist ... a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection ... earned a spot on the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team ... member of the watch lists for the Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy and Hendricks Award ... earned UT[apos]s Lan Hewlett Academic Award, Coca-Cola Community Service Award, and Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Strength and Conditioning Award ... named George Hook McCullough Team MVP, Mike Campbell Most Valuable Defensive Player and a team captain ... also received the Roy Williams-Joe Jamail Leadership Award, Joseph W. Moore Tenacity Award and Clyde Littlefield Most Team Spirited Award for defense ... started all 12 games at defensive end and appeared at defensive tackle and on special teams ... recorded 59 tackles, 17 TFL, nine sacks, 18 pressures, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries ... his five fumble recoveries led the nation and tied the UT single-season record ... twice tabbed the Defensive Player of the Game by the coaching staff ... logged four tackles (three solo), one sack, one TFL, one pressure and one forced fumble at Rice ... shared team[apos]s Ball Hawk Award with Keenan Robinson for his effort against the Owls ... tallied five tackles (three solo), three TFL, one sack and three pressures versus Wyoming ... earned Defensive Player of the Game recognition from the coaches for his effort against the Cowboys ... logged two tackles and one TFL at Texas Tech ... registerd five tackles (four solo), one sack, one TFL, one fumble recovery and forced fumble versus UCLA ... recorded seven tackles, one sack, one TFL and one pressure against No. 8 Oklahoma ... logged three tackles (two solo), one TFL, one PBD and one pressure at No. 5/4 Nebraska ... notched eight tackles (seven solo), one sack and one TFL versus Iowa State ... recorded 10 tackles (seven solo), three TFL, one sack, two pressures, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery against No. 25/24 Baylor and was named National Defensive Lineman of the Week by the CFPA ... registered four tackles (two solo) at Kansas State ... tallied four tackles, one TFL, one fumble recovery and one pressure versus No. 12/11 Oklahoma State and was named Lott IMPACT Trophy National Player of the Week ... posted six tackles, three sacks (-33 yards), four tackles for loss (-49 yards), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four QB pressures against Florida Atlantic and was named National Defensive Performer of the Week by the CFPA ... also provided the QB pressure that resulted in an INT at the Owls[apos] 9-yard line and set up the `Horns first TD, and his fumble recovery in the fourth quarter set up another Texas TD ... notched one tackle, one fumble recover and two pressures against No. 17/18 Texas A&M.
JUNIOR (2009)
Started 14 games at defensive end ... a Lott Trophy semifinalist ... tabbed honorable mention All-Big 12 by The Associated Press and league[apos]s coaches ... a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American ... named the team[apos]s Most Productive Performer on defense for efforts against ULM and Baylor ... helped UT rank 12th nationally in scoring defense (16.7 ppg), third in total defense (251.9 ypg), first in rushing defense (72.4 ypg), 10th in pass efficiency defense (100.5 rating) and 19th in pass defense (179.6 ypg) ... UT also ranked first nationally in INTs (25) and tied for first in forced turnovers (37) ... led the team with four fumble recoveries, which tied for the most nationally (t-No. 3 UT single-season) ... also tallied 63 tackles (44 solo), 14 TFL, 10 sacks, three PBD, two forced fumbles and 15 pressures ... posted four tackles, two fumble recoveries, two PBD and a pressure against ULM ... registered five tackles, two sacks, a fumble recovery and a pressure against Wyoming ... notched a tackle and a fumble recovery versus Texas Tech ... recorded three tackles, a sack and two pressures against UTEP ... notched five tackles, four TFL, two sacks and a pressure versus Colorado ... tallied four tackles and three pressures against No. 20 Oklahoma ... registered three tackles and three pressures at Missouri ... notched four tackles, a forced fumble and a PBU at Oklahoma State ... recorded four tackles, a sack and a pressure versus UCF ... registered six tackles, two TFL, a forced fumble and a pressure at Baylor ... tallied two tackles, a sack and a TFL versus Kansas ... posted six tackles, a sack and two pressures at Texas A&M ... notched a career-high 10 tackles and added a sack and a TFL in Big 12 Championship versus No. 21 Nebraska ... tallied six tackles and a sack in the BCS Championship game against No. 1 Alabama.
SOPHOMORE (2008)
Appeared in all 13 games at defensive end and on special teams ... tabbed first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 ... a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection ... helped UT rank first in the Big 12 in scoring defense (18.8 ppg/18th NCAA), total defense (342.9 ypg), rushing defense (83.5 ypg/third NCAA) and second in pass efficiency defense (124.2 rating) ... recorded 16 tackles, three sacks, three TFL, nine pressures, two PBD and a forced fumble ... posted two pressures in the season opener against FAU ... notched two tackles and his first career forced fumble at UTEP ... recorded three tackles and a sack versus Rice ... tallied two tackles and a pressure against Arkansas ... added a tackle at Colorado and a pressure versus No. 1 Oklahoma ... posted a tackle and a PBD against No. 11 Missouri ... posted a tackle and a pressure at No. 7 Texas Tech ... notched two tackles, a PBU and a pressure against Baylor ... compiled two tackles, two pressures and a sack at Kansas ... recorded a sack and a pressure against Texas A&M ... notched a tackle versus No. 10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
FRESHMAN (2007)
Appeared in 11 games at defensive end and on special teams ... named one of UT[apos]s Outstanding Defensive Newcomers ... helped UT give up just 93.4 rushing yards per game (sixth NCAA) ... tallied 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three TFL, two pressures and two PBD ... recorded his first career tackle, while tallying a sack and a pressure against Rice ... posted a tackle at Iowa State ... recorded three tackles, including a half-sack, and a pressure at Baylor ... notched a tackle versus Texas Tech ... added a tackle against No. 12 Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Hayward Lee at St. Mark[apos]s ... a three-time All-Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) performer who was also a four-year member of the honor roll ... versatile three-sport letterman who was a member of ESPN[apos]s top 150 national prospects ... led St. Mark[apos]s to a 24-7 record during his final three seasons and an SPC Championship as a sophomore ... team captain as a junior and senior ... played DT as a freshman and DE and TE as a sophomore, junior and senior ... recorded 12 sacks as a senior ... posted four sacks in a game against Casady ... led the Lions to a 9-2 record and a berth in the SPC Championship game as a junior ... notched 10 sacks ... helped St. Mark[apos]s to a 10-1 season and an SPC Championship as as sophomore ... also was a four-year letterman in track and field and a three-year letterman in basketball ... was a two-year captain in track and field ... holds the school record in the discus (163-5) and the shot put (57-9.25) ... won SPC Championships in the discus and shot put as a junior and senior and the discus as a sophomore ... competed in the Texas Relays three times ... averaged 12 ppg and 15 rpg in basketball as a senior.
PERSONAL
Born in Dallas, Texas ... middle name, Onyedikachi, means `who is like unto God[apos] ... graduated in December 2010 from the business honors program in the McCombs School of Business ... UT[apos]s seventh two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American ... named one of Sporting News[apos] 20 Smartest Athletes ... a three-time Academic All-District 6 selection ... a seven-time member of UT[apos]s Athletics Director[apos]s Honor Roll ... a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection ... inducted in UT[apos]s Friar Society, which is the oldest and most prestigious honor society at Texas ... a 2009 and [apos]10 Arthur Ashe Award recipient (national award for minority student-athletes) ... received the Texas Exes Leadership Award in 2009 ... brother, Emmanuel, is a linebacker at UT ... both parents, Sonni and Christie, were born in Nigeria ... mom, Christi, ran track at University College Hospital in Nigeria ... active in UT[apos]s community service program ... is part of a group of Longhorns that regularly visits patients at the Dell Children[apos]s Medical Center ... joins his brother, Emmanuel, and father among others on a medical mission trip to Nigeria each summer ... a member of UT[apos]s Student Advisory Council ... served as one of UT[apos]s representatives at the Big 12[apos]s Conference on Black Student Government ... was UT[apos]s representative at the 2009 NCAA Leadership Conference ... volunteers time to special events for local homeless shelters ... participated in UT[apos]s Orange Santa program ... was a member of the Spanish Honor Society, the Intercultural Club and the student government as a prepster ... was a class representative as a senior and class vice president as a sophomore ... is close to being fluent in Spanish ... spent time at the Jubilee Community Center helping teach adults English as a second language ... completed a marketing internship with Target in 2009.
THE S. ACHO FILE
Nicknames: Sacho
During pregame, I like to: Focus
Favorite TV channel: ESPN
I can[apos]t believe I watch: Millionaire Matchmaker
Favorite movie: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Favorite actor: Denzel Washington
Favorite actress: Halle Berry
Sports hero: Julius Peppers
Favorite superhero: The Chameleon
Favorite music artist: Kirk Franklin
Favorite video game: FIFA [apos]10
Favorite cartoon characters: Thundercats
Nobody knows I can: Recite pieces of literature
I came to Texas because: The academics and family atmosphere
