The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2015 Football Roster
Roster
Anthony Wheeler
- Position:
- LB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 209
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Dallas, Texas
- High School:
- Skyline
- Major:
- Sport Management
A four-year linebacker who has played in 50 career games with 29 career starts … finished his career with 235 tackles (138 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks ... also had three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two quarterback hurries ... four-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll … named to the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team (2015-16) ... rated as top five inside linebacker nationally in high school by ESPN, Rivals and Scout … a two-time all-state performer and Under Armour All-American.
SENIOR (2018)
Played in 14 games and made 12 starts ... was second on the team with 87 tackles (56 solo) ... had 8.5 tackles for loss with four sacks and two quarterback hurries ... returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown ... played in the second half and made six tackles against Maryland ... was forced to miss the first half due to a targeting penalty in the 2017 Texas Bowl second half ... started at linebacker against Tulsa and led the team with seven tackles (six solo) with 1.5 TFL ... had five tackles (four solo) and one tackle for loss against USC ... also recovered a blocked field goal and returned it 46 yards for his second career touchdown ... had five tackles and a quarterback hurry in the victory over No. 17 TCU ... had three tackles (two solo) in the Longhorns' 19-14 road victory at Kansas State ... had four tackles (two solo) in a huge win over No. 7 Oklahoma... totaled seven tackles (six solo) and a TFL in the 23-17 win over Baylor ... totaled nine tackles (five solo) including a sack and one and a half TFL in the 38-35 loss to Oklahoma State .. .had eight tackles (six solo) in the 42-41 loss to No. 12 West Virginia ... had seven tackles (three solo) in the 41-34 road win over Texas Tech ... had five tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a sack in the win over Iowa State ... totaled six solo tackles in the 24-17 road win over Kansas ... had 12 tackles with a sack and QB hurry in the Big 12 Championship Game against Oklahoma ... totaled three tackles with a sack in the Horns 28-21 win over Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
JUNIOR (2017)
Played in all 13 games and made eight starts (Maryland, San Jose State, at USC, at Iowa State, Kansas State, vs. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, vs. Missouri) ... totaled 47 tackles with 5.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks ... had one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown ... started at middle linebacker in the season opener against Maryland and totaled two tackles (two solo) ... tied for third on the team with five tackles in a 56-0 win over San Jose State ... helped UT hold SJSU to just 171 yards and 42 yards rushing ... had a season-high 12 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks at No. 4/4 USC ... helped the rushing defense hold the Trojans to 71 yards on the ground and 1.9 yards per carry ... totaled four tackles in a 17-7 win at Iowa State where the defense allowed just 10 rushing yards ... had four tackles in UT’s win over Kansas State in double-overtime ... had five tackles (two solo) vs. Oklahoma in the AT&T Red River Showdown ... started against Oklahoma State and recorded three tackles (2 solo) ... played in the Longhorns’ 38-7 victory at Baylor, recording a solo tackle on special teams ... made one tackle in a loss at TCU ... had three tackles and a sack in Texas’ 42-27 win over Kansas ... played in the Longhorns’ road victory at West Virginia, but did not record a tackle ... made one tackle in the regular season finale against Texas Tech ... started at linebacker in UT’s 33-16 Texas Bowl victory over Missouri ... registered six tackles, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery that he returned 38 yards for a touchdown ... the 38-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown was the seventh-longest such return in school history.
SOPHOMORE (2016)
Played in 11 games and made seven starts (Notre Dame, UTEP, Cal, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Kansas State) ... was the team’s leading tackler with 65 total takedowns (37 solo) ... had 2.5 tackles for loss (0.5 sacks), two pass breakups and two forced fumbles ... started the season-opening win against No. 10 Notre Dame ... totaled five tackles in the victory with a pass breakup ... had seven tackles the following week in a week two win over UTEP ... registered a career-best 11 tackles (six solo) in a week three loss at UTEP ... had eight tackles against Oklahoma State ... recorded 13 total tackles, six solo and seven assits, against OU ... had three solo tackles in the game against Iowa State ... had three solo tackles against Kansas State ... had nine total tackles against Baylor, six solo and three assists ... also had two forced fumbles ... had three tackles against West Virginia, two of them being solo ... had one tackle assist against Kansas ... totaled a tackle assist in the ‘Horns regular season finale against TCU.
FRESHMAN (2015)
Played in all 12 games on defense and special teams, making starts against Kansas State and Baylor … recorded 36 tackles (22 solo) with one TFL, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup … tallied three or more tackles in six games … made his first career tackle at Notre Dame … registered five tackles versus Oklahoma State … had one tackle at TCU … posted two tackles versus Oklahoma … notched three tackles, including one TFL against Kansas State … gathered six tackles at Iowa State … collected three tackles versus Kansas … picked up one tackle at West Virginia … set a season high with eight tackles (six solo) against Texas Tech … totaled six tackles (four solo), one pass breakup and one fumble recovery that led to a TD drive at Baylor.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Reginald Samples at Skyline High School … two-time all-state honoree … selected to participate in the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game … named first-team 6A All-State by the Texas Sports Writers Association, and second-team by the Associated Press in 2014 … picked to the All-USA Texas Team by USA Today … chosen first-team All-Area by the Dallas Morning News … tabbed Defensive MVP and first-team All-District 9-6A … tabbed state Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Texas and No. 2 LB in the state by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … rated No. 66 (No. 3 ILB) nationally and No. 10 in Texas by ESPN … ranked No. 76 overall (No. 4 ILB) and No. 10 overall in Texas by Rivals … rated No. 111 (No. 4 MLB) nationally and No. 22 (No. 1 MLB) in Texas by Scout … ranked No. 136 (No. 10 OLB) nationally and No. 18 in Texas by 247Sports … placed No. 12 on the Fab 55 by the Austin American-Statesman … recorded 137 tackles, including seven sacks and 21 tackles for loss, along with five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior … part of a defense that allowed 19.3 points per game, including three shutouts … helped Skyline to a 14-1 record, including a 7-0 district mark, and an appearance in the 2014 6A Division 1 semifinals, losing only to eventual champion Allen … named 2014 preseason first-team Super Team by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … chosen honorable mention 5A All-State by the Associated Press in 2013 … selected unanimous first-team All-District 9-5A … registered 110 tackles, six sacks, 15 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles as a junior … part of a defense that allowed just 19.8 points per game, including six games of 14 points or fewer … helped Skyline to an 11-2 overall record, including a 7-0 district record, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 regional playoffs in 2013 … tabbed Defensive Newcomer of the Year in District 9-5A in 2012 … part of a defense that allowed 22.1 points per game as a sophomore … helped Skyline to a 12-2 record, including a 7-0 district mark, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 quarterfinals, losing to eventual champion Allen, in 2012.
PERSONAL
Born in Dallas, Texas … mother is Clarissa Ballard and grandmother is Brenda Ballard … a member of the honor roll all four years of high school … used to play the saxophone and clarinet ... majoring in sport management.
CAREER HIGHS
Points scored: 6, USC, Sep 15, 2018 ; vs Missouri, Dec 27, 2017
Touchdowns: 1, USC, Sep 15, 2018 ; vs Missouri, Dec 27, 2017
Tackles: 13, vs Oklahoma, Oct 08, 2016 (6-7)
Sacks: 1.5, at USC, Sep 16, 2017 (1-1)
Tackles for loss: 3.5 [t-9th], at USC, Sep 16, 2017 (3-1)
Fumbles forced: 2 [t-1st], Baylor, Oct 29, 2016
Fumbles recovered: 1 [t-5th], at Baylor, Dec 05, 2015 ; vs Missouri, Dec 27, 2017
Pass breakups: 1, at Baylor, Dec 05, 2015 ; Baylor, Oct 29, 2016 ; Notre Dame, Sep 04, 2016
