The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2008 Football Roster
Roster
Brian Orakpo
- Position:
- DE
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 260
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Houston, Texas
- High School:
- Lamar
· Career statistics
· 2008 season highlights video
· 2007 season highlights video
· 2006 season highlights video
Former prep basketball star who developed into one of the nation[apos]s premier defensive players ... played in 47 career games, starting 21 ... won the Nagurski Trophy (nation[apos]s top defensive player), Lombardi Award (nation[apos]s top lineman), and Hendricks Award (nation[apos]s top defensive end) and was a finalist for the Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year) in 2008 ... a unanimous first-team All-American ... the consensus Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year ... a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection ... a 2008 preseason Playboy All-American ... one of the strongest members of the Longhorn team who was named the nation[apos]s top workout warrior by ESPN ... bench presses 515 lbs., squats 600 lbs. and power cleans 380 lbs. ... also gained 50 lbs. of muscle while maintaining eight percent body fat ... posted 132 tackles (93 solo), 22 sacks (T-No. 10 on UT[apos]s all-time list), 38 TFL, 62 pressures, six PBD, six forced fumbles and a fumble recovery during his career ... played in 12 games, starting 12, in 2008, missing the better part of two and a half games due to a knee injury ... tallied 42 tackles (31 solo) and led the team with 11.5 sacks (Sixth NCAA), 19 TFL (T-Seventh NCAA), 30 pressures and four forced fumbles (T-12th NCAA) ... was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the week twice for his performances against Arkansas and No. 1 Oklahoma ... battled a knee injury for the entire 2007 season but capped the year by earning Defensive MVP honors at the Holiday Bowl ... appeared in nine games, starting eight, in 2007, missing four due to a right knee injury ... tallied 37 tackles, nine TFL, 5.5 sacks, 12 pressures, two PBD and a forced fumble ... played in all 13 games in 2006 and recorded 26 tackles, six TFL, 4.5 sacks and two PBD ... played in all 13 games, starting one, as the top backup at defensive end in 2005 ... was named Defensive Freshman of the Year and first-team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News ... earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year from the league[apos]s coaches and The Sporting News ... earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors from the Big 12 coaches ... recorded 27 tackles, four TFL, a half sack, nine pressures, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble ... gained valuable experience on the scout team as a redshirt in 2004 ... a member of UT[apos]s Athletics Director[apos]s Honor Roll (Spring 2008) ... drafted with the 13th pick in the first round by the Washington Redskins in the 2009 NFL Draft.
SENIOR (2008)
Won the Nagurski Trophy (nation[apos]s top defensive player), Lombardi Award (nation[apos]s top lineman) and Hendricks Award (nation[apos]s top defensive end) and was a finalist for the Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year) ... tabbed first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation ... consensus Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year ... a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection ... appeared in 12 games, starting 11 ... missed the second half of the Texas Tech game and the Baylor contest due to a knee injury ... also was limited at Kansas as a result of that injury ... still managed 42 tackles (31 solo) and led the team with 11.5 sacks (Sixth NCAA), 19 TFL (T-Seventh NCAA), 30 pressures and four forced fumbles (T-12th NCAA) ... 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) ... was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the week twice for his performances against Arkansas and No. 1 Oklahoma ... opened the season with three tackles, a TFL and three pressures versus FAU ... tallied five tackles, two sacks and three pressures at UTEP ... posted five takcles, two sacks, two pressures, two PBD and a forced fumble against Rice ... recorded four tackles, two sacks, three TFL, a pressure and a forced fumble versus Arkansas ... was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the Week for his performance ... tallied two tackles and five pressures at Colorado ... notched seven tackles, two sacks, four TFL, two pressures and a forced fumble versus No. 1 Oklahoma ... was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the Week for his performance against OU[apos]s preseason All-American Phil Loadholt ... added a tackle and three pressures, one of which forced an INT, against No. 11 Missouri ... added six tackles, a sack, two TFL and two pressures versus No. 7 Oklahoma State ... posted two tackles, a TFL and two pressures at No. 6 Texas Tech before missing most of the second half with a knee injury ... was held out of the Baylor game and played sparingly at Kansas ... returned against Texas A&M and posted five tackles, 1.5 sacks, three TFL, four pressures and a forced fumble ... added two tackles, three pressures and a sack on the second-to-last play from scrimmage to help Texas secure a 24-21 victory over No. 10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
JUNIOR (2007)
Appeared in nine games, starting eight, missing four due to a right knee injury suffered against Arkansas State ... earned Defensive MVP honors in the Holiday Bowl ... earned one of UT[apos]s Frank Medina Rehabilitation Awards and was named one of the Longhorns[apos] Outstanding Defensive Ends ... helped UT allow just 93.4 rushing yards per game (sixth NCAA) ... tallied 37 tackles, nine TFL, 5.5 sacks, 12 pressures, two PBD and a forced fumble ... notched three tackles and a half sack against Arkansas State ... returned to action from a right knee injury and played just 17 snaps versus No. 10 Oklahoma ... recorded three tackles, two TFL and a sack in that game ... posted five tackles, including a TFL, and three pressures at Iowa State ... notched five stops and three pressures at Baylor ... recorded five tackles, a sack, two PBD and a pressure against Nebraska ... added three stops and a pressure at Oklahoma State ... tallied four tackles, a sack and three pressures against Texas Tech ... notched three tackles and a forced fumble at Texas A&M ... was named Defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl after posting career highs in tackles (six) and TFL (three) to go along with two sacks and a pressure against No. 12 Arizona State.
SOPHOMORE (2006)
Played in all 13 games, recording 26 tackles, six TFL, 4.5 sacks and two PBD ... named one of the Lowe[apos]s Most Improved Defensive 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 (26th NCAA) ... the 61.2 yards rushing per game ranks second on UT[apos]s all-time list ... opened the season with three tackles, including a career-high two sacks, and a pressure against North Texas ... recorded a tackle and two pressures against No. 1 Ohio State ... added a PBD and two pressures at Rice ... notched two tackles, including a sack, and a pressure against Iowa State ... recorded four tackles, including a TFL, versus Sam Houston State ... posted three tackles and a pressure against No. 14 Oklahoma ... added a tackle versus Baylor ... notched a sack, a PBD and a pressure at No. 17 Nebraska ... had three tackles and two pressures at Texas Tech ... added a tackle and a pressure against Oklahoma State ... made one tackle at Kansas State ... recorded five tackles, including a half sack, against Texas A&M ... added a tackle in the Alamo Bowl versus Iowa.
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2005)
Played in all 13 games, starting one, as the top backup at defensive end ... was named Defensive Freshman of the Year and first-team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News ... earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year from the league[apos]s coaches and The Sporting News ... earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors from the Big 12 coaches ... a key member of a defense that ranked 10th nationally in total defense (302.9 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (16.4 ppg), eighth in passing defense (172.0 ypg) and 33rd in rushing defense (130.9 ypg) ... recorded 27 tackles, four TFL, a half sack, nine pressures, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble ... opened his career with two tackles, a forced fumble and a pressure against La.-Lafayette ... added two tackles at No. 4 Ohio State ... tallied two tackles at Missouri ... posted three tackles and a PBD versus Oklahoma ... added two tackles and a TFL against No. 24 Colorado ... notched one tackle and two pressures against No. 10 Texas Tech ... recorded a season-high five tackles, including a TFL, and three pressures at Oklahoma State ... made his first start at Baylor, making four tackles, including a TFL ... added a pressure against Kansas ... recorded four tackles, a TFL and recovered a fumble at Texas A&M ... posted one tackle in the Big 12 Championship ... notched one tackle in Texas[apos] 41-38 victory over USC for the National Championship ... redshirted in 2004.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Tom Nolan at Lamar H.S. ... three-year letterman ... a starter at defensive end as a sophomore, junior and senior ... a two-time first-team all-district selection ... helped his team to a 29-8 mark in those three seasons ... was part of a Lamar squad that posted at least nine victories all three years ... was twice tabbed an all-district defensive end ... also saw action at tight end ... tabbed second-team All-Greater Houston and first-team all-district 18-5A as a senior ... despite missing one-third of his senior season due to injury, posted 36 tackles, 12 TFL and nine sacks ... had three sacks and eight solo tackles versus Yates that year ... posted two sacks and seven solo tackles versus Sam Houston as a senior ... helped his team to an 11-2 record and the state quarterfinals in 2003 ... earned first-team all-district 18-5A honors as a junior ... also earned All-Greater Houston recognition that year ... posted 10 sacks in helping Lamar to a 9-3 record and a spot in the regional finals that year ... was a starting defensive end for a 9-3 regional finalist squad as a sophomore ... played basketball during his freshman through junior years.
PERSONAL
Born in Houston, Texas ... graduated with a degree in youth and community studies ... a member of UT[apos]s Athletics Director[apos]s Honor Roll (Spring 2008) ... a prep honor roll student who posted better than a 3.0 GPA ... active in UT[apos]s community service program ... participated in the Teen Summit program, promoting voting as part of the youth council ... was a high school teammate of former Longhorn Drew Kelson ... his uncle, Chike, played football at Iowa.
THE ORAKPO FILE
Nickname: Rak
My playing style: Too fast for your eyes
The record I dream of breaking is: All-time sacks
Favorite book: Of Mice and Men
Favorite sports movie: The Longest Yard
The worst movie I ever saw was: Like Mike
Favorite Actor: Robert DeNiro
Favorite Actress: Halle Berry
I can[apos]t believe I watch: Big Love
Favorite CD: Lil[apos] Wayne: Tha Carter II
I[apos]d like to star in a music video with: Beyonce
Favorite car: My Cadillac DeVille
My dream as a college football player is to: Win the Heisman Trophy as a defensive end
If I were to play another sport it would be: Basketball and baseball
