Hawk-Item – – Selected to compete in Hula Bowl . . . named Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week after recording career-high 18 tackles in win over 18th-ranked Illinois . . . also earned Bronko Nagurski and Master Football Coaches National Defensive Player of the Week honors for his play in win over Illinois . . . led the Big Ten in tackles per game (11.8) in league games only and ranked fourth (10.2) for all games . . . ranked ninth in the Big Ten in forced fumbles (.25) in conference games only . . . earned bachelor’s degree in May, 2007 and is working towards advanced degree . . . one of five seniors named to 2007 Leadership Group . . . one of three juniors selected to 2006 Leadership Group.
2007 Honors – – Named second team all-Big Ten by league media and honorable mention by league coaches . . . Academic all-Big Ten . . . named second team all-Big Ten by Rivals.com . . . Permanent Team Captain,m defense . . . Most Valuable Player, defense . . . Iron Hawk Award . . . Hayden Fry Award, defense . . . 2007 – – Listed as first team weak side linebacker following spring practice . . . started at linebacker in opening win over Northern Illinois as defense allowed just 21 rushing yards and 235 yards total offense . . . recorded six assisted tackles vs. Northern Illinois, along with a pass interception and 28-yard return . . . started at linebacker in win over Syracuse as defense allowed just 24 rushing yards and 103 yards total offense . . . recorded six tackles vs. Syracuse, including three solo stops, one tackle for loss and an interception and 13 yard return . . . started at linebacker in loss at Iowa State . . . recorded career-best 11 tackles at Iowa State, including six solo stops and five assists . . . started at linebacker in loss at Wisconsin . . . recorded seven tackles at Wisconsin, including four solo stops and one tackle for loss . . . started at linebacker in loss to Indiana . . . career-high 13 tackles vs. Indiana, including four solo tackles and nine assists and first forced fumble of his career . . . started at linebacker in loss at Penn State . . . recorded 12 tackles at Penn State, including six solo stops, and had one tackle for loss and a forced fumble for the second straight game . . . started at linebacker in win over 18th-ranked Illinois as defense held top rushing team in the conference to 137 net rushing yards and 287 yards total offense . . . earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording career-high 18 tackles vs. Illinois, including five solo stops and 13 assists . . . also recorded a fumble recovery, 2.5 tackles for loss and one QB sack vs. the Illini . . . started at linebacker in loss at Purdue, recording eight solo tackles and one assist, along with one pass break-up . . . eight solo tackles at Purdue are a career-best . . . started at linebacker in double OT win over Michigan State . . . matched career-high with 18 tackles vs. MSU and added one pass break-up . . . started at linebacker in win at Northwestern as defense allowed just three points, seven rushing yards and 124 yards total offense in the second half . . . recorded 12 tackles at Northwestern, including seven solo stops, along with third interception of the season . . . started at linebacker in win over Minnesota . . . recorded six tackles vs. Minnesota before leaving the game early in the second half due to injury . . . started at linebacker in loss to Western Michigan, recording six assisted tackles.
2006 – – Listed as first team outside linebacker following spring practice . . . started at outside linebacker in win over Montana as defense allowed just 144 yards total offense . . . recorded two solo tackles and four assists vs. Montana, along with first career interception and a pass break-up . . . started at outside linebacker in double overtime win at Syracuse . . . recorded three solo tackles and two assists vs. Syracuse, including one tackle for a 120-yard loss . . . started at outside linebacker in win over Iowa State . . . recorded seven assisted tackles vs. Iowa State, along with one tackle for loss and one pass break-up . . . started at outside linebacker in win at Illinois . . . recorded two solo tackles and one assist vs. Illinois, with one tackle for loss and one pass break-up . . . started at outside linebacker in loss to top-ranked Ohio State . . . recorded nine tackles vs. OSU, including three solo stops, six assists and one tackle for minus three yards . . . did not see action in win over Purdue due to injury . . . started at outside linebacker in loss at Indiana, recording two solo tackles . . . started at outside linebacker in loss at Michigan . . . recorded two solo tackles and a pass interception vs. Michigan, setting up an Iowa field goal with his second theft of the season . . . started at linebacker in win over Northern Illinois as defense allowed just 196 yards total offense . . . recorded one solo tackle and third interception of the season vs. Northern Illinois . . . started at linebacker in loss to Northwestern, recording two solo tackles and three assists . . . started at linebacker in loss to Wisconsin . . . recorded five tackles vs. Wisconsin, including four solo stops . . . started at linebacker in loss at Minnesota, recording two assisted tackles . . . started at linebacker vs. Texas in Alamo Bowl, recording two solo tackles.
2005 Honors – – Academic all-Big Ten . . . 2005 – – saw action in opening win over Ball State, recording four solo tackles and one pass break-up . . . saw action at Iowa State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in win over Northern Iowa, but had no statistics . . . saw action at Ohio State, recording three solo tackles, including one tackle for loss . . . saw action in win over Illinois, recording three assisted tackles . . . saw action in win at Purdue, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in win over Indiana . . . recorded career-high six tackles vs. the Hoosiers, including three solo stops and three assisted tackles . . . saw action vs. Michigan, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action at Northwestern, recording two solo tackles and three assisted tackles . . . saw action in win at Wisconsin as defense held Badgers to 276 yards total offense, but had no statistics . . . saw action in win over Minnesota, but had no statistics as defense held top rushing team in the nation to 129 net rushing yards . . . saw action in Outback Bowl vs. Florida, recording two assisted tackles and one pass break-up.
2004 Honors – – Academic all-Big Ten . . . 2004 – – Saw action in opening win over Kent State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in win over Iowa State, but had no statistics . . . did not see action at Arizona State after suffering back injury, and missed remainder of the season.
2003 – – Redshirted.
High school honors – – Three-year letterman . . . senior season honors include Des Moines Register Elite first team all-state, first team Des Moines Register linebacker, first team Iowa Newspaper Association running back, first team all-conference running back and punter . . . selected to the 2003 Shrine Bowl… team captain as a senior . . . all-state honorable mention as a junior running back . . . first team all-conference running back junior season . . . Career – – rushed for 2,308 yards and 30 career touchdowns. . . averaged 13 yards per carry early in the season at tailback and also was leading his team in tackles . . . ranked second in the state in rushing in Class 3A as a junior when he rushed for 765 yards . . . recorded 98 tackles, seven for negative yards, as a senior . . . won Class 2A state wrestling title at 215 pounds as a junior. . . placed second in the 110-meter high hurdles at the Class 3A state track meet as a junior, placed eighth in the discus and was a member of 400-meter relay team that qualified for state meet.
Personal – – Born 2/17/85 . . . Health and Sport Studies major . . . earned bachelor’s degree in May, 2007 and is working on advanced degree . . . parents are Nancy and Reggie Humpal . . . high school coach was Scott Frerichs.
Career Bests
Tackles: 18, twice, last vs. Michigan State, 10/27/07
Solos: 8, at Purdue, 10/20/07
Assists: 16, vs. Michigan State, 10/27/07
TFLs: 2.5, vs. Illinois, 10/13/07
INT: 1, 6 times, last vs. Northwestern, 11/3/07
FF: 1, twice, last at Penn State, 10/6/07
FR: 1 vs. Illinois, 10/13/07
PBU: 1, 7 times, last vs. Mich. State, 10/27/07