Hawk-Item – – Competed in 2014 Senior Bowl, recording six tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss . . . recorded 315 career tackles to rank 16th in career stops . . . one of three defensive players in school history with three defensive touchdowns . . . tied for seventh in the Big Ten with two recovered fumbles . . . ranked 10th in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.0) . . . tied for first in the Big Ten and second in the nation with four recovered fumbles in 2012 . . . one of eight players in the nation with two interception returns for touchdowns in 2012 . . . 68-yard interception return in win over Minnesota in 2012 ranks as 12th longest in school history . . . ranked seventh in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.5) in 2011 . . . one of six seniors named to 2013 Leadership Group . . . one of nine true freshman to see action in 2010.
2013 Honors – – Permanent Team Captain, Defense . . . Hayden Fry ‘Extra Heartbeat’ Award, Defense . . . honorable mention All-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . . third team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele . . . participant in 2014 Senior Bowl . . . named Walter Camp Football Foundation national Defensive Player of the Week vs. Nebraska . . . named Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week vs. Nebraska . . . CFPA honorable mention Linebacker of the Week vs. Nebraska . . . CFPA honorable mention Linebacker of the Week vs. Northern Illinois . . . 2013 Preseason Honors – – Named to Butkus Award preseason Watch List . . . named to CFPA Defensive Awards preseason Watch List . . . named preseason fourth team all-Big Ten by Phil Steele . . . 2013 – – started all 13 games at outside linebacker . . . ranked third on team with 104 tackles, including 47 solo stops and 57 assists . . . also had five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, two recovered fumbles and two caused fumbles, one interception and one pass break-up . . . started at ourside linebacker in 30-27 opening loss to Northern Illinois . . . led team with 14 tackles vs. NIU, including six solo stops and eight assists . . . scored third career touchdown with 52-yard fumble return in the first quarter, after he also caused and recovered the fumble . . . started at outside linebacker in 28-14 win over Missouri State as defense allowed just 197 yards total offense . . . recorded one solo tackle and two assists vs. Missouri State, along with one QB pressure . . . started at outside linebacker in 27-21 win at Iowa State as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . led team with 11 tackles at ISU, including five solo stops and six assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 59-3 win over Western Michigan, recording one solo tackle, one assist and three QB pressures as defense allowed just 209 yards total offense . . . started at outside linebacker in 23-7 win at Minnesota as defense allowed just 165 yards total offense and 30 net rushing yards . . . recorded two solo tackles and three assists at Minnesota, along with first interception of the season . . . started at outside linebacker in 26-14 loss to Michigan State, recording three solo tackles and four assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 34-24 loss at Ohio State, recording five solo tackles and two assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 17-10 OT win over Northwestern . . . led team with 12 tackles vs. Northwestern, including four solo stops and eight assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 28-9 loss to Wisconsin . . . recorded 11 tackles vs. Badgers, including five solo tackles and six assists, along with a shared tackle for loss and two QB pressures . . . started at outside linebacker in 38-14 win at Purdue as defense allowed just 53 net rushing yards . . . led team with eight tackles at Purdue, including seven solo stops, along with a recovered fumble, his second of the season . . . started at outside linebacker in 24-21 win over Michigan as defense allowed just 60 net rushing yards and 158 yards total offense . . . recorded six assisted tackles vs. Michigan, including a shared QB sack . . . started at outside linebacker in 38-17 win at Nebraska as defense allowed just 89 net rushing yards . . . led team with 11 tackles at Nebraska, including four solo stops and seven assists . . . also had three tackles for loss, one QB sack, one forced fumble that led to an Iowa touchdown, one pass break-up and a QB pressure . . . started at outside linebacker in 21-14 Outback Bowl loss to LSU . . . recorded four solo tackles and three assists vs. LSU, including one QB sack.
2012 Honors – – Permanent Team Captain, defense . . . Next Man In Award, defense . . . earned honorable mention Linebacker of the Week recognition from College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) for his play in win over Minnesota and loss at Indiana . . . 2012 Preseason Honors – – fourth team preseason all-Big Ten by Phil Steele[apos]s College Football . . . 2012 – – started all 12 games in 2012 and has started 25 consecutive games over two years . . . recorded 95 tackles, including 42 solo stops and 53 assists . . . also had 3.5 tackles for loss and two QB sacks . . . returned two interceptions for touchdowns, had four recovered fumbles, two pass break-ups and one forced fumble . . . started at outside linebacker in 18-17 win over Northern Illinois, recording one solo tackle and two assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 9-6 loss to Iowa State . . . recorded two solo stops and seven assists vs. ISU, including one tackle for loss and one QB pressure . . . started at outside linebacker in 27-16 win over Northern Iowa, recording two solo tackles and two assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 32-31 loss to Central Michigan . . . collected nine tackles vs. CMU, including three solo stops, six assists and a shared tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 31-13 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 299 yards total offense and collected four turnovers . . . scored first touchdown of career with 68-yard interception return vs. Minnesota . . . also collected three solo tackles, two assists and recovered a fumble . . . started at outside linebacker in 19-16 win at Michigan State . . . recorded seven tackles at MSU, including three solo stops, four assists and a QB sack . . . forced a fumble on his QB sack and also had a pass break-up vs. MSU . . . started at outside linebacker in 38-14 loss to Penn State . . . led team with 12 tackles vs. PSU, including six solo stops and six assists . . . also had a fumble return of 45 yards vs. PSU . . . started at outside linebacker in 28-17 loss at Northwestern . . . led team with nine tackles at Northwestern, including five solo stops and four assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 24-21 loss at Indiana . . . recorded eight tackles at Indiana, including six solo stops and two assists . . . also had a interception return for an 18 yard touchdown in the first quarter and recovered an Indiana fumble in the red zone in the fourth quarter . . . started at outside linebacker in 27-24 loss to Purdue . . . recorded 10 tackles vs. Purdue, including three solo stops and seven assists, while also collecting one fumble and a pass break-up . . . started at weakside linebacker in 42-17 loss at Michigan . . . recorded eight tackles at Michigan, including four solo stops and four assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 13-7 loss to Nebraska . . . recorded 11 tackles vs. Nebraska, including four solo stops and seven assists, including one tackle for loss.
2011 Honors – – Honorable mention linebacker of the Week vs. Iowa State by College Football Performance Awards. 2011 – – Started all 13 games, including first seven at weakside linebacker and final six at outside position . . . recorded 62 solo tackles and 48 assists to share team lead for the season . . . also had five tackles for loss, one QB sack, one interception, three pass break-ups and two forced fumbles . . . started at weakside linebacker in 34-7 opening win over Tennessee Tech . . . recorded career-best 10 tackles in opening game, including six solo stops . . . started at weakside linebacker in triple-overtime loss at Iowa State . . . led team with 13 tackles at ISU, including 11 solo stops . . . also had two tackles for loss, a QB sack and pass break-up, along with first caused and recovered fumble, on the same play . . . started at weakside linebacker in 31-27 win over Pittsburgh, while also playing portions of the contest at outside linebacker . . . recorded three solo tackles and five assists vs. Pitt . . . started at weakside linebacker in 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . recorded four solo tackles and four assists vs. ULM . . . started at weakside linebacker in 13-3 loss at Penn State . . . recorded six solo tackles and four assists at PSU, along with second forced fumble of the season . . . started at weakside linebacker in 41-31 win over Northwestern, recording five solo tackles and four assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 45-24 win over Indiana . . . led team with 12 tackles in win over Hoosiers, including seven solo stops, and also had one pass break-up . . . started at outside linebacker in 22-21 loss at Minnesota . . . recorded six tackles at Minnesota, including three solo stops and one tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 24-16 win over 13th-ranked Michigan . . . recorded five tackles vs. Wolverines, including two solo stops . . . also had first career interception, stopping a Michigan drive in the red zone . . . started at outside linebacker in 37-21 loss to Michigan State . . . recorded team-high nine tackles vs. MSU, including five solo stops and one tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 31-21 win at Purdue, recording one solo tackle, two asissts and a pass break-up as defense allowed just 282 yards total offense . . . started at outside linebacker in 20-7 loss at Nebraska, recording three solo tackles and career-best seven assists . . . started at outside linebacker in Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, recording six solo stops, one assist and one tackle for loss as defense allowed just 275 yards total offense.
2010 – – Saw action in 11 games, recording six assisted tackles . . . saw action in 37-7 opening win over Eastern Illinois, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 35-7 win over Iowa State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 34-27 loss at Arizona, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-0 win over Ball State, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 112 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 24-3 win over Penn State . . . saw action in 38-28 win at Michigan, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 31-30 loss to Wisconsin, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 18-13 win at Indiana, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 91 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 21-17 loss at Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 20-17 loss to Ohio State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 27-24 loss at Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in 27-24 Insight Bowl victory over 12th-ranked Missouri due to injury.
High school honors – – Named Missouri all-American while earning first team all-state honors as a senior . . . was first team all-conference as a senior after earning honorable mention recognition as a junior . . . earned second team all-Metro honors in St. Louis area . . . Career – – two-year letterman as linebacker and fullback . . . collected 163 tackles as a senior, with nine tackles for loss, three QB sacks, two interceptions and one touchdown . . . recorded 89 tackles as a junior, with three tackles for loss, one interception and a QB sack . . . team captain as a senior . . . team won state championship in junior season and returned to playoffs the following year . . . also lettered in track, helping team win state championship as a junior.
Personal – – Born 8/31/92 . . . leisure studies major . . . member of prep Honor Roll . . . parents are Patrice and Elmer Kirksey . . . high school coach was Mike Jones.