#49 Melvin Spears Season 2015-16

2015 – – Saw action in 31-14 win over Illinois State, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed 35 net rushing yards and 231 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 31-17 win at Iowa State . . . did not see action in 27-24 win over Pitt . . . saw action in 62-16 win over North Texas, recording one solo tackle . . . did not see action in 10-6 win at Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 29-20 win over Illinois . . . saw action in 40-10 win at Northwestern, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 51 net rushing yards and 198 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 31-15 win over Maryland . . . did not see action in 35-27 win at Indiana . . . did not see action in 40-35 win over Minnesota . . . saw action in 40-20 win over Purdue, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in 28-20 win at Nebraska . . . saw action in 16-13 loss to Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-16 Rose Bowl loss to Stanford, but had no statistics.

2014 – – Saw action in four games, recording two solo tackles and one assist . . . saw action in 45-29 win over Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 48-7 win over Northwestern, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 180 yards total offense . . . saw action in loss at Minnesota, recording two solo tackles and one assist . . . did not see action in 30-14 win at Illinois . . . did not see action in 26-24 loss to No. 14 Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 37-34 overtime loss to Nebraska . . . saw action in TaxSlayer Bowl loss to Tennessee, but had no statistics.

2013 – – Did not see any game action.

2012 – – Saw action in five games, but had no statistics . . . saw first action of career in 38-14 loss to Penn State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-21 loss at Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 27-24 loss to Purdue, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 42-17 loss at Michigan, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 13-7 loss to Nebraska, but had no statistics.

2011 – – Redshirted.

High school honors – – Two-time unanimous first team all-conference selection . . . 2010 district defensive Most Valuable Player . . . 2010 Collin County Defensive Most Valuable Player . . . Dallas Morning News Defensive Player of the Year finalist . . . all-Dallas/Fort Worth first team linebacker . . . second team all-conference selection as a sophomore . . . Career – – Finished with 250 tackles (159 solo), 16 tackles for loss, seven QB sacks, three interceptions and five forced fumbles during his three-year varsity career . . . helped team post a 35-5 record, which included an 18-1 district mark, and a 2008 state championship . . . led team to Bi-District title as both a junior and senior . . . team captain as a senior . . . totaled 105 tackles (67 solo), with four tackles for loss, two QB sacks, five forced fumbles and three interceptions as a senior . . . collected 91 tackles (57 solo) with 10 tackles for loss and two QB sacks as a junior . . . recorded 54 tackles (35 solo), with three QB sacks, as a sophomore.

Personal – – Born 11/6/92 . . . leisure studies major . . . member of the National Honor Society, graduating with a 3.50 GPA . . . parents are Christi and Melvin Spears . . . one of two players from Allen, Texas on the Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Tom Westerberg.