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  Thomas Wright
Thomas Wright

Player Profile
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Lake Wales, Fla.
High School:
Lake Wales
Height / Weight:
6-1 / 193
Position:
S
Birthdate:
07/03/1981
Experience:
3L

All-Big Ten candidate anchors the Spartan defensive secondary from his strong safety position . . . tough, physical playmaker is ranked among the nation’s top strong safeties (No. 12) by The Sporting News . . . produced two big plays in the April 6 scrimmage, breaking up a pass intended for BJ Lovett on the goal line and blocking a 37-yard field-goal attempt . . . has started 22 straight games at safety . . . joins tailback Dawan Moss, center Brian Ottney and quarterback Jeff Smoker as captains for the 2002 season . . . AS A JUNIOR: Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the coaches in 2001 . . . shared MSU’s Outstanding Underclass Back Award with tailback T.J. Duckett, wide receiver Charles Rogers and quarterback Jeff Smoker . . . started all 12 games in 2001, including three at strong safety and nine at free safety, and played 357 minutes . . . helped anchor an injury-plagued secondary that still managed to rank among the NCAA leaders in pass defense (No. 14 at 176.1 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense (No. 19 with 105.5 rating) . . . led the secondary and finished second on the team in tackles with 92 (68 solos, 24 assists) . . . recorded seven tackles for losses (22 yards) and 13 pass break-ups . . . made eight stops vs. Fresno State (5-3), Penn State (7-1), Wisconsin (6-2) and Iowa (7-1) . . . produced 10 tackles (8-2) vs. Indiana . . . had nine stops vs. Minnesota (5-4) and Notre Dame (7-2), including a 9-yard sack . . . registered a season-high 12 tackles (10-2) vs. Northwestern, including three for losses (7 yards) . . . AS A SOPHOMORE: Shared the Tommy Love Award as the team’s most improved player with tight end Ivory McCoy . . . started 10 of 11 games at strong safety in 2000 and played 312.5 minutes . . . key figure in a secondary that led the Big Ten and ranked seventh nationally in pass defense, allowing only 164.1 yards per game . . . led the Spartan defense in production points with 159 and ranked second in tackles with 106 (73 solos, 33 assists) . . . played as well as anyone down the stretch, averaging 11.3 tackles over his last six games . . . had nine stops (6-3), four pass break-ups and an interception in MSU’s 30-10 win over No. 9 Purdue . . . registered 13 tackles (10-3) vs. Ohio State, including a sack (11 yards) . . . named Spartan Defensive Player of the Week vs. Illinois after producing a career-high 18 tackles (12-6) . . . reached double figures in tackles four times, including 10 stops (6-4) vs. Missouri . . . AS A FRESHMAN: Appeared in all 12 games in 1999 and played 122.5 minutes . . . played double-figure minutes in five games, including a season high 29.5 vs. Purdue . . . recorded 22 tackles (11 solos, 11 assists), including five sacks (46 yards) . . . produced four tackles (2-2) vs. Florida in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, including two sacks (19 yards) . . . had a season-high eight stops (5-3) vs. Purdue, including a sack (13 yards) . . . HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: PrepStar All-American . . . rated the No. 1 safety in Florida and among the state’s top 20 players by SunState . . . all-state safety had three interceptions as a senior . . . all-region receiver had 26 catches for 630 yards (24.2 avg.) and eight touchdowns . . . played for Coach Rod Shafer at Lake Wales (Fla.) High School . . . had a personal best of 6-4 in the high jump . . . runs 4.4 in the 40 . . . born July 3, 1981 . . . majoring in agriculture and natural resources – communications. 


Wright’s Career Statistics
		G/GS	UT	AT	TM	TFL-Yds.	Sacks	PBU	INT
1999		12/0	11	11	22	5-46		5-46	1	0-0
2000		11/10	73	33	106	3-13		1-11	12	2-0
2001		12/12	68	24	92	7-22		1-9	13	2-13
Career		35/22	152	68	220	15-81		7-66	26	4-13


Wright’s Career Highs
Tackles: 18, vs. Illinois (2000)
Tackles for Losses: 3, vs. Northwestern (2001)
Sacks: 2, vs. Florida (2000)


Wright’s Game-By-Game Statistics
1999
Defense		       UT	AT	TM	TFL	Sacks
Oregon			0	0	0	0-0	0-0
Eastern Michigan	0	0	0	0-0	0-0
Notre Dame		0	1	1	0-0	0-0
Illinois		0	0	0	0-0	0-0
Iowa			2	0	2	1-6	1-6
Michigan 		0	0	0	0-0	0-0
Purdue			5	3	8	1-13	1-13
Wisconsin		2	0	2	1-8	1-8
Ohio State		0	1	1	0-0	0-0
Northwestern		0	1	1	0-0	0-0
Penn State		0	3	3	0-0	0-0
Florida			2	2	4	2-19	2-19
Totals			11	11	22	5-46	5-46


2000
Defense		        UT	AT	TM	TFL	Sacks
Marshall		4	1	5	0-0	0-0
Missouri		6	4	10	0-0	0-0
Notre Dame		5	3	8	1-1	0-0
Northwestern		6	3	9	0-0	0-0
Iowa			3	3	6	0-0	0-0
Wisconsin		5	3	8	0-0	0-0
Michigan   		10	2	12	1-1	0-0
Illinois		12	6	18	0-0	0-0
Ohio State		10	3	13	1-11	1-11
Purdue			6	3	9	0-0	0-0
Penn State		6	2	8	0-0	0-0
Totals			73	33	106	3-13	1-11


2001
Defense		        UT	AT	TM	TFL	Sacks
Central Michigan  	4	2	6	0-0	0-0	
Notre Dame		7	2	9	1-9	1-9
Northwestern		10	2	12	3-7	0-0
Iowa			7	1	8	0-0	0-0	
Minnesota		5	4	9	0-0	0-0
Wisconsin		6	2	8	1-1	0-0
Michigan  		3	1	4	0-0	0-0
Indiana			8	2	10	1-4	0-0
Purdue			3	1	4	0-0	0-0
Penn State		7	1	8	1-1	0-0
Missouri		3	3	6	0-0	0-0
Fresno State		5	3	8	0-0	0-0
Totals			68	24	92	7-22	1-9