George Byrd

Height:
6-1
Weight:
235
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Naples, Fla.
High School:
Naples H.S.

On Byrd: Enters camp as the starting weakside (WILL) linebacker for the second year in a row ... Comes off solid spring where he increased his physical play according to Coach Brown ... Great athleticism and speed ... Impact maker on special teams ... Saw extended time in package formations in his first two seasons ... Very talented player, who saw action as a true freshman ... Coming out of high school was rated as the fourth-best linebacker headed to a Division I-AA school by Rivals.com. As a senior in 2008: Full-time starter at WILL Linebacker as a senior ... Third on team with 76 tackles this season with 7.0 TFLs for 10 yards. Ranks 21st in CAA in tackles per game (6.3) ... Ranks 12th among all linebackers in the CAA ... In final college game had first career interception with seven tackles ... Racked up seven tackles along with 0.5 TFL vs. Maine (11/8) ... Seven stops including first sack of year at Rhode Island (11/1) ... Made seven tackles with a TFL vs. Bryant (10/25) ... Three stops vs. #9 Richmond (10/18) ... Five tackles at Northeastern (10/11) ... Racked up nine stops, second-best, vs. #16 Delaware (10/4) ... Second on team with six stops at #11 FBS Texas Tech (9/20) ... Career-best 14 tackles at #7 James Madison (9/13) ... Three stops and a TFL at Holy Cross (9/6) ... Opened the season against Albany (8/30) with six tackles including a TFL. Posted 100th career tackle in the win.

As a junior in 2007: Started 12 of 13 games ... Had 57 tackles (21 solo and 36 assisted), along with 3.5 sacks, 5.0 TFL and five pass break-ups ... Racked up six tackles at #4 Southern Illinois (12/1) in NCAA Quarterfinal ... Made five tackles including a sack at #22 Hofstra (11/17) ... Four tackles, including 0.5 TFLs, a pass break-up in win over #14 New Hampshire (11/10) ... Made four tackles, had a TFL and pass break-up at WIlliam & Mary (10/27) ... Racked up five tackles vs. Northeastern (10/20) ... Assisted eight tackles including two half-sacks and 1.5 TFLs in 4OT win over Villanova (10/13) ... At Boston College (9/29), made five tackles ... Three tackles in win over #23 Towson (9/15) ... At Colgate (9/8), made four tackles ... Opened year with six tackles, a sack for eight yards and two pass break-ups vs. Holy Cross (9/1). As a sophomore in 2006: Started 12 games at linebacker also started three times in a 3-4 set ... Made 32 tackles, along with 3.0 TFLs, a sack, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick and block recovery ... Three stops in NCAA Final vs. Appalachian State (12/15) ... Made three tackles vs. #9 UNH (12/2) in NCAA Quarterfinal ... At #9 New Hampshire (11/4), returned to action in first-career start in a 3-4 line-up as the fourth linebacker. Made two tackles. Recovered Tim Washington[apos]s blocked punt on special teams ... Missed games at Towson (10/14), vs. Rhode Island (10/21) and at Northeastern (10/28) with a concussion ... Two tackles and 0.5 TFL vs. William & Mary (10/7) ... Forced fumble, three tackles vs. Stony Brook (9/23) ... Along with three tackles at Villanova (9/16), blocked second-career punt, had first-career sack and two TFLs (14 yards) ... Career-high nine tackles at Navy (9/9), also forced a fumble and had a 0.5 TFL ... Made three tackles in opener vs. Colgate (9/2). As a freshman in 2005: Played in all 11 games as a regular on special teams and as a reserve linebacker ... One of three true freshmen to play during the season ... Made nine tackles ... Blocked a punt in the Army (11/12) game which was recovered by Bryan Haynes in the end zone. Also had a TFL for 1 yard ... Had solo tackle and assist in finale at Hofstra (11/19) ... Assisted two tackles vs. James Madison (10/15) ... Made first college tackle vs. Albany (9/17). Before UMass: Played at Naples High School under Coach Bill Kramer ... Honored as a two-time First-Team All-County selection by the Naples Daily News ... Totaled 102 tackles with 66 solo stops ... Caused three fumbles and recovered two more ... Had a 10.5 sacks, 16 quarterback pressures and 14 tackles for loss. Personal: George W. Byrd ... Born November 7, 1987 ... Son of Marsha and George Byrd ... Majoring in Sociology.

CAREER STATISTICS (Defense) Year GP UT AT TT Sacks TFL Int PD 2005 11/0 2 7 9 0-0 0.5-1 0-0 0 2006 12/3 11 21 32 1-7 3-16 0-0 0 2007 13/12 21 36 57 3.5-22 5-24 0-0 5 2008 12/12 27 49 76 1-1 7-10 1-1 1 Totals 48/27 61 113 174 5.5-30 15.5-51 1-1 6

CAREER HIGHS Tackles: 14 at James Madison (9/13/08) Sacks: five times, last at Rhode Island (11/1/08) Interceptions: 1 vs. Hofstra (11/22/08) TFLs: 2 at Villanova (9/16/06) Block Punts: 1 at Army (11/12/05) & at Villanova (9/16/06)

10-Tackle Games: 1 at James Madison (9/13/08) UM 0-1 Game-By-Game 2008 UT-AT-TT, Other 8/30 Albany 3-3-6, 1 tfl 9/6 HC 3-0-3, 1 tfl 9/13 JMU 6-8-14, 1 tfl 9/20 TT 6-0-6 10/4 Del. 0-9-9, 1.5 tfl 10/11 NU 4-1-5 10/18 Rich. 0-3-3, 10/25 Bryant 0-7-7, 1 tfl 11/1 URI 3-4-7, sk, tfl 11/8 Maine 1-6-7, .5 tfl 11/15 UNH 1-1-2 11/22 Hofstra 0-7-7 2007 UT-AT-TT, Other 9/1 H Cross 3-3-6, sk, tfl, 2pd 9/8 Colgate 1-3-4 9/15 Towson 1-2-3 9/22 Maine 0-1-1 9/29 BC 1-4-5 10/13 Vill. 0-8-8, 1.5tfl, sk 10/20 NU 2-3-5 10/27 W&M 2-2-4, tfl, pd 11/3 URI 2-1-3 11/10 UNH 1-3-4, 0.5sk, 0.5tfl, pd 11/17 Hofstra 3-2-5, sk, tfl 11/24 Ford. 1-2-3 12/1 SIU 4-2-6

2006 UT-AT-TT, Other 9/2 Colgate 0-3-3 9/9 Navy 5-4-9, ff, 0.5tfl 9/16 Vill. 3-0-3, sk, 2tfl, blk 9/23 S Brook 1-2-3, ff 10/7 W&M 0-2-2, 0.5tfl 10/14 Towson DNT-INJ 10/21 URI DND-INJ 10/28 NU DNT-INJ 11/4 UNH 0-2-2, fr 11/11 Maine 0-2-2 11/18 Hofstra 0-1-1 11/25 Laf. 0-0-0, pd 12/2 UNH 0-3-3 12/8 Mont. 0-1-1 12/15 App St. 2-1-3