Michael Huff

Michael Huff

No. 24     Oakland Raiders
Free Safety
Personal information
Date of birth: March 6, 1983 (1983-03-06) (age 28)
Place of birth: Irving, Texas
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	Weight: 205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College: Texas
NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7
Debuted in 2006 for the Oakland Raiders
Career history
Oakland Raiders (2006–present)
Career highlights and awards
Jim Thorpe Award (2005) AP First Team All-American (2005) 1× All-Pro selection (2010)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2011
Tackles	363
Sacks	5.5
Interceptions	8
Stats at NFL.com

Michael Wayne Huff II. ^[1] (born March 6, 1983) is an American Football Free Safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He played collegiately as a CB/S for The University of Texas Longhorns.

High school career

Huff attended Nimitz High School in Irving, Texas and was a three-year letterman in football and a four-year letterman in track. In football, he played wide receiver, cornerback, and safety, contributed in the playoffs his freshmen and junior years. In track, he placed seventh at the USATF Junior Nationals and ran a personal best of 10.46 seconds on the 100 meter dash. His High School number #23 will be retired from Nimitz High School.

College career

As a defensive back at Texas, Huff was selected in 2005 as consensus First Team All American safety and won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back. In 2002, he earned a third-team Freshman All-American selection from the Sporting News. He had four career interceptions returned for touchdowns, a school record. In the Rose Bowl game against USC, Huff recovered a fumbled lateral from Reggie Bush, a play that many credit with changing the momentum of the game and helping the 2005 Texas Longhorn football team win the NCAA National Championship. He also was the key defender who prevented LenDale White (USC-RB) from gaining a 1st down on a 4th down and 2 with USC leading late in the 4th quarter. Texas's Vince Young then marched down the field and scored the touchdown that secured the Longhorn victory.

Raider safety

2006 season

Michael Huff was selected in the 1st round (7th overall) by the Oakland Raiders in the 2006 NFL Draft. After immediately being named the starter at strong safety in his rookie year, he recorded 78 tackles. On October 22, 2006, in a game against the Arizona Cardinals, Huff recorded 4 solo tackles and his first safety. He started all 16 games in his rookie season.

2007 season

His first forced fumble came in his second year in a match-up against the Houston Texans on November 11, 2007. His first interception came in a game against rivalry team Kansas City Chiefs, which set up kicker Sebastian Janikowski for the field goal, which lead to a victory 20-17. Huff ended the game with an impressive performance, adding in 9 total tackles (7 solo, 2 assists). The following week, against another rivalry team, the Denver Broncos, Huff sacked Broncos Quarterback Jay Cutler. Huff finished his 2007 season with 85 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception.

Huff was moved to free safety after the acquisition of Gibril Wilson.^[2]

2008 season

After recording just 12 tackles through the first 5 games of the 2008 season, Michael Huff was benched from his free safety position in favor of Hiram Eugene.

2009 season

At the start of the 2009 season, Oakland had Hiram Eugene and Huff splitting snaps. Huff displayed excellent ball skills in the first two weeks, intercepting 3 passes. Huff finished the season with 59 tackles, half a sack and 3 interceptions, playing next to strong safety Tyvon Branch.

2010 season

Huff opened the 2010 season as the Raiders starting free safety, still playing next to Tyvon Branch. The 2010 season would be the Raiders best season at 8-8 since losing the Super Bowl to Tampa Bay in the 2002 NFL season. For the second straight year, Huff finished with 3 interceptions, along with career highs in almost every defensive category on his way to his first All-Pro section, one of 8 safeties selected as a 2nd team All-Pro. Huff finished the season with 94 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions.

2011 season

On opening day of the 2011 NFL season, he was still the starting free safety playing next to Tyvon Branch in a win over the Denver Broncos.

On October 9, 2011 against the Houston Texans, Huff intercepted his first pass of the year in the endzone with no time remaining to ensure victory for the Raiders.^[3]

References

1. ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuffMi20.htm
2. ^ Depth chart update
3. ^ Espn report

External links

• Michael Huff profile at Mack Brown Texas Football

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Carlos Rogers	Thorpe Award Winner 2005	Succeeded by Aaron Ross