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#51
Tom
Parks
Junior
DL
Pittsburgh,
PA/ North
Allegheny
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At
Delaware:
2004:
Third-year team member and two-year
letterwinner...will once again be key
member of a deep and talented Delaware
defensive front at tackle position...unit
returns seven of the top eight regulars
from 2003 when unit posted 41 sacks...
Verizon/CoSIDA Academic AII-American
nominee...two-time member of Atlantic 10
Academic All-Conference team...will battle
with senior Brian Jennings for starting
tackle spot next to All-American candidate
Chris Mooney... combines good strength and
quickness to handle the interior line
duties... changed number from 68 to 51
this season...has posted 50 career tackles
in 21 games at Delaware...had two tackles
and broke up a pass in spring
game...lifted 225 lbs. 22 time in spring
testing to rank second among UD defensive
linemen...
2003:
One of Blue Hens' most improved
players throughout the season...key member
of defensive front that recorded 41 sacks
and ranked fifth in NCAA I-AA in scoring
defense (15.4), No. 16 in total defense
(303.0), and No. 17 in rushing defense
(114.3)...played in all 16 games and
started 11 contests at tackle...ranked
10th on team and second among defensive
linemen in tackles with 48, including 33
solo stops...ranked second on team with
13.5 tackles for loss (fifth in Atlantic
10) for 57 yards...had 3.5 sacks and added
two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and
one umble recovery...had career-high eight
tackles vs. Northeastern, including three
for losses, to earn Blue Hen Touchdown
Club Defensive Player of the Week
honors...enjoyed some of his top games in
the post-season...led team with two sacks
and had four tackles for loss in the I-AA
playoffs...posted six tackles and forced a
fumble vs. Southern Illinois and had three
tackles and recovered fumble which led to
a touchdown and added a sack in NCAA I-AA
title game win over Colgate...forced a
fumble vs. Villanova...posted two tackles
in spring game...was named the Blue Hen
Touchdown Club Most Improved Defensive
Player...had second best vertical jump (33
inches) and second best clean lift (315
lbs.) among UD defensive linemen in spring
testing...
2002:
One of only three true freshmen to see
action for the Hens along with deep
snapper Brett Wharton and cornerback Roger
Brown...was projected as an offensive
lineman but moved into defensive end spot
prior to the season...appeared in five
games as a reserve...saw action vs.
Georgia Southern, The Citadel, West
Chester, Northeastern, and Villanova...had
one tackle each vs. Georgia Southern (in
collegiate debut) and vs. West
Chester...
High
School Honors: Outstanding two-way
player at North Allegheny High School near
Pittsburgh under head coach Jim
Rankin...attended the same high school as
2003 Blue Hen All-Atlantic 10 Conference
tight end Rick Lavelle...had 53 tackles
and 12 sacks as a senior during the 2001
season and was named first team All-State
among big schools by the Associated
Press...was a Pittsburgh Tribune Terrific
25 selection and was named the AAAA
Defensive Player of the Year by the
Pennsylvania Football News
Magazine...played in Big 33 All-Star
game...three-year starter and three-time
Pittsburgh Quad North All-Star...four-year
varsity wrestler...was ranked No. 1 in
Western Pennsylvania and No. 2 in the
state as a senior when he captured the
state title at 275 Ibs....was AAA
Southwest Region champion as a junior when
he placed third at the state meet...posted
a career record of 116-23...honor roll
student...
Personal:
Thomas William "Tom" Parks...born
April 8, 1984...son of William and
Patricia Parks...father is a special agent
with the FBI...mother is a speech
therapist...third of four sons...father
played football at Kent State and Indiana
(PA) University...brother, Luke, played
football at the University of Dayton and
brother, Jon, played rugby at
Dayton...honor student as an arts and
science major at Delaware...enjoys fishing
in his spare time...has been active in
DARE (youth anti-drug program) and Jubilee
Kitchen (feeding homeless).
Copyright,
© 2004, University of Delaware. All
rights reserved.
Please direct Athletics questions to the
Athletics
Media
Relations
office.
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