Roddrick Muckelroy

OLB, ILB · Texas
Players like Brian Orakpo and Sergio Kindle have garnered most of the media attention, but the coaching staff raves about the work ethic and game preparation that Muckelroy brought to the team. Muckelroy is a student of the game who breaks down game films, spots tendencies of the opposition and acts like a coach on the field while also serving as a mentor for his younger teammates. Some of the staff jokes that his biggest strengths might consist of a pencil and a piece of paper. Muckelroy's work ethic has helped him become one of the Longhorns' defensive leaders. Muckelroy's ability to play any of the three linebacker positions has proven to be invaluable. Most of his starting experience came at the weak-side outside linebacker position, but when 2009 fall camp injuries depleted the depth at middle linebacker, he made a seamless transition moving inside, going on to earn All-Big Twelve Conference honors for the second time as a starter. The veteran of the Texas defense has also set a good example for his fellow mates to hit everything that gets in your way. He nicknamed his unit, "The Goon Squad" for their ability to attack the pocket relentlessly. Muckelroy told the Austin American-Statesman "it means throwing your body around without a care." Harming opposing quarterbacks seems to be another trait. Texas knocked out Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, a week after ending Sam Bradford's season for Oklahoma. While he might play as if he's on a "search and destroy" mission, off the field Muckelroy is possibly more involved within the community than any other Longhorn. At Hallsville High School, Muckelroy was a four-year starter at linebacker and also played some running back. He was a first-team Class 4A All-State selection by the Associated Press and Texas Sports Writers Association as a senior, adding All-Area and All-District honors. That season, he recorded 104 tackles, four sacks, 12 stops for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery, adding two rushing touchdowns while lining up at fullback in goal-line situations. As a junior, Muckelroy was tabbed honorable mention All-State by the Associated Press and was also a first-team All-Area and All-District running back. He posted 144 tackles, 14 for loss, while rushing 89 times for 664 yards and nine touchdowns that year. He recorded 21 tackles, a forced fumble and scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner, vs. Palestine in the first round of the playoffs in 2003. During his sophomore season, he made 108 tackles, two sacks, seven stops for loss, one interception, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He also added 98 rushes for 448 yards and two scores. He had 378 tackles and 33 stops behind the line of scrimmage during his career. He also lettered twice in basketball and competed in track for three years in the 100m, 200m and mile relay. Muckelroy enrolled at Texas in 2005, spending the season as a red-shirt on the scout team. While it is rare for first-year players in the program to see much playing time, he had a stellar 2006 preseason and was anointed the team's starting weak-side linebacker. He had ten tackles (10 solos) with a sack and 2.5 stops for losses to begin the season, but early in the third game vs. Rice, he ruptured a tendon in his right ring finger. Surgery was performed and he missed the rest of the schedule. When he returned to the field in 2007, Muckelroy was no longer the starter, but he proved to be valuable coming off the bench. He played in 13 games, starting vs. Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl as a strong-side linebacker. He rewarded the coaches' faith in him by producing 59 tackles (40 solos) with 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception, despite being hampered a bit in mid-October by a strained hamstring. Again preparing as if his next game would be his last, Muckelroy wrested back his weak-side linebacker job in 2008, starting all 13 games. He paced the Longhorns with a career-best 102 tackles (69 solo). He showed off his "old" running back skills in the Texas-El Paso clash, racing 26 yards with a fumble recovery for a touchdown. When projected starter Jared Norton was lost due to an injury, Muckelroy slid over to man the middle linebacker position in 2009. He helped the team lead the nation in rush defense (72.36 yards per game) and rank third in total defense (251.93 yards per game), as he again led the squad with 85 tackles (59 solo) that included two sacks and nine stops behind the line of scrimmage, despite sitting out the Baylor contest with a knee sprain.

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