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    Muhammad Abdullah
    7 Muhammad Abdullah
    Class:
    Senior
    Hometown:
    Barnegat, N.J.
    High School:
    Southern Regional H.S.
    Height / Weight:
    6-1 / 202
    Position:
    Safety
    Eligibility:
    2 to play 1

    2000 Highlights
    Named a team captain … Started all 11 games at free safety for the Illini … Totaled a career-high 12 tackles against Michigan … Ranked 13th in the Big Ten in total tackles … Registered 11 tackles at Northwestern … Had eight solo tackles vs. Ohio State … Recorded tackles for loss in two games at Minnesota and vs. Indiana … Ranked third on the team in total tackles with 90, leading the secondary … Stopped a driving Minnesota offense with a forced fumble inside Gopher redzone … Recovered a fumble in the Illini’s blanking of Iowa, 31-0.

    1999 Highlights
    Started all 12 games at free safety… Ranked third on the team in tackles with 79 … Led team with five interceptions which ranked fifth in the Big Ten … Recorded fifth interception of the season and returned it for 21 yards in the Illini’s rout of Virginia in the Micronpc.com Bowl … Also led the team with seven tackles and two passes broken up in bowl game … Had a season-high 11 tackles vs. Iowa … Also set single-game career high for solo stops with 10 vs. Iowa … Made seven tackles and recovered two fumbles against Northwestern … His five picks were the most by an Illini since 1996 … Recovered a team-high four fumbles … Had 10 total tackles in the Illini’s win over No. 9 Michigan … Returned an interception of Louisville’s Chris Redmon 31 yards in the Illini’s win over the Cardinals … Recovered fumbles in three games, one each vs. Michigan State and Penn State, and two vs. Northwestern.

    1998 Highlights
    Played in all 11 games as a true freshman at free safety and on special teams, starting four games after an injury to starter Mike Gusich … Made 26 tackles, including 15 solos with one interception and one fumble recovery … Made career-high 10 tackles with seven solo stops vs. Wisconsin … Made seven stops at Northwestern with five solo tackles and a touchdown-saving interception, returning it 18 yards . . . Added six tackles with four solos vs. Iowa and Ohio State … Also made four tackles vs. Louisville and Purdue, adding a fumble recovery vs. Boilermakers.

    High School Highlights
    Played tailback on offense and strong safety on defense at Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin, N.J. … High school head coach was Larry Sheehan . . . Set school career rushing record with 2,055 yards and single-season mark with 1,304 yards in 1997 . . . Also owns single-season TD mark with 12 in both 1996 and 1997 … Rushed for 239 yards in one game in 1997 and scored five touchdowns in a game in 1996 . . . On defense, made 138 career tackles with four interceptions, seven forced fumbles, 10 knockdowns and two sacks . . . A two-time A-South Conference selection … A State Super 100 team pick, also earned All-Shore Region Conference, All South of the Border and All-Ocean County team honors . . . Earned 10 varsity letters in high school, including three in football, three in wrestling and four in track and field . . . In wrestling, named Most Improved as a frosh, won 160-pound class at North Bergen JV Championships as a sophomore, and helped lead squad to state championship in 1997

    Personal
    Full given name is Muhammad Qasim Abdullah … Born Nov. 16, 1979 in Jersey City, N.J. … Majoring in business administration-entrepreneurship … Served as school representative to County Youth Human Relations Commission for three years, a peer leader for two years, school representative to Teen Leadership Institute in 1997 and was a member of the National Art Honor Society … Most memorable sports moments were scoring five touchdowns in 1996 game, breaking the 1,000-yard rushing mark in 1997, making 14 tackles in one game in 1997 and winning the state team championship in wrestling in 1997 … His uncle, Charles Mays, was a member of the 1968 and 1972 United States Olympic Track and Field squads . . . His father, Ibrahim, is in management at Bell Atlantic and his mother, Bahiyyah, is Director of Marketing and Membership with the Ocean County Girl Scout Council … Enjoys video games, drawing and being with friends … Favorite athlete is Barry Sanders … Past summer jobs include groundskeeper at Six Flags Great Adventure and cashier at McDonald’s.

    Career Highs
    Tackles: 12 vs. Michigan, 9/23/00
    Solos: 10 at Iowa, 11/6/99
    Interceptions: 1, six times, last time vs. Virginia, 12/30/99
    PBU: 2 at Louisville, 9/18/99
    Fumbles Rec: 2 vs. Northwestern, 11/20/99
    TFL: 1, four times, last vs. Indiana, 11/4/00

    Defensive Statistics:

    TFL-SACKS-INT-
    YEARGST AT TOT YDS YDSYDS
    1998111511260-00-01-18
    1999125821792-50-05-52
    2000115634902-60-00-0
    Total34129661954-110-06-70

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