Kansas Jayhawks
Joe Mortensen - Football - Kansas Jayhawks
8

Joe Mortensen

Position Linebacker
Height 6'1''
Weight 250 lbs.
Class Redshirt Senior
Hometown Clayton, Calif.
High School Clayton Valley HS
bio

Career Honors: 2008: Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Lombardi Award Watch List. 2007: All-Big 12 First Team (Coaches, Associated Press, Austin American Statesman, Forth Worth Star Telegram), All-Big 12 Second Team (Phil Steele, Rivals.com), KU co-Defensive Player of the Week (vs. Southeastern Louisiana and vs. Oklahoma State)

2007 (Jr.): Ranked ninth in the Big 12 and 97th in the NCAA in tackles per game (8.15)… Tied for second in the Big 12 and 54th in the NCAA in tackles for loss per game (1.15)… Started all 13 games at middle linebacker after playing outside linebacker in 2006… Led the team with 106 tackles… Also led KU with 15 tackles for loss… His three sacks tied for second on the team… The sacks came against Central Michigan, Iowa State and Virginia Tech… Also broke up five passes, forced a fumble (vs. Florida International), recovered two fumbles (two at Oklahoma State) and blocked a field goal attempt (vs. Virginia Tech) during the year… Had four games with at least 10 tackles, including 13 stops against Florida International and vs. Missouri… Had 11 tackles at Kansas State and at Colorado.

2006 (So.): Started all 12 games at linebacker… Finished second on the team with 82 total tackles and 9.0 tackles-for-loss… Racked up 3.5 quarterback sacks… Recovered a pair of fumbles and also forced a fumble… Recorded a career-high 12 tackles against Missouri… Had six tackles including four tackles-for-loss in KU[apos]s season-opener against Northwestern State… Collected at least six tackles in eight different contests.

2005 (Fr.): Saw action in all 12 games on special teams and as a reserve linebacker… Tallied four total tackles including three solo stops… Recorded a career-high two tackles against Florida Atlantic.

2004 (RS): Redshirted… Worked out as a member of the scout team… Selected as the scout team defensive player of the week for the KSU game.

High School: Was an All-State First Team selection after his senior season… Named the Northern California Defensive MVP after collecting a school-record 171 tackles… Also earned All-City (San Francisco) First Team and All-Metro (Oakland) First Team honors… Coached by Herc Pardi… Was named MVP of Nebraska[apos]s summer camp in 2003 and was the top linebacker prospect at the Stanford Nike camp… Earned letters in football, track and basketball… Broke Clayton Valley HS weightlifting records in the bench (385), power clean (330) and squat (515).

Personal: Born in Concord, Calif… A psychology major… Hobbies include reading and lifting weights… Son of Tracy and Al Duncan… Has one sister.

Favorites: Place to play football – Home; Activity other than football – Boxing; Athlete – Lawrence Taylor or James Holt; Pregame ritual – Slapping Mike Rivera in the face; Football memory – Winning the Orange Bowl; Thing about your team – I love all of them

Defense G UT AT Total TFL Sacks FF FR PBU
2007 13 50 56 106 15-52 3-26 1 2 5
2006 12 42 40 82 9-30 3.5-21 1 2 1
2005 12 3 1 4 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 37 95 97 192 24-82 6.5-47 2 4 6