Justin Springer

Career Honors: 2010: Team captain, All-Big 12 Honorable Mention by Associated Press, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week vs. Georgia Tech, Academic All-Big 12 First Team, KU linebacker of the year, KU defensive player of the week vs. Georgia Tech. 2009: Academic All-Big 12 First Team. 2008: Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

2010 (Sr.): Was a team captain… Earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors by the Associated Press… Was Big 12 defensive player of the week vs. Georgia Tech… Earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors… Selected as KU linebacker of the year… Named KU defensive player of the week vs. Georgia Tech… Against Georgia Tech he recorded a career-high 15 tackles, including a sack… Was team[apos]s second-leading tackler with 85 stops… Was second on the team with eight tackles for loss, including one sack… Broke up one pass against North Dakota State… In addition to his 15 tackles against Georgia Tech, he had 12 tackles against Texas A&M… Made eight stops against New Mexico State and Colorado… Made at least four tackles in all 12 games.

2009 (Jr.): Named Academic All-Big 12 First Team… Played in all 12 games on the season… Started in KU[apos]s three-linebacker set against Southern Mississippi and Nebraska… Recorded 25 tackles on the season… Had 4.5 tackles for loss, including one sack… Sack came against Duke… Recovered a fumble against Southern Mississippi and forced a fumble against Nebraska… Also broke up a pass against Nebraska… Made nine tackles against Oklahoma… Had four stops at Kansas State… Made three tackles at UTEP playing against his twin brother.

2008 (So.): Earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors… Was a key reserve linebacker and special teams player before suffering a season-ending injury against Kansas State… Recorded 15 tackles in nine games… Had 2.5 tackles for loss, while sharing in a sack against Colorado… Had a career-best eight tackles against Oklahoma.

2007 (Fr.): Played in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker and special teams player… Was credited with 23 tackles on the year… Ranked 11th on the team in tackles, despite coming off the bench… Had tackles in 11 of 13 games… Had four tackles against both Toledo and Nebraska… Recorded at least two tackles in six different games.

High School: Ranked as the 39th-best inside linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com… Earned three all-valley honors from 2004-06… An all-state second team selection and district defensive player of the year in 2006… Also was named to the all-region team and was all-metro defensive player of the year as a senior… Earned defensive player of the year honors in the district and metro area as a junior… Was named defensive newcomer of the year in the district as a sophomore… Collected 140 total tackles, including seven quarterback sacks, as a senior… Also picked off three passes, forced five fumbles and recovered a pair of fumbles in 2006… Helped the Falcons to the district title and bi-district championship in 2006 en route to the regional finals… Earned varsity letters in football, basketball and track… Coached in football by Scott Ford… Earned all-district honors on the basketball court in 2005 and 2006… A member of the National Honor Society… Was among the top 10 students in his graduating class.

Personal: Born in Harlingen, Texas… Major is sport management… Would like to become a strength/conditioning coach… Hobbies include fishing, bowling and being outdoors… Son of Donald and Kim Springer… His twin brother, Jeremy, plays football at UTEP.