Michael Huff
 Huff with the Oakland Raiders in 2012 | |||||||||||
| No. 24, 29 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | March 6, 1983 Irving, Texas,U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 211 lb (96 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Nimitz(Irving, Texas) | ||||||||||
| College: | Texas(2001–2005) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2006/ round: 1 / pick: 7 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats atPFR | |||||||||||
Michael Wayne Huff II(born March 6, 1983) is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was asafetyin theNational Football League(NFL). He playedcollege footballfor theUniversity of Texasand then played 8 years in the NFL, primarily with theOakland Raiders,who had drafted him with the seventh overall pick in the2006 NFL draft.At Texas, he won a National Championship and was recognized as aunanimous All-Americanand the top college defensive back. In the NFL, he was 2nd Team All Pro in 2010. In his last NFL season, he played briefly for both theBaltimore Ravensand theDenver Broncos.As a Bronco, he was part of the team that suffered a loss atSuper Bowl XLVIII,despite not playing in it. After retiring as a player, he returned to Texas as a coach.
Early life
[edit]Huff was born inIrving, Texas.[1]He attendedNimitz High Schoolin Irving, and was a three-yearlettermanin football and a four-year letterman intrack.In football, he playedwide receiver,cornerback,andsafety,contributed in the playoffs his freshmen and junior years. His football jersey No. 23 was retired byNimitz High School.Huff was inducted into theIrving Independent School DistrictHall of Fame Class in 2013.
College career
[edit]Football
[edit]Huff attended theUniversity of Texas at Austin,where he played for coachMack Brown'sTexas Longhorns footballteam from 2001 to 2005. He was recognized as aunanimous All-Americanin2005and won theJim Thorpe Awardas the nation's best defensive back. In 2002, he earned a third-teamFreshman All-Americanselection from theSporting News.He had four career interceptions returned for touchdowns, a school record. In theRose Bowlgame against theUSC Trojans,Huff recovered a fumbled lateral fromReggie Bush,a play that many credit with changing the momentum of the game and helping the2005 Texas Longhorns football teamwin theNCAA National Championship.He also was the key defender who prevented USC running backLenDale Whitefrom gaining a first down on a crucial fourth-down-and-two with USC leading late in the 4th quarter.
Track and field
[edit]Huff also rantrack and fieldat theUniversity of Texas at Austin,where he recorded personal bests of 6.67 seconds in the60 metersand 10.13 seconds in the100 meters.
- Personal bests
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 6.67 | Houston, Texas | January 29, 2005 |
| 100 meters | 10.13 | Irving, Texas | April 14, 2000 |
| 200 meters | 20.96 | Lockhart, Texas | April 20, 2000 |
Professional career
[edit]Oakland Raiders
[edit]2006 season
[edit]Michael Huff was selected in the first round (seventh overall) by theOakland Raidersin the2006 NFL draft.[2]After immediately being named the starter atstrong safetyin his rookie year, he recorded 78 tackles. On October 22, 2006, in a game against theArizona Cardinals,Huff recorded 4 solo tackles and his first safety. He started all 16 games in his rookie season.
2007 season
[edit]His first forced fumble came in his second year in a match-up against theHouston Texanson November 11, 2007. His first interception came in a game against a division rival, theKansas City Chiefs,which set upkickerSebastian Janikowskifor the field goal, leading to a 20–17 victory. Huff ended the game with an impressive performance, adding in 9 total tackles (7 solo, 2 assists). The following week, against another division rival, theDenver Broncos,Huff sacked quarterbackJay Cutler.Huff finished the 2007 season with 85 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception.
Huff was moved tofree safetyafter the acquisition ofGibril Wilson.[3]
2008 season
[edit]After recording just 12 tackles through the first 5 games of the 2008 season, Michael Huff was benched from hisfree safetyposition in favor ofHiram Eugene.
2009 season
[edit]At the start of the 2009 season, Oakland had Hiram Eugene and Huff splitting snaps. Huff displayed excellent ball skills in the first two weeks, intercepting 3 passes. Huff finished the season with 59 tackles, half a sack and 3 interceptions, playing next tostrong safetyTyvon Branch.
2010 season
[edit]Huff opened the 2010 season as the Raiders' starting free safety, still playing next toTyvon Branch.The 2010 season would be the Raiders' best season (at 8-8) since losingSuper Bowl XXXVIIto theTampa Bay Buccaneers.For the second straight year, Huff finished with 3 interceptions, along with career highs in almost every defensive category. His efforts led to his only All-Pro section, where he was selected as a 2nd team All-Pro. He was also 1st Team All Pro according to Pro Football Focus.[4]Huff finished the season with 94 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions.
2011 season
[edit]On opening day of the2011 NFL season,he remained the starting free safety, playing next to Tyvon Branch, in a win over theDenver Broncos.
On October 9, 2011, against theHouston Texans,Huff intercepted his first pass of the year in the endzone with no time remaining to ensure victory for the Raiders. This was one day after the passing of Raiders' long-time ownerAl Davis.On the play, the Raiders' defense only had 10 men on the field. Huff said that Davis “had his hand on that ball.”[5]
2012 season
[edit]Huff remained starter for the 2012 season at free safety for the Raiders. However, injuries to startingcornerbacksRon BartellandShawntae Spencerforced the team to move Huff to cornerback before Oakland's Week 3 victory against thePittsburgh Steelers.
Huff was cut by theOakland Raiderson March 12, 2013.[6][7]
Baltimore Ravens
[edit]On March 27, 2013, Huff agreed to terms with theBaltimore Ravenson a three-year deal worth $6 million.[8] On October 30, Huff was released by theBaltimore Ravens.
Denver Broncos
[edit]On November 19, 2013, Huff was signed by theDenver Broncos.He started his first game on the roster, but then saw only limited action in 9 other regular season games and 2 playoff games. He went to the Super Bowl with the Broncos, but never saw any playing time in their 43–8 loss to theSeattle Seahawks.It was Huff's final game before retirement. He finished the season as a free agent, and was not signed in the off-season.[9]
NFL career statistics
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | |||
| 2006 | OAK | 16 | 78 | 64 | 14 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 | OAK | 16 | 85 | 74 | 11 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 11 |
| 2008 | OAK | 16 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2009 | OAK | 16 | 59 | 54 | 5 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 14 |
| 2010 | OAK | 16 | 94 | 77 | 17 | 4.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 7 |
| 2011 | OAK | 12 | 38 | 32 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 2012 | OAK | 16 | 56 | 37 | 19 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 2013 | BAL | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DEN | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career[10] | 118 | 446 | 368 | 78 | 5.5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 75 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 55 | |
Coaching career
[edit]In 2016, Huff joinedTom Herman'sstaff atTexasand served as assistant defensive backs coach.[11]He later moved to the position of assistant director of player development.[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Michael Huff Stats - Pro-Football-Reference.com".Pro-Football-Reference.com.Archivedfrom the original on January 7, 2018.RetrievedApril 26,2018.
- ^"2006 NFL Draft Listing".Pro-Football-Reference.com.RetrievedMay 9,2023.
- ^"JaSkinny Russell, Curry surgery and more OTA news".sfgate.com.May 15, 2008.Archivedfrom the original on May 19, 2008.RetrievedApril 26,2018.
- ^"2010 NFL All Pros".RetrievedMay 16,2023.
- ^"Raiders vs. Texans - Game Recap - October 9, 2011 - ESPN".ESPN.com.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedApril 26,2018.
- ^Rosenthal, Gregg (March 12, 2013)."Darrius Heyward-Bey, Michael Huff cut by Raiders".NFL.com.Archivedfrom the original on March 14, 2013.RetrievedMarch 12,2013.
- ^Sun, Jeff Zrebiec, The Baltimore."Ravens agree to three-year, $6 million deal with safety Michael Huff".baltimoresun.com.Archivedfrom the original on May 26, 2013.RetrievedApril 26,2018.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^"Ravens Have Deal With Safety Michael Huff".baltimoreravens.com.Archivedfrom the original on March 3, 2016.RetrievedApril 26,2018.
- ^Kubiszyn, Jeff."Where are They Now: Michael Huff".RetrievedMarch 24,2023.
- ^"Michael Huff Stats".ESPN Internet Ventures.Archivedfrom the original on March 16, 2014.RetrievedMarch 13,2014.
- ^"Former All-American safety Michael Huff joins Texas staff - Hookem.com".hookem.com.December 7, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on April 26, 2018.RetrievedApril 26,2018.
- ^Barnett, Zach."A Texas assistant has donated thousands of meals to freezing Texans".RetrievedMarch 24,2023.
External links
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