Mike Mohoric

Mike Mohoric

Player Profile

Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Albuquerque, N.M.
High School:
Highland HS
Height / Weight:
6-3 / 239
Position:
Linebacker
Birthdate:
05/17/1983
Experience:
3L
Pronunciation:
muh-HORE-ick

NEW MEXICO:

Former walk-on who developed into one of the premier linebackers in the Mountain West Conference as a senior...enjoyed a breakthrough junior season starting on the inside and was one of the best new LBs in the league in 2004...an underrated force who became the next in a long line of UNM standouts at the position under Rocky Long...displayed excellent speed, intensity and play-making ability...also a menacing pass rusher, blitzing up the middle or off the edge, and very solid in pass coverage as well...Butkus and Lombardi Award watch-list selection in 2005...stepped into a greater leadership role in his final year in the program and was voted a 2005 team captain by his teammates...48 games and 23 starts in his career...was a solid special teams player earlier his career...put on 10 pounds and worked hard to increase his strength over his last 2 years...made significant improvement in all 4 core lifts during the spring of `05...went up to 350 pounds in the bench, 325 in the incline, 352 power clean and 450 in the squat...Academic All-MWC honoree...earned his degree in University Studies following the 2005 summer semester and did graduate work in Sports Administration during the fall.

2005 (SENIOR):
The lone returning starter at LB, who was one of the most active players in the Lobos' gang-tackling defense in 2005 despite being a focal point of opponents' blocking schemes each week...played his best football down the final stretch of the season and was a consensus first team all-MWC honoree...led the team with a career-high 85 tackles (7.7 avg.) and career-high 27 QB hurries...also had 7.5 tackles for loss (6 solo, 3 assisted for -41 yds.), including 4.0 sacks (3 solo, 2 assisted for -33 yds.)...4 pass break-ups ranked second on the team...played at another level in his final 4 games, tallying 44 tackles (11.0 avg.), 4.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and 12 QB hurries...vs. Air Force...Turned in one of the best performances of his career in his final home game...shattered his career-high with 20 tackles (15 solo), the most by a Lobo since Brian Urlacher had 20 twice in 1999...had 10 tackles in each half...left everything on the field in a tireless 75 plays...threw QB Shawn Carney for a 2-yard loss on a 3rd-and-5 play...also had 3 more QB hurries...at Utah...Big part of an outstanding second half performance by the Lobo defense...finished with 8 tackles, including a 5-yard sack of QB Brian Johnson on a 3rd-and-5 play...did not miss a single tackle and made several fine stops in the open field...was relentless on the pass rush, pressuring Johnson 5 times and opening lanes for his teammates...helped hold the Utes to 60 net rushing yards, 124 below their season average and their lowest in over 2 years...also blocked a Utah extra point...vs. Colorado State...Turned his best game of the year in a heroic defensive effort...played all 67 defensive snaps and recorded a game and season-high 12 tackles (5 solo)...got in on 2 sacks of QB Justin Holland (1 solo, 1 assist) and helped limit CSU to a mere 31 yards rushing on 41 carries...stood up powerful Ram RB Kyle Bell several times at the line of scrimmage for no-gain and was relentless rushing the passer, notching 2 QB hurries in addition to his sacks...dropped Holland for a 8-yard loss on a 4th-and-4 play from the UNM 19...at San Diego State...Helped lead one of the defense's most complete performances of the year...made 4 tackles, including a TFL, and 2 QB hurries as UNM frustrated QB Kevin O'Connell and shut down star RB Lynell Hamilton (9 carries - 28 yards)...at Wyoming...Got in on 4 tackles, helping the Lobo D shut down the running game and hold the Wyoming offense to 50 yards under its season average...also had a QB hurry and made a diving tackle on a WR screen pass to Cowboy star Jovon Bouknight...vs. BYU...Continued his strong play with a 7-tackle effort...stuffed RB Curtis Brown for a 4-yard loss, had a pass deflection at the line of scrimmage, and notched a QB hurry...at TCU...Another solid performance, tying for the team-lead with 7 tackles...stuffed RB Robert Merrill for no gain on a 4th-and-1 play from the UNM 20 in the first quarter...was tenacious pressuring the pocket, tallying 4 more quarterback hurries in 65 snaps...at UTEP...Was all over the field, leading the Lobos' fine defensive performance against the high-powered Miners...helped limit RB Tyler Ebell to just 42 yards rushing, 64 below his season average...matched his season-high with 7 tackles (5 solo) and had 2 tackles for loss, including a 7-yard sack...also broke up 2 passes - 1 a deflection at the line of scrimmage and the other a vicious hit across the middle - and had 4 hurries on QB Jordan Palmer...vs. New Mexico State...Turned in one of his best games of the early season, finishing with 7 tackles in 51 snaps (sat out much of the 4th quarter)...burst through the line for a 16-yard sack on the Aggies first possession of the game...also flushed the QB out of the pocket twice on the night...at Missouri...Excellent effort in a stunning 89-play game...credited with 5 tackles, but was around the ball much of the night...forced Mizzou QB Brad Smith to scramble or hurry his throw 3 times...also had a PBU in deep coverage.

2004 (JUNIOR):
Made a huge impact in his first 12 starts at inside linebacker for the league's No. 1 defense...was one of the leaders on the MWC's top-ranked sack unit with 7 QB drops (6 solo, 2 assisted), which tied for 3rd in the league...also had a team-high 17 QB hurries...5 of his sacks came in league play...also tied for 7th in the MWC with 2 fumbles forced...third on the team with 83 tackles, including 11 for loss (9 solo, 4 assisted), which was tied for 8th in the league...8.5 TFLs in MWC games...also had 6 pass break-ups which was 2nd on the squad, only behind NCAA leader Brandon Payne...Emerald Bowl (vs. Navy)...Recorded double-digit tackle totals for the second time in his career...finished with 11 stops on the day and got in on a tackle for loss...vs. Wyoming...Fine job, tallying 8 tackles (5 solo), including 2 tackles for loss...credited for a 17-yard sack when he forced an intentional grounding penalty on a 3rd-and-7 play from the UNM 39 late in the 4th quarter...tallied 3 QB hurries on the day as well...at BYU...Solid effort to help the Lobo defense shut down Curtis Brown and the BYU running game...also part of a unyielding pass rush which dropped QB John Beck a season-best 7 times...team-high 7 tackles (4 solo), including a big 7-yard sack on a 3rd down play on the Cougars' first drive of the 2nd half...coaches gave him a team-high defensive score of 22 points...at Colorado State...Excellent performance, along with the rest of the Lobo linebackers, to help UNM win its first game in Fort Collins since 1995...made 7 tackles (6 solo) as the Lobo D limited CSU to its lowest rushing performance in 5 years (35 yards)...did a good job of pressuring the passer, notching a 10-yard sack and 2 QB hurries in all 72 snaps...hit CSU QB Caleb Hanie and broke up his pass at the UNM 11 to help keep the Rams out of the end zone in the 3rd quarter...vs. San Diego State...Another solid game, getting in on 5 tackles in 65 snaps to help UNM limit SDSU to -19 rushing yards and 146 yards of total offense - 259 below its season average...should have been credited with a safety after pulling down a SDSU runner in the end zone in the 2nd quarter, but officials place the ball at the 1-yard line...fine job blitzing as well, flushing the QB out of the pocket twice...at UNLV...Tremendous effort to help the Lobo defense limit UNLV to just 29 rushing yards (138 total) in the 2nd half...recorded a career-high 2 sacks, both of which caused fumbles that were recovered by UNM...first hit set up the Lobos' go-ahead TD in the 3rd quarter and later secured the UNM victory when he knocked the ball loose from the QB at the UNM 41 on the Rebels' final drive of the game...finished with 6 tackles (4 solo) and also batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage on a 3rd-and-4 play...at Oregon State...Outstanding, gutsy effort, recording a game and career-high 14 tackles, including 8 solo...also had 2 QB hurries...played a team-high 95 defensive snaps in his second straight game with 90+ plays...deflected a pair of passes, including one in the end zone...just missed making a game-changing play late in the third quarter...stepped in front of Derek Anderson's sideline pass and would have scored to tie the game at 14 had he held onto the ball...vs. Texas Tech...Made 6 stops (4 solo) in an amazing 94 defensive snaps...also had a leaping pass deflection at the line of scrimmage...collapsed the pocket throughout the night, finishing with 4 QB hurries...vs. Washington State...Outstanding performance in his first career start...made his presence felt throughout the night...got in on 5 tackles and had a career-high 1.5 sacks, including a jarring blindside hit in the first quarter for the Lobos' first sack of the year...also recorded a team-best 3 QB hurries off the blitz.

2003 (SOPHOMORE):
Was the back-up at middle linebacker for team tackles leader Daniel Gawronski...13 tackles in 11 games...missed the SDSU game with a strained hamstring...saw most of his time on special teams...Oregon State (Las Vegas Bowl)...Got in on 3 tackles (.5 TFL) in second half action...ran down OSU star RB Steven Jackson on a toss play and made a fine open field stop for his only solo tackle...Utah State...Career-high 5 tackles (4 solo) all in the final 7 minutes of the game...played 11 defensive snaps...Texas State...2 tackles in 37 defensive snaps.

2002 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN):
7 tackles, including 1 sack in all 14 games...season-high 3 tackles vs. Air Force.

HIGH SCHOOL:

A 2001 graduate of Albuquerque's Highland HS...three-year letterman for coach Judge Chavez...all-state, all-city and all-district in 2000 at tight end, linebacker and punter...all-state defensive end in 1999...earned three letters in basketball and two letters in track...was the Albuquerque Hall of Fame Male Athlete of the Year in 2000.

PERSONAL:

Born May 17, 1983, in Albuquerque, N.M...age is 22...son of Mark and Peggy...has a brother, Tommy.

CAREER HIGHS:

Tackles: 14 at Oregon State (9/18/04).

Tackles For Loss: 2, at UNLV (10/16/04).

Sacks: 2, at UNLV (10/16/04).

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