PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2009 THIRD-ROUND DRAFT PICKMIKE WALLACEWIDE RECEIVER84th OverallListen To Audio Interview
[Mike Wallace Conference Call TranscriptOffensive Coordinator Bruce Arians
MIKE WALLACE
Wide ReceiverUniversity of Mississippi6:00.0-199New Orleans, LouisianaO. Perry Walker High School
3rd Round – 84th Overall
OVERVIEW
Owns the Ole Miss record for return yards in a single game, season and career…ranks second all-time in all-purpose yardage for the Rebels.
CAREER NOTES
Holds Ole Miss records for single game, season and career kickoff return yards...Ranks second all-time in all-purpose yardage...Stands third all-time at Ole Miss in TD receptions and fifth in receiving yards...Recorded seven career 100-yard receiving games, second-most by a Rebel...Topped the SEC in yards per reception in each of his final two seasons...Competed in the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl and totaled two catches for 41 yards and a TD and returned one kickoff 21 yards.
2008 SEASON
Named second team All-SEC as both a wide receiver and kick returner by Phil Steele...Established Ole Miss single-season records for all-purpose yards (1,737) and kickoff return yards (861)...Equaled the Rebel record for 100-yard receiving games with four...Piled up the fifth-most receiving yards in school history (784)...Led the SEC and ranked third in the NCAA (among top 100 WRs) in yards per catch (20.1)...Led team and was sixth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (60.3)...Finished third in the SEC in kickoff return average (24.6)...Also ranked third in the conference in all-purpose yards (133.6 per game) Topped team in TD catches with seven...Tabbed the No. 8 multi-purpose player in the SEC by ESPN.com...Named Midseason All-SEC second team as a kick returner by Phil Steele...Earned fourth letter...at Wake Forest (9/6): *Posted four catches for 50 yards in start...vs. Samford (9/13): Posted 101 yards receiving on four catches and a long of 42 in start...vs. Vanderbilt (9/20):* Set a single-game school record with 202 kickoff return yards on six returns...The total is the fifth highest in SEC history...Returned a kickoff 98 yards for second career return touchdown...Also caught three passes for 36 yards...Finished with a career-high 238 all-purpose yards...at Florida (9/27): *Had five kickoff returns for 140 yards and a long of 40...Also caught one pass for three yards...vs. South Carolina (10/4): Had six kickoff returns for 129 yards...Also caught four passes for 43 yards...at Alabama (10/18): Caught two passes for 24 yards...Also returned four kickoffs for 87 yards...at Arkansas (10/25):* Totaled 222 all-purpose yards...Caught five balls for 120 and first receiving TD of the season...Rushed twice for 17 yards and added 85 yards on three kickoff returns...vs. Auburn (11/1): *Finished with one catch for 12 yards...Returned two kickoffs for 31 yards... *vs. ULM (11/15): Had school-record 88-yard catch...Also caught 23-yard TD pass...Finished with two catches for 111 yards...Also returned one kick for six yards...at LSU (11/22): *Tied his career high with two receiving TDs (34 and 24)...Finished with five catches for 99 yards...Also returned four kickoffs for 90 yards... *vs. Mississippi State (11/28): *Caught four passes for 105 yards...Matched a career-high with two TD grabs...Rushed twice for 28 yards...Cotton Bowl vs. Texas Tech (1/2): Hauled in four catches for 80 yards, including a 41-yard TD...Returned four kickoffs for 91 yards...Also rushed once and finished with 169 alll-purpose yards...Preseason: Named Preseason All-SEC third team by Phil Steele and *Athlon.
2007 SEASON
Named Third Team All-SEC by Phil Steele...Played in all 12 games with nine starts at split end...Topped the SEC in yards per catch (18.8) and ranked ninth in receiving yards per game (59.7)...Led the team in receiving yards (716), tied for the lead in touchdowns (6) and finished second in receptions (38)...Turned in a pair of 100-yard games...Posted seven catches of 40 or more yards and three of 50 or better...Earned third letter...at Memphis (9/1): Grabbed four passes for 48 yards...vs. Missouri (9/8): Registered first 100-yard receiving game...Recorded a career-high seven receptions for 136 yards and a 68-yard TD...Also returned a kickoff 21 yards...The 136 receiving yards were the most by a Rebel since 2005...at Vanderbilt (9/15): Off four catches, established career highs of 139 receiving yards and two TDs of 34 and 54 yards...Named Rebel Quarterback Club Offensive Player of the Week...vs. Florida (9/22): Hauled in one career-long pass for a 77-yard TD...Marked the longest pass since a 77-yard TD in 2002...at Georgia (9/22): Posted three receptions for 62 yards with a 45-yard TD...Final of a four-game streak with a TD catch, longest by a Rebel since 1994...vs. Louisiana Tech (10/6): *Team-high five grabs for 72 yards and a long of 35 yards...vs. Alabama (10/13):* Pulled down two passes for 63 yards, including a 42-yarder...vs. Arkansas (10/20): *Led the team with four catches for 57 yards, including a 37-yard TD grab...at Auburn (10/27): Topped team with five receptions for 39 yards...vs. Northwestern State (11/3): Notched his first return for a TD with his 77-yard kickoff return...Two grabs for 14 yards...vs. LSU (11/17): Ended a streak of 21 straight games with a catch...at Mississippi State (11/23): Hauled in a nine-yard pass...Spring: Had five receptions for 41 yards in the Red-Blue game.
2006 SEASON
Started all 12 games at SE...Led the team in catches (24) and receiving yards (410)...Tied for team lead with two TD receptions...Earned his second letter...vs. Memphis (9/3):* Earned first career start...at Kentucky (9/16): Two catches for 65 yards...vs. Wake Forest (9/23): Two catches for 36 yards...vs. Georgia (9/30): Two catches for 16 yards...at Alabama (10/14): Caught first career TD on 55-yard bomb from Brent Schaeffer...Posted 3 catches for career-high 86 yards...at Arkansas (10/21): One catch for four yards...vs. Auburn (10/28): Caught one pass for 38 yards...vs. Northwestern State (11/4): Career-high six grabs for 80 and one TD in start...at LSU (11/18): Four catches for 35 yards in start...*vs. Mississippi State (11/25): *Credited with one reception for 38 yards.
2005 SEASON
Saw action in 10 games of true freshman season, missing only the opener at Memphis (9/5)...Earned first letter...vs. LSU (11/19): Returned four kickoffs for 48 yards with a long of 14...Spring 2005: True freshman who joined the team in January and went through his first spring drills...Signed with Oregon State in Class of 2004, but did not enroll.
2004 SEASON
Did not play.
HIGH SCHOOL
Rated first team All-State honors as wide receiver following senior season at O. Perry Walker High...Also earned league and district MVP honors as a senior, as well as all-league, All-Metro, All-West Bank and All-West Bank MVP...Was rated by SuperPrep as the 17th-best prospect in Louisiana and was a member of its 2004 Southwest Team...After seeing limited playing time as a junior (four receptions while playing mostly on defense), had an outstanding senior season, catching 60 passes for 1,039 yards (17.3 average per catch) and 19 touchdowns…Also returned four punts and four kickoffs for TDs, giving him 27 for the season and 162 points, and had seven TDs called back...Set school records for total points and for kicks returned for touchdowns...Earned two letters in football...Coached in high school by Terry Wilson...Also lettered once in track, earning All-State honors in the 100.
PERSONAL
African American Studies major...Son of Sonjia and Burnell Wallace...Born 8/1/86...Resides in New Orleans, La.
