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Burfict named Pac-10 Defensive Freshman of the Year


December 07, 2009

Arizona State University freshman linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been named the Pac-10 Defensive Freshman of the Year, the Pacific-10 Conference announced today. Burfict joins Terrell Suggs and Zach Miller as Sun Devil freshmen to earn a Pac-10 award.

Burfict, a true freshman from Corona, Calif., started the last nine games of the season for the Sun Devils and had an immediate impact. He ranked second on the team in tackles with 69 stops, 40 solo, including 7 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback sacks, to go along with 5 passes broken up and 2 fumbles forced and recovered. This is the first year the Pac-10 awarded a Defensive Freshman of the Year award, awarding an overall Freshman of the Year award from 1999 to 2008. Burfict is the third Sun Devil freshman to win a Pac-10 award, joining Terrell Suggs, who won the Freshman of the Year award in 2000, and Zach Miller, who won in 2004.