DeWayne Lewis

Last updated

DeWayne Lewis
No. 25
Position:Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1985-10-04) October 4, 1985 (age 39)
Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:198 lb (90 kg)
Career information
High school: Thomas Jefferson (Denver, Colorado)
College: Southern Utah University
Michigan State
Career highlights and awards
  • USA Men's USA All World Defensive Back (2011)
  • First-team All-World Defensive Back, 2011 IFAF World Championship
  • Best Defensive Back Award, 2011 IFAF World Championship
DeWayne Lewis
Medal record
Men's American football
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
World Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2011 Austria Team Competition

DeWayne Lewis (born October 4, 1985) is a former American football cornerback.

Contents

While attending high school, Lewis won the Colorado state championship in both the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints three consecutive years. He played college football at Michigan State University for 3 years under coach John L. Smith and ran track and field. Lewis was all Big Ten in track and field posting some of Big Ten fastest 60 meter dash times. Lewis received an art degree before transferring to Southern Utah University (SUU). He advanced to the NCAA Track and Field Championships in 2009, won nine conference NCAA championships twice in the 100-meter sprint, and four times broke the school record in the 60-meter dash and 100-meter dash. He was selected by USA Football to play for the 2011 United States national American football team. He helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2011 IFAF World Championship in Austria and was selected as an All-World defensive back and received the award as the Best Defensive Back at the World Championship.

Early life

Lewis attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, Colorado, where he led his team to the quarterfinal stage of the 2001 Colorado playoffs and to the semifinals in 2002. Lewis was also the fastest sprinter in the State of Colorado, winning the state championship in both the 100-meters and 200-meters three straight years. [1] In his senior year, Lewis was the state champion in three events. The Denver Post wrote at the time: "The day before his graduation Lewis became the fastest young man in Colorado. Three times over. Lewis, a speed horse, won a breathtaking Triple Crown on Saturday." [2]

College career

Michigan State

In college, Lewis continued to compete in both football and track. He competed in track at Michigan State University, running the 60-meter event in 6.87 seconds in February 2006, [3] and winning the event at the 2006 Kangaroo Invitational. [4] [5] Lewis also participated in Michigan State's spring football practice in 2005, but did not play in the regular season due to a shoulder injury. [6]

In the fall of 2007, Lewis transferred to Southern Utah University (SUU). [6] Michigan State head football coach John L. Smith said at the time that he liked Lewis's speed and wanted him to return, but Lewis sought a transfer to be closer to his mother. Smith contacted SUU's defensive coordinator Cole Wilson, who recruited Lewis to SUU. [6]

Southern Utah

At SUU, Lewis competed in both football and track. He played football at SUU for three years (2006–2008), appearing in 32 games, including 28 games as a starter. He finished his college football career with 199 tackles and six interceptions. [1]

In the fall of 2007, Lewis played in 10 games at cornerback, seven as a starter. In 2008, he totaled 51 tackles, four interceptions, and 13 pass break-ups, and was named the Great West Conference Player of the Week after playing Montana State. [1] [7] After Lewis's performance against Montana State, SUU defensive coordinator Cole Wilson said: "He's got the right frame of mind. It's Division I football here. You can make it big-time wherever you are." [6]

As a senior, he played in the 2009 East Coast Bowl All-Star Game, an all-star game featuring players from smaller colleges and universities, where he had several pass break ups during the game. [8] [9] He also ran a 4.26 40-yard sprint at BYU's pro day. [1] [10]

Lewis also competed in track at Southern Utah. He was a seven-time Mid-Continent Conference/The Summit League 100-meter champion while attending SUU. His sprinting career suffered a setback when he dislocated his shoulder at SUU's spring football game in April 2008. Lewis recalled the injury: "It was like a dagger. I felt like it was over for me, both track and football. But I stayed focused and keep the drive and determination and came back." [11] One month after the injury, Lewis qualified for the NCAA West Regional with a time of 10.61 seconds at the Mid-Continent Conference Championships. [11] At the West Regional, Lewis qualified to advance to the NCAA Track and Field Championships with a time of 10.40 seconds. [12] [13] Lewis recalled his participation in the NCAA Track and Field Championship: "That was a great experience. It doesn't get any higher than that: To get a chance to face those guys at the top of the collegiate level." [6]

Lewis also twice broke Southern Utah's 60-meter dash record, with times of 6.88 in 2007 and 6.72 in 2008. [14] [15] [16] He was named the conference's athlete of the week four times. [17] [18] [19] [20] In February 2009, Lewis was named one of the top 50 sprinters in the country. [21] He was also named SUU's Male Athlete of the Year in April 2008. [22]

Professional football

Lewis had tryouts with multiple NFL teams but did not sign a contract. [10] [23] [24] [25] [26]

2011 IFAF World Championship

In June 2011, Lewis was selected by USA Football to play for the 2011 United States national American football team at the 2011 IFAF World Championship in Austria. [27] [28] With 13 tackles, three tackles for loss, two blocked punts, one interception, and three pass breakups in four games, Lewis helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2011 World Championship. He was selected as a first-team All-World defensive back and received the award as the Best Defensive Back at the 2011 World Championship. [29] [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Tolan</span> US Olympic sprinter

Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan, nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who competed in sprints. He set world records in the 100-yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. He was the first non-Euro-American to receive the title of the "world's fastest human" after winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters events at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In March 1935, Tolan won the 75, 100 and 220-yard events at the World Professional Sprint Championships in Melbourne to become the first man to win both the amateur and professional world sprint championships. In his full career as a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Capel Jr.</span> American football player and sprinter (born 1978)

John Capel Jr. is an American former track and field athlete who was a world champion sprinter. Capel played college football for the University of Florida, where he was also a member of the Florida Gators track and field team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Utah University</span> Public university in Cedar City, Utah, US

Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public university in Cedar City, Utah, United States. Founded in 1897 as a normal school, Southern Utah University now has over 1,800 graduates each year with baccalaureate and other graduate degrees from its six colleges. SUU offers more than 140 undergraduate and 19 graduate programs. More than 14,000 students attend SUU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmad Carroll</span> American football player (born 1983)

Ahmad Raheem Carroll is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muna Lee (athlete)</span> American sprinter

Muna Lee is a retired American sprinter who currently serves as an Assistant Coach:Sprints/Hurdles for the UAB Blazers Track & Field program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xavier Carter</span> American sprinter (born 1985)

Xavier Carter is an American retired professional track and field athlete. He attended Louisiana State University and was a star on the track and field team as well a member of the football team. Before LSU, Xavier Carter graduated from Palm Bay High School in Melbourne, Florida. He is the eleventh fastest sprinter in the 200 meters event with a personal best of 19.63 seconds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Dix</span> American sprinter

Walter Dix is a retired American sprinter who specialized in the 100 meters and 200 meters. He is the seventh-fastest 200-meter runner ever with a best of 19.53 seconds, and has broken the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters, with a best of 9.88 (9.80w) seconds. He was the only track athlete from USA to win 2 individual Olympic medals in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trindon Holliday</span> American football player (born 1986)

Trindon Jerard Holliday is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played college football at LSU. At 5'5", Holliday is one of the shortest players in NFL history. He was also a member of the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland Raiders.

Marshall Dill is an American former sprinter. He is a native of Detroit and a 1971 graduate of Northern High School; Dill was one of the most successful interscholastic track and field athletes in the United States.

George William Hoey is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back, punt returner and kickoff returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines (1966–1968) and in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals (1971), New England Patriots (1972–1973), San Diego Chargers (1974), Denver Broncos (1975), and New York Jets (1975).

Thomas Wilcher is a college football administrator for Michigan State University and former high school athletic coach and teacher as well as a former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I track and field and college football athlete for the University of Michigan. He was the NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships national champion in the indoor 55 m hurdles and a three-time NCAA All-American in track and field. Wilcher was also a running back for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1983–1986. In his redshirt senior year, he was a member of the Big Ten Conference football champion team as well as a 110 m hurdles Big Ten individual champion. Wilcher was a 9th round selection by the San Diego Chargers in the 1987 NFL draft.

Stanley Floyd is a retired track and field sprinter from the United States. He was a 1979 graduate of Dougherty High School in Albany, Georgia. In 1980, he was considered one of the favorites for the 100m title but was denied his chance due to the United States boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles B. Hoyt</span> American sprinter and coach

Charles B. Hoyt was an American track athlete and coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Smith (sprinter)</span> American sprinter

John Walton Smith is a former American athlete, who competed in the sprints events during his career. He is best known for winning the 400 m event at the 1971 Pan American Games. He remains the world record holder for the 440 yard dash at 44.5 seconds. He set the record while winning the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 26, 1971 while running for the Southern California Striders. The record has stood since then due to metrification in the sport. Contemporary athletes rarely run or are timed officially for the extra 2.34 meters to equal 440 yards.

Michael Ray Garvin is an American former college football player who was a cornerback for the Florida State Seminoles. He earned first-team All-American honors in 2008. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2009. Garvin has also been a member of the NFL's Detroit Lions and the United Football League's Las Vegas Locomotives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Wolverines men's track and field</span> Mens track and field team of the University of Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team is the intercollegiate track and field program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Palefau</span> Rugby player

Mike Palefau is an American rugby union player who plays center in 7s and wing in 15s. Palefau currently plays for the Utah Warriors having moved mid season from the Seattle Seawolves.

Anthony Raye Ketchum is an American former sprinter.

D'Andre "DeeDee" Hill is an American track and field coach and former athlete. She competed in sprint events, mainly in 100-meter dash. Her personal record in the event was 10.92 seconds. She represented her country over 100 m at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and shared in a gold medal in the 4×100-meter relay at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics, having run in the heats only.

Roland McGhee is an American former long jumper. His personal record mark of 8.51 m ranks him in the all-time top 25 for the event, as of 2016. He was twice a national champion, winning outdoors and indoors in 1998. He represented his country at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Also a sprinter, he was a bronze medallist in the relay at the 1994 IAAF World Cup.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "DeWayne Lewis". Southern Utah University.
  2. Woody Paige (May 18, 2003). "TJ's Lewis blazes to three victories". The Denver Post.
  3. "Men's Track and Field Excels at Meyo Invitational: Individuals continue to set personal bests at fourth indoor meet of season". Michigan State University. February 4, 2006. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  4. "Men's Track and Field Among Nation's Elite at Iowa State Classic". Michigan State University. February 9, 2006. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  5. "Four Spartans Place First At Kangaroo Invitational". Michigan State University. January 28, 2006. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Rich Johnson (October 11, 2007). "SUU track star makes contributions on gridiron". The Spectrum (Utah). Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  7. "Lewis Honored". The Salt Lake Tribune. October 8, 2007.
  8. "SUU's Lewis Selected For East Coast Bowl". Southern Utah University. November 26, 2008.
  9. "SUU sports briefs". Deseret News. November 27, 2008. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012.
  10. 1 2 "SUUOs Miller, Lewis sign NFL contracts". The Spectrum, St. George, Utah. April 29, 2009. Archived from the original on December 17, 2012.
  11. 1 2 Beau Estes (June 6, 2007). "untitled". The Spectrum, St. George, Utah. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013.
  12. "Southern Utah sends two to NCAA Track and Field Championship". Salt Lake Tribune. 2007.
  13. "SUU's Lewis qualifies for NCAA Championships". The Spectrum (Utah). May 27, 2007. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  14. "Broken records". SUU News. February 1, 2007. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  15. "Hill, Stoddard, Lewis shatter school records". SUU News. February 18, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  16. "DeWayne Lewis Captures 60-meter Dash Title with School Record Time at Snake River Invitational". Southern Utah Athletics. January 19, 2008.
  17. "Mid-Con Athletes of the Week: DeWayne Lewis, Southern Utah" (PDF). Mid-Continent Conference. May 9, 2007.[ permanent dead link ]
  18. "Campus notes". Deseret News. August 15, 2007.
  19. "College Track: SUU sprinter captures league honors". The Salt Lake Tribune. May 13, 2008.
  20. "DeWayne Lewis Named Summit League Male T&F Athlete of the Week". Southern Utah Athletics. October 29, 2009.
  21. "T-Birds compete". The Spectrum. February 29, 2008. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012.
  22. "Thunderbird Awards honor campus celebrities". SUU News. April 23, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  23. "Utah Utes football: Packers invite Johnson to attend mini-camp". Deseret News. April 28, 2009. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009.
  24. "Jags Sign Another Small School CB". Jacksonville Jaguars. April 29, 2009. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
  25. "Bengals Officially Release List of College Free Agent Signings". Cincy Jungle. April 30, 2010.
  26. "DeWayne Lewis NFL Combine Chicago Bears Workout 2012 (4.3 Speed)". youtube.com. April 11, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  27. "DeWayne Lewis of Denver, Colo., selected to 2011 U.S. Men's National Team in football". USA Football. June 14, 2011.
  28. "TJ alum, Hawkins on Team USA". Denver Post. June 15, 2011.
  29. "DeWayne Lewis USA Team All World DB". National Football League. April 11, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012.
  30. "Eleven U.S. Men's National Team players named to IFAF Senior World Championship All-Tournament Team". USA Football. July 2011.