D.J. Dykes

Wyoming

Sep 20 (Sat)

8:15 p.m.

Position:
Safety
Height:
6-2
Weight:
210
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Los Alamitos, Calif.
High School:
Los Alamitos/Idaho

AT COLORADO: 2008 (Sr.)?He saw action in nine games (all starts), but had his career end early due to illness issues. He still finished sixth on the team in tackles with 55 (34 solo), with four third down stops, four pass deflections, three touchdown saves and two tackles for loss including a sack (the latter against Kansas State). He had at least five tackles in all nine games, and picked off his second career pass in a CU uniform the second games of the year against Eastern Washington. He was CU’s defensive player of the week for the Iowa State game, which turned out to be his last at CU, when he was in on nine tackles (six solo), with a quarterback hurry. One his tackles came as time expired, teaming with Jimmy Smith to throw ISU quarterback for a 2-yard loss on a third-and-one play, preserving a 28-24 Buff win. He also had seven special teams points on the strength of two tackles (one solo), three knockdown blocks and two downed punts. Phil Steele’s College Football named him fourth-team All-Big 12 in its preseason preview, and ranked him the No. 27 strong safety in the country.

2007 (Jr.)?He started all 12 regular season games at strong safety, but came off the bench against Alabama in the Independence Bowl. He was one of eight players on the team to start every regular season game, as he played 743 snaps from scrimmage, the third most on the defense. He was second on the team in tackles with 83 (60 solo, which also ranked second), with a team-best six touchdown saves. He also recorded seven third down stops, four hurries, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles and three tackles for zero. His first career interception, his only one on the year, was a huge one, coming in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma and thought not leading directly to a score, it helped keep momentum on CU’s side as the Buffs rallied for the win (it was OU’s lone play in a span where CU reeled off 20). He matched his collegiate career best with 11 tackles (six solo) against Arizona State, as he posted at least four stops in every game and had six or more in nine contests. He finished fourth in CU’s special teams point standings with 13, on the strength of seven tackles (four solo, one inside-the-20), three downed punts, a knockdown block, and a unique one for sprinting: he raced some 20 yards upfield to fair catch a punt with four seconds left in the first half at Baylor, enabling Kevin Eberhart to kick a 54-yard field goal on the next play. The coaches named him the defensive player of the week for the Oklahoma game.

2006 (Jr.-RS)?He was ineligible to play and had to sit out the season after transferring to Colorado from Idaho; he was on campus for the fall semester and thus practiced with the team for most of the fall. After starting for two years at Idaho, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, he played against Boise State twice when current CU head coach Dan Hawkins was there (BSU won both).

AT IDAHO (Fr., Soph./2004, 2005)?As a sophomore, he started all 12 games for the Vandals and registered 69 total tackles (54 solo, two for losses), good for third on the team. He had team highs with four interceptions and five passes broken up. He had season highs of 10 tackles, eight solo, in a loss at Nevada, and against Utah State, he registered nine tackles (seven solo) and an interception in a 27-13 win. Against Boise State, he recorded seven total tackles and an interception. As a true freshman, he also started all 12 games, finishing third on the team with 72 total tackles (38 solo). He had four pass deflections and two interceptions, including one he returned 61 yards for a touchdown against Arkansas State. He posted double-digit tackles in three games: Boise State (11), Eastern Michigan (10) and Arkansas State (10). He was used as a punt returner midway through the season, finishing with nine returns for 86 yards (long of 32).

HIGH SCHOOL?A three-year letterman and a two-year starter, he was named first-team All-Sunset League and first-team All-CIF as a senior, when as a team captain, he registered 56 tackles (44 solo), four tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks, two interceptions, 14 passes broken up, two fumble recoveries, scoring one touchdown. As a junior, he recorded 46 tackles (25 solo), three interceptions, seven passes broken up, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Under head coach John Barnes, Los Alamitos was 33-5 in Dykes’ three years, as they were Sunset League champions his junior and senior seasons. His 12-2 senior squad reached the state semifinals, while his junior team posted a 13-0-1 mark, winning the CIF Division I championship. He also wrestled in high school, earning two letters and he performed at 145 pounds as a freshman and 160 pounds his sophomore year. He was on the track team as a junior, running the hurdles.

ACADEMICS?He is majoring in Psychology at Colorado and is on schedule to graduate in May 2009. He owned a 3.3 grade point average in high school and earned the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award.

PERSONAL?Born Sept. 30, 1985 in Long beach, Calif. His brother, Kevin, was a running back at Boston College from 2001-02. Also goes by D.J.

Season	G	Plays	Tackles UT AT--TOT	TFL	Sacks	3DS	Hurr	FR	FF	PBU	Int
2007	12	743	60 23 -- 83	0-0	0- 0	7	4	0	2	3	1
2008	9	584	34 21 -- 55	2-14	1-10	4	2	0	2	4	1
Totals	21	1327	94 44 -- 138	2-14	1-10	11	6	0	2	7	2

ADDITIONAL STATISTICS?Interception Return Yards: 1-0, 0.0 avg. (2007); 1-0, 0.0 avg. (2008). Punt Return Yards: 1-7, 7.0 avg. (2007).
Special Team Tackles: 4,3?7 (2007); 1,1?2 (2008).