Dusty Dvoracek

One of the team's four captains, Dvoracek revived his career at Oklahoma in 2005. He returned to the fold after being dismissed from the team during the 2004 season due to a rash of off-field incidents. Injuries had limited his chance to earn a starting job during his first two years with the Sooners. But the "light came on" in his head during his final season, and he went on to lead all of the nation's interior defensive linemen with 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Dvoracek (pronounced duh-VOR-check) was a member of the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 and Dallas Morning News' Top 100 lists as a senior at Lake Dallas High School. He added All-Region II-3A honors as a junior and first-team All-District accolades. Dvoracek recorded 79 tackles, 9.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and 10 forced fumbles in seven games as a senior. He started at defensive tackle and offensive guard in his final three seasons. He graded at 89 percent for blocking consistency with 101 pancake blocks as a guard. Dvoracek was also a state qualifier as a power-lifter, boasting a career-best lift of 1,555 pounds. He competed in track, producing a shot put career-best of 56' 9.5". Dvoracek played in nine games as a true freshman at Oklahoma in 2001, earning Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll recognition. He recorded 22 tackles (14 solos) with two sacks and four stops for losses that year. He was bothered by a toe injury in 2002 and started one of 12 games. Dvoracek was named to the Academic All-District VI team as a sophomore. He posted 25 tackles (13 solos) and had five stops behind the line of scrimmage, including three sacks, and recovered a fumble. Dvoracek took over strong-side defensive tackle duties in 2003. He was a consensus All-Big 12 first-team selection, as he collected 40 tackles (20 solos). He added seven sacks and 16 stops for losses in 14 games. Dvoracek was expected to anchor the Sooners' front wall in 2004, but was dismissed from the team after Oklahoma's second game. While playing around with a friend and his brother, the action got out of hand. Dvoracek hit his friend and the man was hospitalized, leading to Dvoracek's dismissal. He was reinstated to the team for 2005 and made the most of his opportunity. Dvoracek was a consensus All-Big 12 choice, leading the nation's interior linemen with 18 stops for losses. He registered four sacks and an interception, and totaled 44 tackles (19 solos) during his final year. In 49 games at Oklahoma, Dvoracek started 27 times. He recorded 136 tackles (67 solos) with 16 sacks for minus-95 yards and 44 stops for losses of 166 yards. He batted away two passes, intercepted another and recovered three fumbles.

positives

Has a thick, wide body with good shoulder and chest muscle definition, big bubble, thick legs, strong hands and very good in-line balance...Has the flexibility to slip off blocks and redirect in the short area...Has a sudden burst to gain advantage on the guards and center when he stays low in his pads...Keeps his head up and arms extending as he comes off the snap and shows functional ball location ability...Quick to fill the gaps and has the hand strength to stack and control...Powerful defeating blocks when he stays low, as he can invert blockers and disrupt the running game...Good effort player inside the box and has the hand strength to drag ball carriers down...Effective straight-line bull rusher, with some spin in his moves to elude...Plays with good effort and desire, going until the whistle...Possible offensive guard candidate, if he fails to secure a roster spot as a defensive lineman, because of his hand punch, placement and low pad level balance (also dominated at guard during his high school senior year).

as a pass rusher, dvoracek has minimal moves and is more like a bull in a china shop, crashing into everything and anything wildly. he lacks the closing burst to get to the quarterback consistently, but can be a disruptive force in the backfield when he plays at a good pad level. if the pocket is right in front of him, he will get the job done. but he is just not the type to chase far out of the box.

Off the field, Dvoracek showed good maturity as a senior, a drastic improvement over his past issues. He has a long history of off-field problems, but after undergoing counseling for alcohol-rated problems in 2004, there have been no known incidents since. Because of his raw power and dominance on the offensive line during his senior year in high school, Dvoracek could also get consideration for a possible move to offensive guard, if he fails to secure a roster spot as a defensive lineman. Everyone deserves a second chance in life and Dvoracek has had more than a few "second chances," but it appears that his maturity is catching up to his fine intelligence.

negatives

Bull in a china shop at times, as he can get out of control and outrun the play, and, because of adequate change of direction agility, he can be late getting back into the play...When he gets overaggressive, he tends to get erect in his stance, narrowing his base and getting washed out of the play...More of a collision-type, drag-down tackler who needs to do a better job of wrapping and securing (ball carriers can slip off some initial hits)...Best as a bull rusher, as he does not generate effective pass rush moves...Better playing inside the box ? will give effort chasing, but lacks the speed to go long distances in pursuit...Has had several off-field incidents that need further review, but was a model citizen in 2005 and may have finally turned the corner with his personal issues (see Off-Field Incidents below).

dvoracek is a high-energy type with an aggressive nature and a relentless motor that leads older scouts to compare him to former new york giants standout jim burt. he is a classic one-gap performer with good balance and excellent playing strength. the former weight man in track tosses blockers aside, showing a jarring hand punch to rock defenders back on their heels.

Dvoracek has the quickness and balance to make plays working down the line. He shows good suddenness and the ability to gain an advantage on guards and centers when he executes his initial step at a low pad level. He has functional read-and-diagnose skills, but sometimes does not recognize blocking schemes, causing him to react late and recklessly, getting taken out of the play in the process.

his change of direction agility allows him to make plays in backside pursuit. dvoracek does an effective job of using his hands to snatch, pull and jerk blockers out of his path. he is very active getting his hands into the blocker's chest and demonstrates the ability to stab, separate and shed. in 2005, he also did a better job of using his hands to protect his legs from low blocks, a problem he had in the past.

Dvoracek has the short area pursuit skills to play between tackles, but lacks the sustained speed to give chase for long distances. He will try hard to make the plays outside the box, but just does not have the speed to accomplish it. While he has very good strength, he needs to do a better job of wrapping when tackling. He is a collision-type tackler and will get in trouble working off the edge, as he does not have the hip snap and roll on contact, just good strike and jolt ability.

2005: Missed most of the Texas A&M game (11/12) with a foot sprain. 2004: Suffered a torn left biceps during April camp. 2002: Underwent surgery to repair a right shoulder labrum tear in January...Suffered a left great toe (turf toe) sprain during August camp and the injury bothered him during the first half of the season.

Campus: 4.96 in the 40-yard dash

430-pound bench press

690-pound squat

380-pound power clean

32.5" vertical jump

9'6" broad jump

33-inch arm length

9 ½-inch hands.

Attended Lake Dallas (Tex.) High School, playing football for head coach Ty Mayfield

Member of the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 and Dallas Morning News' Top 100 lists as a senior

Added All-Region II-3A honors as a junior and first-team All-District accolades

Recorded 79 tackles, 9.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and 10 forced fumbles in seven games as a senior

Started at defensive tackle and offensive guard in his final three seasons

Graded at 89 percent for blocking consistency with 101 pancake blocks as a guard

Also a state qualifier as a power-lifter, boasting a career-best lift of 1,555 pounds

Competed in track, producing a shot put career-best of 56' 9.5".

Management major

Winner of the Pace (University College award for top one percent of freshmen) and Jay Myers (Athletics Department award for combining excellence in scholarship and potential in athletics performance) awards

Last named is pronounced duh-VOR-check

Son of Sandra and Dennis Dvoracek

Born 3/03/81

Resides in Lake Dallas, Texas.