Austin King Class: Senior Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio High School: Purcell Marian Height / Weight: 6-4 / 295 Position: C Birthdate: 04/11/1981

General: Four-year starter ... Played in all 46 career games, with 43 starts ... Started 43 of last 44 games (did not start vs. Iowa in 2001 -- due to ankle injury -- but did play) ... Called "the best offensive player at Northwestern the past three years" by head coach Randy Walker.

2002: All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection ... Verizon Academic All-District first-team and Academic All-Big Ten selection ... Co-captain ... Ranked the nation’s No. 4 center by The Sporting News in its preseason magazine ... FWAA All-America Watch List ... Rimington Award candidate ... NU’s National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete nominee ... Accepted an invitation to the Hula Bowl Maui All-Star game early in the season ... Led NU with 10 "championship-game" performances in 12 contests (team award given by coaching staff) ... Earned second consecutive Wildcat Warrior Award (work ethic, toughness, etc.)

2001: An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the coaches ... Earned second consecutive Wildcat Warrior Award (work ethic, toughness, etc.) ... Consistently performed at a championship-level each week ... One of four offensive linemen who earned preseason and/or postseason honors ... Started 29 career games before the streak ended against Iowa ... Played against the Hawkeyes but missed start due to an ankle injury ... Played in first two games his freshman season before moving into the starting role at center ... Team leader in “knockdowns” ... Verizon Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten selection ... Turned in six Offensive Championship game performances.

2000: Named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media and coaches … Started all 12 games at center … Has started the last 21 games at center … In five games, graded out at better than 80 percent … Graded out at a season-high 86 percent with 14 knockdowns and three pins at Wisconsin … Had 16 knockdowns and three pins vs. Michigan … Graded out at a team-high 79 percent for the season with 130 knockdown blocks and 21 pins … Led the team in knockdowns ... Won the Wildcat Warrior Award … Academic All-Big Ten.

1999: Named Football News Second-Team Freshman All-American … Saw action in all 11 games as a true freshman, starting the final nine at center … Best game came at Purdue, where he graded out at 86 percent and tallied 13 knockdowns … Received the Northwestern Gridiron Network Offensive Newcomer Award … Earned championship performance recognition four times, Offensive Player of the Game twice, and Big Playmaker twice.

High School: Named first-team all-state by the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Cincinnati Post … First-team all-conference, all-district and all-city … Team captain and team MVP … Team’s Most Valuable Offensive and Defensive Lineman after his junior and senior seasons … Graded out at 93 percent as a senior on offense … On defense, recorded 67 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and six fumble recoveries … Named second-team all-conference as a junior and honorable mention all-conference as a sophomore … Competed in the Ohio North-South All-Star Game and Big 33 Game … Lettered seven times as a prep (3--football, 2--basketball, 2--baseball) … Dean’s List seven straight semesters … National Honor Society … High school coach was Tom Stickley.

Personal: Born Austin Patrick King on 4/11/81 … Son of Doug and Mary Beth King … Majoring in secondary teaching.

The King File
Q: If you were to select a food that best describes your character, what food would it be?
A: Steak, because it's tough on the outside, soft in the middle, and good all over.
Q: Favorite class?
A: Native American history
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is...
A: I was the salutatorian of my high school class.
Q: If I was not playing football, I would be...
A: Coaching football or playing baseball