Eddie Simpson Class: Senior Hometown: Houston, Texas High School: North Shore Height / Weight: 6-1 / 230 Position: LB Birthdate: 08/20/1985

General: Part-time starting/reserve linebacker ... Started eight career games ... Slowed with nagging injuries throughout his career ... Good athlete ... Closed career with 98 tackles.

2007: Starting outside linebacker ... Recorded five tackles and a QB hurry against Northeastern ... Suffered a lower-leg injury against Nevada and left the game in the first quarter ... Came back to play against Minnesota after a four-week absence ... Tipped a Minnesota pass that Corey Wootton recovered for an interception ... Came off the bench to notch five tackles vs. Eastern Michigan ... Seven tackles at Purdue ... One tackle vs. Iowa ... Turned in one of the game's biggest plays vs. Indiana, intercepting backup IU quarterback Ben Chappell and racing 41 yards for a touchdown, which started a run of 21 straight points against the Hoosiers ... Added three tackles vs. Indiana ... Five tackles in career finale at Illinois.

2006: Backup outside linebacker and key special teams player ... Missed part of preseason with an injury and the death of his mother (August) ... Started his first career game at Michigan in place of the injured Nick Roach ... Totaled a season-high eight tackles (six solos), as well as a fumble recovery, vs. the Wolverines ... Six tackles, as well as his second straight fumble recovery, a 23-yard return, at Iowa ... That return helped set up NU's second TD of the game ... Three tackles vs. Illinois ... Notched three tackles, which included a 5-yard pass sack, at Miami (Ohio) ... One solo tackle vs. UNH ... Six solo tackles, which included a pass sack and a TFL, at Nevada ... Two tackles at Penn State ... Finished Ohio State game with eight tackles ... One of eight NU players with at least a pair of sacks ... One of three players with two fumble recoveries ... Missed Wisconsin, Purdue and MSU games with a neck injury.

2005: Missed the Michigan State game with an ankle injury ... Saw extensive action vs. Northern Illinois, totaling five tackles and a QB hurry ... One tackle at Arizona State ... Grabbed his first career interception vs. Penn State when he caught a tipped Michael Robinson pass ... Finished the PSU game with five tackles, the interception and a hurry ... Credited with five tackles (four solos) against Iowa ... Earned some extra snaps with Nick Roach nursing a bad back ... Had four tackles at Ohio State ... Closed the regular season with a season-high nine tackles at Illinois ... Registered three solo tackles vs. UCLA.

2004: Saw most of his playing time on special teams ... Recorded one solo tackle in games against Indiana, Michigan and Illinois ... Named team's Defensive Practice Player of the Week vs. Minnesota.

2003: Redshirted ... Twice named the team's Defensive Practice Player of the Week -- for contests versus Ohio State and Michigan.

High School: Two-time first-team all-district defensive end and linebacker ... Finalist for Defensive Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Houston ... District MVP runner-up ... In final two years of play, totaled 50 solo tackles, 47 assisted tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 17 pass sacks, seven pass breakups, eight forced fumbles, five recovered fumbles and 40 quarterback hurries ... Helped his team to a 12-1 record his junior year (third round of playoffs) and an 11-1 mark his senior year (second round of playoffs) ... Selected to play in Oil Bowl -- Texas All-Stars vs. Oklahoma All-Stars ... Also lettered in track and basketball ... Who's Who and National Honor Roll ... Coached by David Aymond.

Personal: Born Eddie Jerome Simpson on 8/20/85 ... Son of Leonard Simpson and the late Sharon Simpson ... Chose NU over Tulane ... Communication studies major.

The Simpson File

Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: Jesus
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Don't quit!!
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: I don't eat a lot
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: San Diego!!!!
Q: Which current NU football player is the biggest jokester on the team?
A: Chris Malleo
Q: My favorite thing about NU is:
A: Graduation
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: You get to play in the best football conference while getting a great degree
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Tough, Competitive, Hard-working and Caring
Q: Describe your position coach (Randy Bates) in five words or less:
A: Tough, Funny, Inspiring and Courageous
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: Playing behind Nick Roach for a couple years
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: Graduating from Northwestern while playing football
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: The Call of the Wild
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My father
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Bo Jackson
Q: My favorite pregame ritual is:
A: Eating a big bowl of ice cream at pregame dinner
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick?
A: Blade
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Boudain or fried catfish
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: Snaring an interception, running it in for a touchdown and dunking the goal post;
then on the very next defensive drive causing a fumble, recovering the fumble and running it for a touchdown
and giving an alley-oop to a teammate
Q: My favorite television show is:
A: Jamie Foxx
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: Playing basketball or working 9 to 5 everyday
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Courageous, Honest, Laidback
Q: My football-related superstition is:
A: Praying before practice and games; and kissing my mom's picture in my locker

Simpson's Career Statistics
TACKLES                G    UA     A Total    TFL-Yds    PD   FF   FR Blkd
2004................  11     3     0     3    0.0-0       0    0    0    0
2005................  10    15    17    32    0.0-0       1    0    0    0
2006................   9    24    13    37    3.0-11      0    0    2    0
2007................   8    15    11    26    0.0-0       2    0    0    0
TOTAL...............  38    57    41    98    3.0-11      3    0    2    0
SACKS                  G    UA     A Total   Yds
2004................  11     0     0   0.0     0
2005................  10     0     0   0.0     0
2006................   9     2     0   2.0     8
2007................   8     0     0   0.0     0
TOTAL...............  38     2     0   2.0     8
INTERCEPTIONS          G    No    Yds  TD  Lg Avg/R Avg/G
2004................  11     0      0   0   0   0.0   0.0
2005................  10     1     10   0  10  10.0   1.0
2006................   9     0      0   0   0   0.0   0.0
2007................   8     1     41   1  41  41.0   5.1
TOTAL...............  38     2     51   1  41  25.5   1.3