Danny Verpaele
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| Danny Verpaele | |
|---|---|
| College | South Florida |
| Conference | Big East |
| Sport | Football |
| Position | Free Safety |
| Jersey # | 17 |
| Class | RS senior (2008) |
| Career | 2004 – present |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Born | October 5, 1985 |
| High school | Merritt Island HS, Merritt Island, Florida |
| Awards | |
| The Sporting News Magazine Third-Team Freshman All-American (2004)[1] | |
| Bowl games | |
Danny Verpaele (born October 5, 1985 in Cocoa Beach) is a free safety for the University of South Florida Bulls (USF) NCAA Division 1 football team. Verpaele is a 2004 graduate of Merritt Island High School.[2]
Contents |
[edit] High School
Verpaele was a four-year lettermen for the Merritt Island Mustangs. In his junior year (2002-2003), Verpaele led the Mustangs to the regional semifinals, losing to Drew Weatherford-led Land O' Lakes High School 20-14 on November 29, 2002. Verpaele was a Class 4A Second-Team All-State selectee in 2002.
In 2003, his senior year, Verpaele erupted, passing for 1,531 yards and rushing for 1,015. Verpaele led the Mustangs to the regional final championship but they fell short, losing 27-0 to Washington High School on December 5, 2003.[3] Verpaele also played defensive back and was voted Brevard County All-Space Coast Defensive Player of the Year by the Florida Today. The Orlando Sentinel voted Verpaele to its All-Central Florida team and he was ranked as the 68th Best Prospect in the state of Florida.[4] In 2003, Verpaele was again voted to the Class 4A All-State Second Team[5] Verpaele holds the distinction as being the first player in school history to start all four years.[6]
[edit] College
- 2004 - Verpaele played in 11 games his freshman year, making 25 solo tackles, 32 assisted for 57 total tackles. Verpaele also had two sacks, six tackles for a loss of 13 yards, one pass break up and one fumble recovered. For his standout frosh season, Verpaele earned Sporting News Magazine Third-Team Freshman All-American honors. [7]
- 2005 - Medical Redshirt (broken ankle)
- 2006 - Verpaele played in 13 games, making 26 solo tackles, 13 assisted for 39 total tackles. Verpaele recorded one tackle for a loss and recorded an interception versus the University of North Carolina, returning it 26 yards. On November 25, 2006, versus No. 7 West Virginia University Mountaineers, Verpaele made one of the biggest plays of the season, as he hit running back Steve Slaton on the goal line, forcing a fumble which USF recovered. The Bulls would go on to beat its then-highest ranked opponent in school history 24-19. [8]
- 2007 Did not play
[edit] Trivia
- Was first player in Merritt Island High School football history to start all four seasons. [9]
- Danny's older brother Kevin Verpaele (1999-2003) was a 4-year standout for USF. Danny also wears the same jersey number (#17) Kevin wore. Kevin and Danny make just the second set of brothers to play for Head Coach Jim Leavitt (Bill and Santiago Gramatica). [10]
[edit] References
- ^ - Sporting News Magazine names Verpaele Third-Team Freshman All-American in 2004
- ^ - Danny Verpaele USF Biography
- ^ - FHSAA 2003 Class 4A Football Championship
- ^ - Scout.com Bio of Danny Verpaele
- ^ - 2003 Class 4A All-State Football teams
- ^ - Verpaele First-Four year starter in school history
- ^ - Danny Verpaele 2004 USF Statistics
- ^ - USF.rivals.com Danny Verpaele
- ^ - Verpaele First-Four year starter in school history
- ^ = Kevin Verpaele Profile
