Shamarko Thomas, SS

Three letters ... 2012 'Cuse Award Syracuse Eight Award of Courage winner.

All-BIG EAST first team selection ... Ranks sixth in Syracuse history for tackles by a defensive back with 259 ... He is tied for 52nd nationally in solo tackles (5.0 avg/g) ... He ranks fourth in forced fumbles (0.25 avg/g) and is tied for 10th in tackles (7.0 avg/g) in the BIG EAST ... Against Northwestern, tallied two tackles, including a sack for a loss of six yards, and forced a fumble ... Against USC, recorded seven tackles, including six solo and one tackle for a loss of one yard, and recorded his first career interception ... Against Stony Brook, notched six tackles, including two solo... At Minnesota, recorded a season-high nine tackles, including six solo tackles ... Against Pittsburgh, tied his season-high nine tackles which included seven solo tackles and one for a loss of one yard ... At Rutgers, tallied six tackles, including two solo.

Against UConn, he earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for his effort, which included four solo tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception, which he returned 27 yards ... At South Florida, notched a team-high nine tackles, including six solo, and recovered a fumble that set up a touchdown ... At Cincinnati, earned spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for his effort where he had a career-high 14 tackles, including 10 solo, and forced a fumble ... Against Louisvile, recorded six solo tackles ... At Missouri, he recorded six tackles, including four solo ... At Temple, he had six tackles, including five solo.

Started all 10 games he played ... Against Wake Forest, had 10 tackles, including five solo... Against Rhode Island, collected six tackles, including five solo and 1.0 for a loss of one yard ... At USC, made seven tackles, including four solo ... Did not play against Toledo and Rutgers due to injury ... At Tulane, recorded four tackles and had one pass break up ... Against West Virginia, recorded five tackles, including four ... At Louisville, had eight tackles, including six solo ... At Connecticut, made seven tackles, including four solo ... Against South Florida, posted six tackles, including four solo ... Against Cincinnati, made six tackles, including five solo and one for a two-yard loss ... At Pittsburgh, had eight tackles, including seven solo.

Played in all 13 games ... At Akron, had five tackles and broke up one pass ... At Washington, had two solo tackles, recovered a fumble and had a pass breakup ... Against Maine, made five tackles ... Against Colgate, tallied six tackles, including an assisted tackle for loss . ... At South Florida, had six tackles, including four solo stops and a sack for a loss of 11 yards ... Against Pittsburgh, had four total tackles ... At West Virginia, had seven tackles, including two half-sacks for a loss of eight yards, the second one on the final play of the game ... At Cincinnati, registered a tackle ... Against Louisville, made four tackles ... Against Connecticut, made six tackles ... Against Boston College, posted a career-best 12 tackles, including seven solo stops...Against Kansas State in the Pinstripe Bowl, recorded four tackles, including one tackle for loss.

ESPN.com All-BIG EAST Freshman Team selection ... Played in all 12 games, including seven starts, at linebacker, cornerback and safety ... Against Minnesota, recorded three tackles, including two solo ... At Penn State, had a solo tackle ... Against Northwestern, posted seven solo tackles, had a pass breakup and recovered first career fumble ... Against Maine, had two tackles ... Against South Florida, posted a solo tackle ... Against West Virginia, had four tackles, including 1.5 for a loss of yards, and forced a fumble ... Against Akron, posted three tackles, including one for a loss ... Against Cincinnati, had four tackles, including one for a loss of yards ... At Pittsburgh, tallied three tackles and a quarterback hurry ... At Louisville, had five tackles, including four solo ... Against Rutgers, recorded three tackles, including 1.5 for a loss of yards and one sack, and had one quarterback hurry ... At Connecticut, had five tackles, including one for a loss of yards.

Named 2008 All-State First Team, all-region and All-Tidewater ... Two-time All-District First Team selection ... Set school records in career tackles, interceptions and defensive touchdowns ... In 2008, recorded a team-high 102 tackles, six interceptions, 11 pass breakups and one blocked field goal as a team captain, leading the squad to a 12-1 record ... Earned 2008 team defensive MVP honors ... Led the team in tackles as a junior ... Earned all-state honors in track competing in the 100-meter dash and as the anchor of the 4 x 100 relay that placed seventh in Virginia ... Teammate of Syracuse defensive end Brandon Sharpe ... High School Coach: Chris Scott ... Played for the United States team that won the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship.

Shamarko Lanell Thomas ... Born in February 1991 ... Son of Ebeth Shabazz ... Has four brothers and one sister ... Majoring in child and family studies in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.