Mike Kudla

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Mike Kudla (born March 8, 1984) in Medina, Ohio) is an American football player and wore the number fifty-seven at Ohio State University. He was not a well-known College player until the 2006 NFL combine where he tied the record of bench pressing 225 pounds 45 times. Kudla went undrafted in the 2006 NFL draft, but he was later picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was released by the Steelers before the season began due to a leg injury that prevented him from even suiting up in training camp.

[edit] High-School Career

Played football for 4 and basketball for 3 years at Highland High School in Medina, Ohio. Was selected as the Division III Associated Press co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... also a first-team All-Ohio pick by the AP ... recorded 210 (105 solo) tackles, including 27 (12 solo)tackles-for-loss and six sacks ... also had an interception ... finished his career with 495 total tackles, including 170 solo tackles, 84 as a junior and 115 (53 solo) as a sophomore...

[edit] Overall Collegiate Career

Has played in 38 of 39 games the past three years ... started the final six games of last year and heads into the fall as the projected starter at the rush end (Leo) ... has a great work ethic and is a versatile player who is equally at home either dropping into pass coverage or rushing the quarterback ... has battled injuries much of his career, but was healthy the second half of last year and played his best football ... when healthy, has shown a penchant for making big plays ... has a great feel for the game and can play either end spot ... played behind All-American Will Smith in 2003 and Darrion Scott in 2002, but was a valuable reserve and very much a part of the rotation at defensive end ... three-year letter winner and an OSU scholar-athlete ... was on the verge of a breakout year last year and has only tapped the surface of his potential

2004 (Junior):

Began the year penciled in as a starter, but was slowed by a pinched nerve ... came off the bench the first half of the season, before taking over as a starter against Indiana in week seven ... was a regular from that point on ... finished the year with a career-high 28 tackles ... credited with 6.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks ... had 18 tackles in the last four regular-season games, including a career-high six stops against both Penn State and Purdue ... also forced a fumble at Purdue that led to an Ohio State touchdown ... sacks came against Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue and Oklahoma State ... injured and did not play against North Carolina State.

2003 (Sophomore):

Finished the season with nine tackles, including his first collegiate sack against Northwestern ... also had a fumble recovery in the end zone against Purdue that was Ohio State's lone touchdown of the day in a 16-13 overtime win over the Boilers ... three tackles against Northwestern was his top statistical game ... played in all 13 games.

2002 (Freshman): Played a total of 66 minutes and earned his first letter ... collected 12 tackles, five of which were solos ... played a season-high 15 minutes against San Jose State after playing 13 minutes at Northwestern ... had a tackle-for-loss in the Kent State game, throwing down Charles Newton for a 2-yard loss ... four tackles against Kent State was his top statistical effort of the year ... recovered a fumble against San Jose State in the second quarter and returned it 17 yards to set up an OSU touchdown ... came down with a viral infection shortly after the Fiesta Bowl in 2002 and alarmingly lost 40 pounds in a short period of time ... was able to make a full recovery, but still missed 2003 spring practice after injuring his shoulder during winter conditioning.

[edit] Personal

• Is the son of Paul and Mary Fran Kudla

• Has two brothers (Brian and Eric), and two sisters (Katie and Emily)

• Lists Jamaica as a place he would like to visit

• Hobbies include farming, lifting weights and woodworking

• Ohio State's 2002 National Championship is his favorite football memory ... scoring a touchdown in 2003 is also high on his list of good memories ... The Ohio State Marching Band is his favorite tradition at OSU.