Eric Pearce

61

Class: Senior Hometown: Springdale, Ark. High School: Har-Ber High

Height / Weight: 6-2 / 306 Position: Nose Tackle Experience: 3L

Hard-nosed veteran who is the preseason front-runner to take over starting duties at right end this fall ... Coming off a rugged spring that saw him dominate at times up front ... Recorded 5 total tackles in Maroon and White Game (4/21/12).

2011: Started the first seven games of the year at nose tackle ... Tallied 26 total tackles for the season, including 3 for loss and 1.5 sacks ... Named MSU Defensive Player of the Week at No. 12 Oregon (9/17/11) with a pair of solo tackles ... Posted season-high 5 stops against Illinois State (10/8/11) ... Recorded 3 solo tackles, a sack and 4 total stops on homecoming against South Dakota State (10/29/11) ... Also had 2 solo tackles in Southern Illinois (9/24/11) ... Had multiple tackles in 8-of-11 ball games.

2010: Played in 10 games as a true freshman, finishing with 7 total tackles and a sack ... Notched a pair of tackles in home win over Southern Illinois (10/30/10) ... Recorded first career sack in win over No. 17 North Dakota State (11/20/10) ... Finished year with solo stops in back-to-back games, including game at No. 16 UNI (10/13/10).

High School: The 2009 Arkansas all-state defensive lineman helped his Har-Ber squad to an Arkansas Class 7A state title and a 12-1 overall record ... He was a two-time all-conference pick for Coach Chris Wood's Wildcats and was selected to play in the Arkansas High School All-Star Game after producing 46 total tackles and 7 sacks as a senior ... The KURM Football Dream Team named him the Defensive Lineman of the Year ... A four-year starter on the defensive line, he was a member of three conference championship teams and left with a 32-7 cumulative record.

Personal: Eric Michael Pearce was born 10/18/91 in Fayetteville, Ark. ... Son of Mike and Denise Pearce of Springdale, Ark. ... Has a sister, Megan ... Majoring in General Business.