| Matt Pusateri |
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SCOUTING REPORT
Entering his fourth season as Miami's starting strong safety ... has totaled more than 100 tackles in each of his first three seasons ... very tough, instinctive player that is one of the team's best tacklers ... former freshman all-American ... on pace to rank among Miami's career top 10 tacklers.
2003 SEASON
Miami's leading tackler with 141 hits, including 89 solo stops ... racked up a season-high 17 tackles versus Cincinnati (Sept. 27), including 10 solo stops and a forced fumble ... followed with 10 stops against Akron (Oct. 4) ... totaled eight tackles and a key fourth-quarter interception--the first of his career--at Kent State (Oct. 25) ... made 14 hits, including a season-high 12 solo tackles in Nov. 4 defeat of Bowling Green ... added 13 tackles and his second forced fumble of the year versus Marshall (Nov. 12) ... made 11 tackles and picked off a pass in the endzone in Miami's MAC Championship win over Bowling Green (Dec. 4) ... named the Defensive MVP of the GMAC Bowl after totaling 13 tackles and returning a key second-half interception 35 yards for a touchdown ... led the team with 12 pass break-ups and tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles ... ranked 10th in the MAC at 10.1 tackles per game.
2002 SEASON
Paced the RedHawks with 125 tackles including an impressive 85 solo stops ... ranked ninth in the MAC in total tackles and fifth in solo hits ... made two tackles for loss, broke up nine passes and forced one fumble ... started all 12 games, making 10 or more tackles eight times ... made a career-high 11 solo stops versus Iowa on Sept. 7, finishing with 15 total tackles ... made nine solo tackles and assisted on six stops in Sept. 21 win versus Kent State ... notched 10 solo hits and five assists in defeat of Cincinnati (Oct. 5) ... made two tackles for loss versus Northern Illinois (Oct. 12) and finished with nine tackles versus the Huskies.
2001 SEASON
Just another in the long line of Miami walk-on success stories, Pusateri earned Sporting News Third-team Freshman all-America honors ... finished second on the team and 15th in the MAC with 9.8 tackles per game, the highest total of any first-year player on either list ... was second on the team in solo tackles... recorded 10 or more tackles in nine of 12 games, including eight of his first nine games ... defended five passes ... racked up 18 tackles (10 solo, 8 assisted) in his collegiate debut at Michigan, including one for a loss ... followed up Michigan with 15 takedowns (eight solo, seven assisted) at Iowa ... made a career-high three tackles for a loss versus Buffalo.
2000 SEASON
Redshirted.
HIGH SCHOOL
Lettered three years as a defensive back and running back at Bishop Watterson High in Columbus ... led team in tackles ... earned the Eagles' "Hardest Hitter" award ... captured all-state, all-district and all-league honors ... named the Division III Defensive Player of the Year ... collected special mention status in USA Today ... coached by Mike Golden.
PERSONAL
Born May 13, 1982 (22 years old) ... son of Paul and Kathy Pusateri ... majoring in sociology.
