Career Summary: Junior college transfer who played two seasons with the Tigers and started all but one career game...Battled two knee injuries in the spring prior to his junior season and became a starter in the 2005 season opener...Led the Tigers in pass breakups as a junior with 11, which tied for the lead in C-USA...Also totaled 49 tackles and three interceptions...Credited with a blocked PAT against USM...His 32 punt returns in 2005 ranks sixth in the Memphis record books...Ranks seventh in career returns with 46...Greatly improved punt return average from `05 to `06, averaging 4.8 yards as a junior and 10.9 yards the following year...Finished career with three games of double digit tackles...Registered multiple picks against UTEP in the 2006 season finale. Honors: Named 2006 Co-Defensive Player of the Year at the team banquet...Named second-team All-C-USA by the media and third-team by league coaches. 2006: Started all 12 games, shifting from corner to free safety to strong safety throughout the season...Led the team in tackles with 84, including 45 solo stops...Returned 14 punts for the Tigers and averaged 10.9 yards per return...Tallied two interceptions against UTEP...Blocked a 24-yard field goal attempted by Houston late in the fourth quarter and Greg Jackson picked the ball up and ran it 80 yards for a touchdown to tie the score 20-20...Also made nine tackles against Houston...Had a career-high 31-yard punt return against USM and made eight tackles in the game...Tipped a ball away from Tulsa's Idris Moss to result in a Tiger interception...Forced his first career fumble against ASU...Second on the team with a career-high 14 tackles against Tennessee...One week later registered 12 tackles versus UAB...Registered his first interception of the season against Chattanooga and returned it 30 yards to set up an eventual Tiger TD...Recorded his second pick against UAB and returned it a career-high 42 yards. 2005: A junior college transfer who spent the spring of 2005 with the Tigers, but missed a majority of workouts with two knee injuries...Became the starter at corner back for the Ole Miss game and logged nine straight starts before coming in as a reserve against Southern Miss...Finished the season with starts against Marshall and Akron...Credited with three tackles, two pass breakups and one pass interception in the season opener against Ole Miss... Also served as the team's punt returner and totaled five returns for 33 yards...Registered two tackles and one tackle for lost yardage against Chattanooga...Returned four punts for 17 yards against the Mocs...Registered four tackles and a tackle for lost yardage in the Tulsa game...Had four punt returns for 19 yards against the Golden Hurricane, including a season-best return of 15 yards...Was the team's third-leading tackler in the win over UTEP...Tallied six tackles and two pass breakups in the victory...Was the team's leading tackler in the UCF game with 10 stops, including nine solo tackles...Limited to just one punt return for four yards versus UCF...Registered four tackles and three pass breakups in the win over Houston...Had three punt returns for 19 yards against the Cougars...Had two tackles, including one for lost yardage in the East Carolina victory...Logged four tackles in the UAB contest and had one pass breakup...Totaled three tackles and one pass interception in the Tennessee game ...Returned the pick 37 yards to setup a Tiger field goal...Played a key role in the win over Southern Miss with a season-best 38-yard pass interception return to stop a Golden Eagle drive...Also credited with a blocked PAT against USM in the third quarter...Logged nine tackles and two pass breakups in the Motor City Bowl win over Akron...Was the sixth-ranked tackler for the Tigers in 2005 with a total of 49 stops...Also led the Tigers with 11 pass breakups, which tied for the lead in C-USA...Led Memphis in interceptions with three...Was the only Tiger to field punts and finished the season with an average of 4.8 yards on 32 punts. Junior College: Lettered for two seasons at Jones County Community College under Coach Parker Dykes...Worked as a receiver during his first season, and in the secondary in 2004...Credited with 25 tackles and a team-leading eight pass interceptions in 2004...Also led JCCC in punt returns...Received MACJC Player of the Week honors last season when he returned six punts for 132 yards against East Central Community College...Snagged three interceptions in the bowl game against Blinn College...Helped his squad to an 8-3 record, and was named all-state and all-region...Also tabbed as an honorable mention All-America pick. Prep: Played for Coach Bruce Merchant during his prep career at Collins High School...Led his CHS team to back-to-back state championships in 2001 and 2002...Selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game as a senior...Was an all-state, all-region and all-area honoree at CHS...Also lettered in basketball and baseball in high school. Personal: Brandon McDonald is the son of James Spencer and Lisa Gant...Is related to Correll Buckhalter who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Steve McNair of the Tennessee Titans...Born August 26, 1985 in Collins, Miss. McDONALD'S CAREER STATISTICS Tackles G/S UT AT Tot. PBU FF Int Loss Sack 2005 12/11 34 15 49 11 0 3-75 3.5-7 0-0 2006 12/12 45 39 84 4 1 4-83 2.0-6 0-0 Total 24/23 79 54 133 15 1 7-158 5.5-13 0-0 |
Memphis Tigers
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