| Curtis Steele |
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2008: Named 2008 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year...Was a 2008 All-Conference USA Second Team selection...Named the Offensive Player of the Year at the team's post-season banquet...Played in all 13 games with 12 starts at running back...Did not start against Marshall as Memphis went with four receivers to start the game...Is only the fourth different Tiger to reach the 1,000 yard rushing mark in a season...His 1,223 yards rushing on the season ranks fourth all-time at Memphis behind only DeAngelo Williams...Scored six rushing touchdowns in the last six games...Finished the season ranked 33rd nationally in rushing yards per game (94.1) and 68th in all-purpose yards (112.3)...Ranked fourth in C-USA in rushing and 9th in all-purpose yards...Led the team in rushing (1,223), rush attempts (218), rushing touchdowns (7) and scoring by a non-kicker with 42 points...Totaled six 100-yard rushing games in 2008, which ranks tied for fourth at Memphis in both career and in a single season...His 218 rush attempts on the season ranks sixth in Tiger history...Averaged 105.8 yards rushing in the last 10 games, with all six 100-yard performances occurring in the stretch...Logged three consecutive 100-yard games versus Nicholls State, Arkansas State and UAB...Tallied a career-high 203 yards versus ASU...Scored in five of the last six games of the season...Made 20 or more carries in four games...Was in on two highly-successful "hook-and-ladder" plays during the season...Both plays resulted in gains of more than 40 yards...Registered eight carries of 20 or more yards...Ole Miss: Started in his first appearance with Memphis and led the team with 83 rushing yards on 15 attempts...Had 45 yards on five carries in the fourth quarter on a 66-yard touchdown drive...Five of his 15 carries resulted in a first down...Rice: Had 12 rushes for 44 yards and a long of 11...Made his first reception for Memphis on a 19-yard catch...Marshall: Rushed 38 yards on seven carries and had one reception for 11 yards...Nicholls State: Rushed for 109 yards on 20 carries...Averaged 5.4 yards per carry...Arkansas State: Rushed for 203 yards on 22 carries for his second consecutive game over 100 yards...Is the first Memphis back to rush for over 200 yards since DeAngelo Williams in 2005...Had a career best 46-yard carry in the third quarter, which was the longest run from scrimmage since DeAngelo Williams in 2005...Marked the first time since 2005 that a Tiger back has rushed for back-to-back 100-yard games...Rushed for his first touchdown as a Tiger on a two-yard run with 2:12 remaining in the fourth quarter...Averaged 9.2 yards per carry...Seven of his 22 rush attempts were for 10 yards or more....Also had a 37-yard rush in the fourth quarter that led to a Memphis field goal....Ten of his 22 rushes resulted in Memphis first downs...Rushed for 16 yards for a first down on a 3rd-and-10 in the Tigers' opening touchdown drive...Ran for 133 yards in the second half on 12 carries...UAB: Ran for over 100 yards for the third-straight game...Finished with 101 yards rushing on 14 carries...Had long runs of 27 and 28 yards...Louisville: Led the team with 80 yards rushing on 16 attempts...Also matched a season high with a 19-yard reception...Had five first downs in the game...Rushed for 16 yards twice...East Carolina: Ran for 43 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries...Also totaled a career-high 27 yards receiving on four catches with a long of 16 yards...Took a direct snap and scored on a four-yard run in the first quarter for his second career rushing touchdown...Returned a kickoff for 18 yards in the fourth quarter...Southern Miss: Rushed for a career high two touchdowns with 178 yards on 29 attempts...Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter to help secure the Tigers' six-point lead, including an eventual game-winning touchdown carry for 22 yards with 1:24 left in the game...Amassed 237 all-purpose yards in the contest, which ranks tied for 12th all-time at Memphis and is the most since the DeAngelo Williams era ended in 2005...Also amassed 59 yards receiving on a hook-and-ladder in the first quarter that led to a Memphis touchdown and a 14-0 lead for the Tigers to start the game...Averaged 6.1 yards per carry en route to his second highest rush total of his career...Amassed 126 of his rushing yards in the second half with 80 yards on 12 carries coming in the fourth quarter and most taken on direct snaps...Named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week following the USM game...SMU: Rushed for 123 yards on 19 attempts with a touchdown...Put the first points on the board with a two-yard TD in the first quarter...His four-yard gain to begin the second half gave him over 1,000 yards on the season...Teamed with Brandon Ross for the first 100-yard rushing duo at Memphis since 2005...Ran for a game-high 35 yards on the first Memphis offensive play in the game in a Tiger scoring drive...Also returned a kickoff 32 yards in the first quarter...Left the game early in the second half with a hamstring injury...UCF: Had 38 yards rushing on 15 attempts and scored a touchdown for the fourth-straight game...Took the direct snap and rushed two yards for a touchdown in the third quarter...Tulane: Led the team with 135 rushing yards on 23 attempts with a touchdown...Averaged 5.9 yards per carry...Nine of his 22 carries were for first downs or a touchdown...Scored for the fifth-straight game in the first quarter on a nine-yard run...Had a game-high 20-yard run in the third quarter...USF: Gained 48 yards on 12 carries in the bowl game...Four of his carries resulted in first-down yardage...Had a long run of 13 yards...Caught one pass for a six-yard gain...Also credited with 43 receiving yards on the hook-and-ladder in the third quarter to get Memphis into USF territory.
2007: Speedy back who redshirted last season to continue to learn the offensive scheme and to give the Tigers an additional running threat in `08 and `09...Has great speed and agility and was a vital member of the offensive scout team in 2007...Named the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year at the post-season team banquet...Was listed as the No. 1 back during the spring and earned the Top Newcomer Award for his efforts...Rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in the 2008 Blue-Gray Game en route to being named the Offensive MVP of the scrimmage.
Junior College: Played two seasons at Northwest Mississippi Community College for Coach Randy Pippin...Started all nine of the games he played in 2006...Totaled 551 yards and five touchdowns on 75 carries as a sophomore and was ranked 11th in Region 23 in rushing...Was part of a squad that ranked second in the MACJC/Region 23 in rushing yards...Also caught 13 passes for 62 yards in 2006...Ranked second on the squad in all-purpose yards and scoring...Rushed for a season-high 172 yards and one touchdown against East Mississippi Community College...Rolled off 107 yards rushing and two touchdowns versus Northeast Mississippi Community College...Scored a touchdown for the North squad in the Mississippi All-Star game...Helped the Rangers to a 6-4 record and their first MACJC North division championship since 2003.
Prep: Lettered for Coach Greg Gregory at Centennial High...Named first-team All-State and All-Region as a junior and senior...Set the CHS record for rushing yards in a season with 1,610...Registered 17 touchdowns as a senior...Had his best game against Dickson County, rushing for 209 yards and four touchdowns...Also lettered in track at CHS.
Personal: Curtis Devon Steele is the son of Carl D. Steele...Born March 24, 1987, in Franklin, Tenn.
2008 GAME HIGHS
Rushing Yards: 203 (vs. Arkansas State)
Rushing Attempts: 29 (vs. Southern Miss)
Long Run: 46 (vs. Arkansas State)
Rushing Touchdown: 2 (vs. Southern Miss)
Receptions: 3 (at East Carolina)
Receiving Yards: 59 (vs. Southern Miss)
Long Reception: 19 (2 games; last vs. Louisville)
STEELE'S CAREER RUSHING STATISTICS
YR G/S NO YDS AVG TDS LG
2008 13/12 218 1,223 5.6 7 46
STEELE'S 2008 GAME-BY-GAME
Rushing Opponent NO YDS AVG TDS LG
8/30/08* Ole Miss 15 83 5.5 0 25
9/6/08* Rice 12 44 3.7 0 11
9/13/08 Marshall 7 38 5.4 0 10
9/20/08* NSU 20 109 5.5 0 11
9/27/08* ASU 22 203 9.2 1 46
10/2/08* UAB 14 101 7.2 0 28
10/10/08* L'ville 16 80 5.0 0 16
10/18/08* ECU 14 43 3.1 1 10
10/25/08* USM 29 178 6.1 2 22
11/8/08* SMU 19 123 6.5 1 35
11/22/08* UCF 15 38 2.5 1 10
11/29/08* Tulane 23 135 5.9 1 20
12/20/08* USF 12 48 4.0 0 13
