27 -- Erik Coleman

Defensive Back 5-10/195 Junior Spokane, Wash. Lewis and Clark High ’00

High school highlights
Attended Lewis and Clark High…earned three letters in football for coach John Hook as a running back, defensive back and kick returner…also three letters for coach Terry Reed in basketball…during JUNIOR year earned All-Greater Spokane League first team honors on defense and won the team’s defensive back of the year winner…led the GSL in interceptions with seven…team finished the regular season with a 9-0 mark and won the GSL title…SENIOR season rushed for 1187 yards…scored 13 touchdowns…picked off a team-high six passes…team’s MVP winner…Tigers went 7-2…earned all-league first team honors on both offense and defense…an All-Far West pick by Prep Star Magazine…Seattle Times Red Chip honoree…leading rusher in the East-West Shrine All-Star game with 101 yards.

WSU highlights
FRESHMAN (2000-01): V-letter… Games - 8…Started - 1…started at strong safety against Utah…missed the Oregon State game with a bruised kidney…came back, only to break a finger against Oregon in the next game…missed the final two games after surgery to repair a broken finger (right hand) …earned the following seven weekly team awards: California/Special Team Big Play, BSU/Specialist of the Week, ASU/Cougar Claw/Specialist of the Week/Assassin/Gamebreaker, Oregon/Cougar Claw. Finished the season with 19 tackles and two pass deflections. Blocked a punt at California that resulted in a WSU touchdown. Returned eight kickoffs 203 yards and had one punt return…in first action as a KO returner, had returns of 40 and 35 yards against Boise State…had four kickoff returns for 70 yards in a triple overtime loss at Arizona. SOPHOMORE (2001-02): V-letter…Games - 11…Starts - 5…missed the UCLA game with a concussion…earned the following weekly team awards: OSU/Pac-10 Defense; MSU/Defensive Back; Oregon/Pac-10 Special Teams; Oregon/Defensive Back. Took over for the injured Marcus Trufant after three games.In second start against Oregon State picked off two passes, returning the first one 47 yards for a touchdown…also intercepted a pass at Boise State.Broke up four passes and made 39 tackles, including 10 against Oregon and eight at Stanford…had four tackles in the Sun Bowl against Purdue.WSU’s number two man with 12 punt returns for 77 yards and number two with nine kickoff returns for 199 yards and a team-leading 22.1 average.

Personal
Eric James Coleman…born 5-6-82…mother Cynthia Coleman…one brother Erin and one sister Erika…interested in a criminal justice major at WSU.

Stats

DEFENSE.....G/GS.....TT.....PT.....AT.....TFL.....SACKS.....PI/YDS
2000.....8/1.....19.....10.....9.....1/-5.....0/0.....0/0
2001.....11/5.....39.....23.....16.....2/-3.....0/0.....3/47
CAREER:.....19/6.....58.....33.....25.....3/-8.....0/0.....3/47
KO RETURNS.....G/GS.....NO.....YDS.....AVG.....TD.....LG
2000.....8/1.....8.....203.....25.4.....0.....40
2001.....11/5.....9.....199.....22.1.....0.....31
CAREER.....19/6.....17.....402.....23.6.....0.....40