The Wolverine

September 2012

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? been the most talented group with which he played, he recalled. Sword redshirted while gifted talents and future NFL players like Jarrett Irons, Trevor Pryce, Ty Law and others led the way for a group that should have been better than it was. They won big games at Notre Dame and in the Holi- day Bowl over No. 10 Colorado State, but also allowed too many points in an 8-4 campaign. There was also plenty of talent on the 1997 team three years later, includ- ing Heisman Trophy-winning corner- back Charles Woodson. Attitude was the difference, Sword said, on a team that allowed only 9.5 points per game. "Nothing against those guys in 1994, but it was a lot of the same guys in 1996 and 1997," Sword said. "We learned how to become a team, become a fam- ily and learned to respect each other's differences. I think that was the big dif- ference on that team. Instead of going out and playing for individual stats, we didn't care about stats." Case in point: Sword played spar- ingly against pass-happy Washington State in the 1998 Rose Bowl, but it re- mains his best memory in a Michigan uniform. "After three years of 8-4 … when Sword has dedicated a good portion of his life to helping underprivileged and troubled kids, and currently serves as a math teacher and advisor at a juvenile center for high-risk youth in Florida. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS the clock hit zero, we did something that could never be taken away from us," he said. "As great as Michigan is as a university and a program, we did something not done in over 50 years. There were a lot of great players, great teams, great coaches that came before and after and haven't been able to do what we did." The absence of expectations helped, The Sam Sword File … Three-year starter, 1996-98 … Two-time Roger Zatkoff Award winner as Michigan's best linebacker, 1997-98 … National champion, 1997 … All-Big Ten first team, 1997, and second team, 1998 … Ranks eighth on U-M's all-time tackles list with 377 … Notched seven double-digit tackle games in 1998 to finish tied for seventh historically … Recorded 16 in his career to rank fifth. Professional Accomplishments: Signed with Oakland as Michigan Accomplishments: Four-year letterman, 1995-98 a rookie free agent in 1999 and made the team … Started six of 10 games and notched 22 tackles and a sack … Spent three seasons in Indianapolis, playing in 35 games … Fin- ished his career with 90 tackles (69 solo) and two sacks. Michigan Memory: Despite going down as one of the top tacklers in school history, Sword never got too comfortable in his starting role. wasn't the fastest or most athletic, always one of the bigger linebackers, so it was like I was always in a fight. I always had to bring my 'A' game. "When you've got guys like Jarrett Irons, Dhani Jones and "I always felt like I was fighting for the position," he said. "I " he added. "We came in No. 17 or 18 in the but injuries helped derail repeat hopes in an 0-2 start. The Wolverines stuck together and recovered to finish with a share of the Big Ten title, sending the seniors out with a Citrus Bowl win over Arkansas. Sword shrugged off a draft day snub country. It's easy to play when no one is chasing you," he said. "We found that out the next year coming off a national championship. That's when everybody's gunning for you. But the first week, the first meeting we got together and said we weren't caring who made plays or who got the credit. We were playing together for Michi- gan, not the name on [the back of] the jersey." The goals were just as high in 1998, to sign with Oakland as a rookie free agent, making the squad and starting six games. He signed with Indianapo- lis and lasted three more years, learn- ing as many positions as he could and taking special teams seriously in mak- ing himself as valuable as possible. He spent two years in Ann Arbor as a graduate assistant before moving to Palm Coast, where he's worked for the city and coached high school football at Matanzas High, planning on getting back to the latter this year after a one- year hiatus. Running local camps for kids is another of his endeavors, a chance to share what he's learned with kids who were once like him. Former Michigan linebacker Larry Foote came down from Pittsburgh to help him with one earlier this year. "Even as I navigate through life now, I take a lot of the lessons I learned from playing at Michigan," Sword said. "You're going to deal with adversity. You're going to have highs and lows — how are you going to respond to those situations? "I think back when I played at Mich- igan, running those stadium steps, get- ting tired and fatigued and not think- ing you had anything left. You look to your left and right and see your teammates getting ready to run one more set of stadium steps. You find that energy to keep going, not wanting to disappoint them and let them down. "It's no different in life. As you get older in life, have families, now you're responsible for providing, showing your kids how to do things the right way." Something he's done admirably in the years since he left Michigan. ❑ Ian Gold pushing you, though, it was good. Rob Swett, to me, is the guy I owe a lot of my success to. We were in a position battle and he ended up getting hurt, but he was all about the team. He was like my coach away from the coaches. Current Occupation: Math teacher and advisor at Hastings Youth Academy, a juvenile center for high-risk youth near Palm Coast, Fla. Sword also runs camps and leagues for kids in the area. Family: Sword resides in Palm Coast, Fla., with his wife, Raven, an accomplished Palm Coast attorney. He has three children. SEPTEMBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 93

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