DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke's Michael Tauiliili picked up two more All-America citations this week as the senior linebacker was tabbed with post-season accolades by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated.
Tauiliili received third team honors from the Associated Press and honorable mention recognition from SI.com. Last week, the Houston, Texas, native was a second team All-America pick by the Walter Camp Foundation.
In 2008, Tauiliili led Duke in tackles (140), interceptions (4), pass breakups (5), quarterback pressures (5) and caused fumbles (3). His 140 stops led the ACC and matched the eighth-highest single-season total in school history. He added 13.0 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery and was a primary reason that Duke made significant improvement in scoring defense (-9.8), total defense (-67.4), rushing defense (-28.7) and passing defense (-38.7) while facing the second-most difficult schedule in the nation -- a ledger that included 10 bowl eligible teams and the top-ranked FCS squad in James Madison.
A First Team All-ACC selection this season, Tauiliili finished third in the league's Defensive Player of the Year voting after captaining a Duke defense that held three opponents to less than 10 points for the first time since 1976. He is the only linebacker in the ACC to rank among the league's top 10 players in four defensive statistical categories.
Tauiliili played 46 career games at Duke and finished with 434 tackles, 46.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 quarterback sacks, seven interceptions and eight pass breakups. On Duke's career charts, he ranks fourth in tackles and third in tackles for loss.
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