SAM SWORD

Sam Sword was a football, basketball and baseball standout for Arthur Hill High School where he graduated in 1994. Sword excelled on the gridiron where he won four varsity letters. He was a member of the Lumberjacks’ state championship football team in 1993 where he starred as a middle linebacker and tight end. After earning all-state honors Sword moved on to the University of Michigan where he racked up 377 tackles during his four years (1995-98) – ranking him eighth overall in Wolverine history. He became just the second player to lead Michigan in tackles three consecutive seasons. Sword also ranks sixth in tackles for loss with 38, and he made trips to five Bowl games. His career at Michigan was culminated by a run to the national championship in 1997 when he was a starting inside linebacker. After earning All-Big Ten first team honors and finishing as a semifinalist for the Dick Butkus Award (top linebacker in the nation) his senior season, Sword went undrafted. However, he wound up playing four seasons in the National Football League. He started his pro career with the Oakland Raiders (1999) and then had a three-year run of mostly special teams play with the Indianapolis Colts (2000-02). He then returned to Ann Arbor and joined the coaching ranks. He broke down tapes his first year but was promoted to a position coach a year later.