We are DeJuan Groce days away from Husker football!

2002 First-Team All-American Return Specialist (AFCA)
2002 First-Team All-American Punt Returner (CNNSI.com)
2002 Third-Team All-American Kick Returner (The Sporting News)
2002 Fourth-Team All-American Cornerback (The Sporting News)
2002 First-Team All-Big 12 KIck Returner (Coaches, Kansas City Star, DMN)
2002 Second-Team All-Big 12 Cornerback (Coaches, AP, Kansas City Star, DMN)
2002 Second-Team All-Big 12 All-Purpose (Associated Press)
2002 The Sporting News National Player of the Week (Troy State, 8/31)
2002 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week vs. Utah State (9/7)
2002 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week (Troy State, 8/31; Missouri, 10/12)
2002 Nebraska Team Captain (one of three)
2001 Third-Team All-Big 12 Cornerback (Coaches)
2001 Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 Cornerback (AP)
2001 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week vs. Missouri (9/29)
Tied NCAA Record with Two Punt Return Touchdowns vs. Troy State (8/31)
Tied Nebraska Season Record with Three Punt Return Touchdowns (2002)
Nebraska Single-Season Punt Return Yardage Record Holder (732 yards, 2002)
Second in Nebraska Career Punt Return Yardage (1,218 yards)
Second in Nebraska Career Punt Return Touchdowns (6 TDs)
School Record Holder for Season Pass Breakups (17 in 2000)
Tied for Second on Nebraska Career PBU Chart (41)

In his third season as Nebraska's starting right cornerback, DeJuan Groce (pronounced Deh-WAN GROSS) established himself as one of the top cover men and punt returners in the nation. The 5-10, 190-pounder from Garfield Heights, Ohio, is one of the nation's top dual- threat players as reflected by his postseason honors.

Groce, who finished fourth nationally with 17.0 yards per punt return (43 returns, 732 yards, 4 TD), was selected as a first-team All-American punt returner by the American Football Coaches Association. He also earned first-team All-Big 12 honors as a punt returner from the Big 12 coaches, the Kansas City Star and the Dallas Morning News.

Groce joined 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers as the only players in NU history to amass 1,000 career punt return yards. Groce ranks second in school history with 1,218 yards and his 732 yards this season broke Rodgers' single-season record of 618 yards in his Heisman Trophy-winning 1972 season. Groce's five career punt return touchdowns also trail only Rodgers' eight in school history.

Groce ripped off the third-longest punt return in school history with an 89-yard touchdown in NU's 24-13 win over Missouri. With his third punt return touchdown of the year, Groce tied Rodgers' school single-season record set in 1971. Groce's first two punt return touchdowns of 2002 came against Troy State on returns of 83 and 72 yards. The two return touchdowns set a Nebraska record and tied an NCAA record with two punt return touchdowns in the same game. Groce finished the regular season with five punt returns of 25 yards or more this season.

In addition to his lethal abilities as a punt returner, Groce continued to be one of the top cover men in the conference. He was a second-team all-league selection as a cornerback by several sources and was a fourth-team All-America corner according to The Sporting News. He finished the season with 61 total tackles, including 38 solos, and tied for the team lead with four interceptions. He has also added seven pass breakups on the year to run his career total to 40, third on the school career list.

Groce picked off two passes in back-to-back games against Troy State and Utah State to become just the second player in school history to record two interceptions in consecutive games, joining Bill Kosch, who picked off a pair of passes against Iowa State on Nov. 7, 1970, and two more against Kansas State on Nov. 14, 1970.

Groce had a career-high 15 total tackles against Texas, including 12 solo stops, the most by an NU defensive back since Mike Brown's 19 vs. Texas in 1998. He finished his NU career with 142 career tackles to rank 10th hall time among Husker defensive backs.

Groce completed his undergraduate work this semester and graduated last week with a degree in communication studies.