2012: Fifth-year senior ... 2012 co-captain ... Member of NU's 12-player Leadership Council ... Named to Butkus Award Watch List, an honor presented annually to nation's top linebacker ... Started all 13 games ... Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by league media ... Recipient of NU's George W. Ballantine Award, presented to the player who demonstrates great enthusiasm and leadership ... Ranked 13th in the Big Ten with 7.46 tackles per game and tied for 10th with three interceptions ... At Syracuse, posted seven tackles, including one TFL, and the second fumble recovery of his career ... Six tackles with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup vs. Vanderbilt ... Also registered six stops with one TFL against BC ... Again had six tackles vs. South Dakota ... Five stops, including his first sack of the year, against Indiana ... Led the defense at Penn State with 15 total tackles and 10 solo stops, including one TFL ... At Minnesota, notched five tackles to go along with his second career interception ... Recorded six tackles and a personal-best two pass breakups against Nebraska ... Posted career highs with 18 total and 11 solo tackles vs. Iowa ... Four tackles against Michigan ... At Michigan State, intercepted an Andrew Maxwell pass and returned it 43 yards for his first career touchdown as a Wildcat ... Finished with seven stops and a TFL against the Spartans ... Recorded four solo tackles and an INT for the second straight game on Senior Day vs. Illinois ... In the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl vs. Mississippi State, posted six tackles and one TFL ... Earned NU's Defensive Player of the Game award vs. Iowa and defensive big playmaker honor against Vanderbilt, Nebraska and Michigan State ... After the season, invited to participate in Texas Vs. the Nation Senior All-Star game.
2011: Played in all 13 games with 12 starts, seeing time at middle as well as outside linebacker ... Ranked third on team with 84 tackles ... Totaled a team-high eight tackles (four solos) in season-opening victory at Boston College ... Had one tackle, as well as a fumble recovery, vs. Eastern Illinois ... Notched a career-high 12 tackles, including his first career pass sack, at Army ... Named team's defensive big playmaker at Illinois, where he recorded nine tackles, two of those TFLs ... Notched 11 tackles (five solos), including one TFL, vs. Michigan ... Racked up seven tackles at Iowa ... Team co-leader with six tackles vs. Penn State (did not start this game) ... Registered six tackles in road win at Indiana ... Turned in one of his top career efforts in road win at No. 9 Nebraska: nine tackles, which included two TFL's, a forced fumble and pass breakup ... Earned team's defensive player of the week honors for his efforts against Nebraska ... Had four solo hits vs. Rice ... Tabbed team's defensive big playmaker of the game vs. Minnesota -- totaled three tackles, which included a 0.5 TFL, as well as a pass breakup and a QB hurry ... Notched three tackles and a forced fumble vs. Michigan State ... Credited with five tackles (0.5 TFL) and a pass breakup vs. Texas A&M.
2010: Played in all 13 games ... Reserve linebacker ... Saw increased action on opponent passing situations ... 26 total tackles ... Forced a fumble and made two stops in TicketCity Bowl ... Career-best five tackles at Wisconsin (four solo) ... Three tackles against Illinois with one TFL and one pass breakup ... Posted two tackles at Penn State ... One tackle at Indiana ... Made two stops vs. Michigan State ... One tackle and one pass breakup vs. Purdue ... Two stops with one TFL at Minnesota ... Picked up two tackles and his first career interception against Central Michigan ... Collected four tackles at Rice ... One stop vs. Illinois State ... One tackle and one QB hurry at Vanderbilt.
2009: Played in 12 games with one start ... Had one tackle and a forced fumble vs. Auburn in the Outback Bowl ... One TFL against Indiana ... Posted four tackles against Syracuse in his first career start, replacing an injured Nate Williams at linebacker ... Nine total tackles (eight solo) for the season.
2008: Did not see action ... Named team's special teams practice player of the week vs. Purdue.
High School: Earned All-Southwest Preparatory College honors as a running back and linebacker at Episcopal High School ... Totaled 51 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble his senior season ... As a running back, gained 1,400 yards on 213 carries (6.6 ypc) and had 14 receptions for 300 yards ... Scored 20 TD's in 2007 ... Set school marks for career rushing and scoring, as well as single-season scoring and total offense ... Team's MVP ... Three-time all-conference track and field selection ... Also tabbed the Knights' team MVP in track ... Holds the Knights' shot put record ... Also captained that squad, as well as the Knights' basketball team ... All-conference selection (2007-08) in basketball ... Four-year, three-sport athlete award ... Played in Houston's Space City Classic All-Star game ... Coached by Steve Leisz.
Personal: Born David Ikechi Nwabuisi ... Son of Austine and Rose Nwabuisi ... Sister, Rosemary, ran track at Texas, and brother, Austine, played football at Kansas (2001-04) ... Graduated with a degree in communication studies and spent his fifth year pursuing a master's in sports administration.
The Nwabuisi File
Q: Name five favorite songs (and artist) on your I-Pod:
A: Eminem, T.I., Kanye West, Ludacris, and Lil' Wayne
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: Michael Jordan
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Always strive to be the best
Q: A song that best describes you?
A: The Winner by Drake
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: I am obsessed with Harry Potter books and movies.
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: Florida
Q: Facebook or Twitter?
A: Facebook
Q: Which current NU football player is the biggest jokester on the team?
A: Quentin Davie
Q: My favorite thing about NU is:
A: The football team.
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: The teammates we have around us.
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Very intense and always positive
Q: Describe your position coach in five words or less:
A: Very active and fun
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: Red-shirting
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: Making it to Northwestern University
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: The last Harry Potter book.
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My brother
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Emmitt Smith
Q: My favorite pregame ritual is:
A: Listening to Eminem songs on my Ipod.
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick?A: Any Given Sunday with my favorite actor Jamie Foxx.
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Chinese
Q: My favorite thing about playing at Ryan Field is:
A: Running out the locker room.
Q: Best thing about Northwestern is:
A: The football program and the school degree.
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: Taking an interception back to the house in the Rose Bowl to win the game.
Q: My favorite television show is:
A: Sportscenter
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: No idea, maybe playing basketball lol
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Confident, Outgoing, Leader
Q: My football-related superstition is:
A: Knock on wood anytime someone talks about an injury.