2008 Woodie Awards
Pope heads to Miami
Dolphins chose former Buster in the seventh round of the draft.
Matthew Foster
Issue date: 5/6/04 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
During the 222nd pick of the 2004 National Football League draft, the Miami Dolphins selected former Buster linebacker Derrick Pope.
"Pope has to find a niche, his role on the team," Scott Hawks, linebacker coach, said. "He has to be somewhat of an overachiever."
According to NFL scout reports, Pope was not drafted until the seventh round due to lack of height [5'11"]. He was also drafted late because he has been considered too light to play the inside linebacker position in the NFL, weighting 225 pounds.
Pope came to Garden City as a running back in 2000. Although he showed potential on the offensive side of the field, the coaches decided to try Pope on the defensive end because of the low number of athletes on defense. He became an immediate impact player at the linebacker position for the Busters.
During his two seasons with the Busters, Pope recorded 252 tackles, 26 sacks and had a pair of touchdowns on fumble returns. During Pope's first year at Garden City, he recorded 127 tackles and had 17 sacks from the linebacker position, earning himself 2nd team Junior College All-American honors.
During his first year, he also helped lead the Busters to a quadruple overtime victory over Butler County [23-17] to win the Jayhawk conference championship.
He also helped lead the Busters to the national championship game in the Valley of the Sun Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. They lost the game 13-7.
Returning his sophomore season, Pope proved that it wasn't by chance that the Busters played for the national championship.
Pope once again tore through the Jayhawk Conference, recording 125 tackles and 9 sacks. He also had a pair of touchdowns on fumbles returns.
In the final bowl game of Pope's junior college career, he recorded 21 tackles in a win at the Valley of the Sun Bowl against Scottsdale, Ariz.
During Pope's final season he earned National Junior College All-American honors and was the Region VI defensive MVP. He was also an all-conference selection.
"Pope was very intense and had a lot of desire," Hawks said.
With that desire, Pope moved on to the University of Alabama where he became a prominent leader of the Crimson Tide. He received the "Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter" award following spring practice in his senior year at the University of Alabama.
Pope quickly adapted to Alabama's style of play and became known as a "big-time" playmaker.
"You knew Pope wanted to win," Hawks said. "People say that they want to win, but you could see it in his eyes,"
"Pope has to find a niche, his role on the team," Scott Hawks, linebacker coach, said. "He has to be somewhat of an overachiever."
According to NFL scout reports, Pope was not drafted until the seventh round due to lack of height [5'11"]. He was also drafted late because he has been considered too light to play the inside linebacker position in the NFL, weighting 225 pounds.
Pope came to Garden City as a running back in 2000. Although he showed potential on the offensive side of the field, the coaches decided to try Pope on the defensive end because of the low number of athletes on defense. He became an immediate impact player at the linebacker position for the Busters.
During his two seasons with the Busters, Pope recorded 252 tackles, 26 sacks and had a pair of touchdowns on fumble returns. During Pope's first year at Garden City, he recorded 127 tackles and had 17 sacks from the linebacker position, earning himself 2nd team Junior College All-American honors.
During his first year, he also helped lead the Busters to a quadruple overtime victory over Butler County [23-17] to win the Jayhawk conference championship.
He also helped lead the Busters to the national championship game in the Valley of the Sun Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. They lost the game 13-7.
Returning his sophomore season, Pope proved that it wasn't by chance that the Busters played for the national championship.
Pope once again tore through the Jayhawk Conference, recording 125 tackles and 9 sacks. He also had a pair of touchdowns on fumbles returns.
In the final bowl game of Pope's junior college career, he recorded 21 tackles in a win at the Valley of the Sun Bowl against Scottsdale, Ariz.
During Pope's final season he earned National Junior College All-American honors and was the Region VI defensive MVP. He was also an all-conference selection.
"Pope was very intense and had a lot of desire," Hawks said.
With that desire, Pope moved on to the University of Alabama where he became a prominent leader of the Crimson Tide. He received the "Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter" award following spring practice in his senior year at the University of Alabama.
Pope quickly adapted to Alabama's style of play and became known as a "big-time" playmaker.
"You knew Pope wanted to win," Hawks said. "People say that they want to win, but you could see it in his eyes,"