77 Days Until FSU Football: Derrick Brooks Records 77 Tackles in 1993 and 1994

Only 77 days remain until Florida State football faces off against Virginia Tech. As part of the offseason, we’re doing a countdown that highlights players, games, and specific moments from Florida State football history.

On Saturday, it was former running back Jermaine Thomas going for 78 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns at Miami in 2010.

Today, it’s former linebacker Derrick Brooks recording 77 tackles in back-to-back All-American years.

Brooks was a heralded recruit out of Pensacola when he arrived in 1991. He received marginal time on the field as a freshman, only recording 22 tackles and two tackles for loss. It was in 1992 when he reaped the benefits of starting alongside star linebacker Marvin Jones. Brooks exploded for 98 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks, but was still second-in-command behind Jones.

Some wondered how Brooks would fill in once Jones departed. Few expected the dominant showings he would have in 1993 and 1994.

While Brooks was not an incredible run-stopper on Jones’ level, his versatility made him the ultimate weapon for a defense. Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews realized that Brooks’ athleticism allowed him to be one of the best coverage linebackers in the college game. He was a very intelligent player whose consistency was unmatched, even recording the exact same number of tackles in 1993 and 1994.

While there’s no records broken from his time at FSU, Brooks was the leader of the defense that won the 1993 national championship and helped win the Sugar Bowl following the 1994 season. That includes a comeback performance in “The Choke at Doak” where Brooks recorded eight tackles as FSU erased a 28-point deficit to force a 31-31 tie against rival Florida. On his final play as a Seminole, Brooks intercepted Florida’s Danny Wuerffel to seal a 23-17 win in the 1995 Sugar Bowl rematch.

For his performances, Brooks was named a Unanimous All-American in 1993 and Consensus All-American in 1994. FSU went 33-3-1 during his time in Tallahassee as a starter. Brooks would go on to have a Hall-of-Fame career in the NFL after being selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He maintains a strong presence off-the-field with Derrick Brooks Charities, dedicated to providing educational opportunities for socio-economically challenged youth. Brooks was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.