Solid presence on the defensive line, fourth-year standout Eric Pearce looks to solidify his place as the Bears[apos] starting nose tackle again this fall ... Posted 3 tackles in the Maroon and White Game (4/20/13).
2012: Started all 11 games, including 10 starts at nose tackle ... Named MSU Defensive Lineman of the Year by the MSU coaching staff ... Brought down 7 Sycamore ball carriers at Indiana State (10/6/12) with a tackle for loss en route to earning MSU Defensive Player of the Week honors ... Posted 5 tackles in three straight games in September, including home opener against Murray State (9/15/12) ... Produced 5 tackles against SIU (9/22/12) while earning MSU Special Teams Player of the Week ... Had season-high 3 solo tackles and 5 total stops at No. 25 South Dakota State (9/29/12) ... Secured a pair of solo tackles at No. 22 Kansas State (9/1/12) and at UNI (11/17/12) ... Recorded 5 total tackles in Maroon and White Game (4/21/12).
2011: Started the first seven games of the year at nose tackle ... Tallied 26 total tackles for the season, including 3 for loss and 1.5 sacks ... Named MSU Defensive Player of the Week at No. 12 Oregon (9/17/11) with a pair of solo tackles ... Posted season-high 5 stops against Illinois State (10/8/11) ... Recorded 3 solo tackles, a sack and 4 total stops on homecoming against South Dakota State (10/29/11) ... Also had 2 solo tackles in Southern Illinois (9/24/11) ... Had multiple tackles in 8-of-11 ball games.
2010: Played in 10 games as a true freshman, finishing with 7 total tackles and a sack ... Notched a pair of tackles in home win over Southern Illinois (10/30/10) ... Recorded first career sack in win over No. 17 North Dakota State (11/20/10) ... Finished year with solo stops in back-to-back games, including game at No. 16 UNI (10/13/10).
High School: The 2009 Arkansas all-state defensive lineman helped his Har-Ber squad to an Arkansas Class 7A state title and a 12-1 overall record ... He was a two-time all-conference pick for Coach Chris Wood[apos]s Wildcats and was selected to play in the Arkansas High School All-Star Game after producing 46 total tackles and 7 sacks as a senior ... The KURM Football Dream Team named him the Defensive Lineman of the Year ... A four-year starter on the defensive line, he was a member of three conference championship teams and left with a 32-7 cumulative record.
Personal: Eric Michael Pearce was born 10/18/91 in Fayetteville, Ark. ... Son of Mike and Denise Pearce of Springdale, Ark. ... Has a sister, Megan ... Majoring in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
