Michael Oher
Oher during training camp in August 2009
No. 74 Baltimore Ravens
Offensive tackle
Personal information
Date of birth: (1986-05-28) May 28, 1986 (age 27)
Place of birth: Memphis, Tennessee
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | Weight: 315 lb (143 kg)
Career information
High school: Memphis (TN) Briarcrest
College: Mississippi
NFL Draft: 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23
Debuted in 2009 for the Baltimore Ravens
Career history
Baltimore Ravens (2009?present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Unanimous All-American {2008) First-team All-SEC (2007, 2008) Jacobs Blocking Trophy (2008)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 11, 2012
Games played | 58
Games started | 58
Fumble recoveries | 0
Stats at NFL.com

Michael Jerome Oher[p] (born May 28, 1986) is an American football offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Mississippi, and earned unanimous All-American honors. His life through his final year of high school and first year of college is one of the subjects of Michael Lewis's 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, and was featured in the Academy Award-winning 2009 film The Blind Side. The Baltimore Ravens selected him in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

## Early life[edit]

Born Michael Jerome Williams, Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee, he was one of twelve children born to Denise Oher. His mother was an alcoholic and crack cocaine addict, and his father, Michael Jerome Williams, was frequently in prison. Due to his upbringing, he received little attention and discipline during his childhood.[1] He repeated both first and second grades, and attended eleven different schools during his first nine years as a student.[1] He was placed in foster care at age seven, and alternated between living in various foster homes and periods of homelessness.[1][2] Oher's biological father was a former cell mate of Denise Oher's brother and was murdered in prison when Oher was a senior in high school.[1]

Oher played football during his freshman year at a public high school in Memphis and applied for admission to Briarcrest Christian School at the instigation of acquaintance Tony Henderson, an auto mechanic, with whom he was living temporarily. Henderson was enrolling his son at the school in order to fulfill the dying wish of the boy's grandmother and thought Oher might enroll as well.[1] The school's football coach submitted Oher's school application to the headmaster, who agreed to accept him if Oher could complete a home study program first. Despite not finishing the program, he was admitted when the headmaster realized that his requirement had removed Oher from the public education system.[1]

After the 2003 football season at Briarcrest, he was named Division II (2A) Lineman of the Year in 2003, and First Team Tennessee All-State.[3] Scout.com rated Oher a five-star recruit and the No. 5 offensive lineman prospect in the country.[4] Before that season and for his prior twenty months at Briarcrest, Oher had been living with several foster families. In 2004, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, a couple with a daughter and son attending Briarcrest, allowed Oher to live with them and eventually adopted him. The family began tending to his needs after becoming familiar with his difficult childhood. They also hired a tutor for him, who worked with him for twenty hours per week.[1]

Oher also earned two letters in track and basketball. He averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds a game, earning All-State honors by helping lead the basketball team to a 27?6 record, winning the district championship as a senior. Oher was also a state runner-up in the discus as a senior.[5]

Oher eventually increased his 0.76 grade point average (GPA) to a 2.52 GPA by the end of his senior year so he could attend a Div. I school by enrolling in some 10-day-long internet-based courses from Brigham Young University. Taking and passing the internet courses allowed him to replace Ds and Fs earned in earlier school classes, such as English, with As earned via the internet.[6] This finally raised his graduating GPA over the required limit.[1]

## College career[edit]

Though he received scholarship offers from Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, Auburn and South Carolina, Oher ultimately decided to play for Coach Ed Orgeron at the University of Mississippi, alma mater of his guardians, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy.[7] His decision to play for the Ole Miss Rebels football team sparked an investigation by the NCAA. The first issue was that Oher's grade-point average (GPA) was still too low to meet the requirements for a Division I scholarship at the time of the offer from Ole Miss. That difficulty was corrected by graduation, when Oher completed online classes through Brigham Young University.[1]

The second issue was the Tuohys' preexisting relationship with the school and the fact that Oher's high school coach, Hugh Freeze, was employed by Ole Miss twenty days after Oher signed his letter of intent.[1][8] Freeze asserted that his position with Ole Miss was not an example of quid pro quo for encouraging Oher to attend the school, but rather the result of his preexisting relationship with Ole Miss offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone.[9] The NCAA did not close its case on its suspicions of collusion. However, it ruled that Ole Miss had committed no NCAA violations in its recruitment of Oher. Freeze was found guilty of secondary violations for contacting other Memphis-area recruits before joining the Ole Miss staff.[1][8]

Oher started in ten games as a guard during his first season with the Ole Miss Rebels, becoming a first-team freshman All American. After shifting to the position of left tackle for the 2006 season, he was named to various preseason All-Conference and All-American teams.[10][11] Oher was named a second-team Southeastern Conference (SEC) offensive lineman after his sophomore season and a first-team SEC offensive lineman after his junior season. Oher was also successful academically at Ole Miss, and his tested IQ score increased 20 to 30 points between when he was measured in the public-school systems growing up and when he was measured in college.[1]

On January 14, 2008, Oher declared that he would be entering the 2008 NFL Draft.[12] However, two days later, he announced his withdrawal from the draft to return to Ole Miss for his senior season.[13] After the 2008 season, Oher was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American,[14] made the honor roll for the second time (the first time being his sophomore year),[15][16] and graduated with a degree in criminal justice in the spring of 2009.[17]

### College awards and honors[edit]

- 2005 First Team Freshman All-American
- 2005 First Team All-Quad Freshman Chrome [AQFC] Tackle Letius
- 2005 First Team SEC All-Freshman
- 2006 Second Team All-SEC
- 2007 First Team All-SEC
- 2008 First Team All-American
- 2008 First Team All-SEC
- 2008 Shug Jordan Award as the Southeast Offensive Lineman of the Year
- 2008 Colonel Earl ?Red? Blaik Leadership-Scholarship Award
- 2008 Outland Trophy finalist
- 2008 Conerly Trophy finalist
- 2008 Lombardi Award semifinalist
- 2008 SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy

## Professional career[edit]

### 2009 NFL Draft[edit]

Already in 2008, Oher was projected as one of the top prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft.[18] The Baltimore Ravens drafted Oher with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The Ravens had acquired the pick from the New England Patriots in exchange for their first- and fifth-round draft picks. The Tuohy family was there to witness his draft day selection.

Pre-draft measurables
Ht | Wt | 40-yd dash | 10-yd split | 20-yd split | 20-ss | 3-cone | Vert | Broad | BP | Wonderlic
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
6 ft 4 3⁄8 in | 309 lb | 5.34 s | 1.78 s | 3.03 s | 4.60 s | 7.83 s | 30 1⁄2 in | 8 ft 7 in | 21 reps | 19
All values from NFL Combine[19]

### Baltimore Ravens[edit]

On April 26, 2009, he was assigned the No. 74 jersey,[20] which was his jersey number at Ole Miss. On July 30, 2009, he signed a five-year, $13.8?million contract with the Baltimore Ravens.[21] He started the 2009 season as right tackle, but was moved to left tackle after an injury to lineman Jared Gaither. In week eight, he returned to right tackle.

Oher started every game in 2009, 11 at right tackle and five at left tackle. He played right tackle in his first post-season game, January 10, 2010, against the New England Patriots, and did not allow a single sack as the Ravens won 33?14.

Michael Oher was second in the voting for Associated Press' NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, with six votes.

Prior to the 2010 NFL season, Oher was moved to left tackle.[22] During the 2011 pre-season, the Ravens announced that Oher would be moving back to the right side.

## The Blind Side[edit]

Oher is one of the subjects of Michael Lewis's 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. Before the book was published, excerpts appeared in The New York Times Magazine as "The Ballad of Big Mike".[1] His portion of the book was adapted for film and was directed by John Lee Hancock.[23] It was released in the United States on November 20, 2009. The movie stars Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher, alongside Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. The movie was nominated for Academy Awards for both Best Picture and Best Actress for Bullock. Bullock won an Oscar for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy.

## I Beat The Odds[edit]

Oher has written his autobiography, I Beat The Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side and Beyond.[24] His coauthor, Don Yaeger, has co-written a number of other sports biographies, including those of Walter Payton, Warrick Dunn, and former Duke Lacrosse coach Mike Pressler.

His adoptive parents are also the co-authors of the book, In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving, which tells the story in their own words, and was released in 2010.[25]

## References[edit]

  [p] ^ The name "Oher" is pronounced is as "Oar".

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Lewis, Michael (September 24, 2006). "The Ballad of Big Mike". The New York Times.
2. ^ Michael Oher . . . his life and football career at Michael Oher fan site (September 9, 2010)
3. ^ "Scout.com: Michael Oher is the top lineman out of Tennessee". Mississippi.scout.com. March 30, 2004. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
4. ^ "Michael Oher Profile". Mississippistate.scout.com. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
5. ^ "Michael Oher". Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
6. ^ Scott Elliott (September 26, 2006). "Football and the magical GPA: An academic disgrace". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
7. ^ Hooker, Dave (November 5, 2004). "Ten talented recruits on UT's radar this weekend". The Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
8. ^ a b April 2009. "ESPN DB Draft Package". "Michael Oher's decision to sign with Ole Miss was investigated by the NCAA . . .". ESPN. Retrieved May 15, 2010. [dead link]
9. ^ Hooker, Dave (January 17, 2005). "Oher's Ole Miss ties may be hard to break". The Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved October 4, 2006.
10. ^ Willis, Patrick (July 21, 2006). "Michael Oher named to Coaches All-SEC Football Team". The Oxford Eagle. Retrieved October 4, 2006. [dead link]
11. ^ "2006 SEC Football?? Week 5 Game Previews". SECsports.com. September 26, 2006. Retrieved October 4, 2006. [dead link]
12. ^ "Ole Miss LT Oher to enter NFL draft". The Associated Press. January 14, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2008. [dead link]
13. ^ "Oher Reconsiders, Returns for Senior Season". OleMissSports.com?Official Web Site of University of Mississippi Athletics. January 16, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2009. [dead link]
14. ^ "Laurinaitis, Bradford, Crabtree on All-America first team". ESPN. December 16, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
15. ^ Bell, Jarret (April 24, 2009). "From homeless to the NFL: Oher's journey to draft unique". USA Today. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
16. ^ "Perception not always reality for LT Michael Oher". WIBW. April 16, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
17. ^ Connolly, Dan (November 16, 2009). "Coming Attraction Not A Distraction". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
18. ^ "Tony Pauline: Top prospects for 2009 NFL draft?? SI.com - 2008 NFL Draft". CNN. April 29, 2008.
19. ^ "Michael Oher Draft Profile". NFLDraftscout.com. April 2009.
20. ^ "Duffy's Draft Day 2 Blog". BaltimoreRavens.com. April 26, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
21. ^ Michael Oher contract details, NBC Sports, July 30, 2009, retrieved January 17, 2011
22. ^ La Canfora, Jason (May 7, 2010). "Ravens moving Oher to left tackle, sending Gaither to right side". NFL
23. ^ "John Lee Hancock to Guard the Blind Side". Comingsoon.net (2007-10-22). Retrieved on November 20, 2011.
24. ^ "Oherpg=PP1#v=onepageqf=false I Beat The Odds on Google Books"
25. ^ "'In a Heartbeat' highlights the bright side of the Tuohys". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 15, 2011.

## External links[edit]

- Profile of Michael Oher and an excerpt from Michael Lewis's "The Blind Side" at npr.org
- Baltimore Ravens bio

ESPN RISE 2000s All-Decade High School Football Team
Offense | QB Matthew Stafford RB Cedric Benson RB Maurice Jones-Drew RB Adrian Peterson WR Percy Harvin WR Calvin Johnson OL Jeff Byers OL Seantrel Henderson OL Jake Long OL Michael Oher OL Andre Smith
Defense | DL Tommie Harris DL Gerald McCoy DL Haloti Ngata DL Ndamukong Suh LB Brian Cushing LB Ernie Sims LB Patrick Willis LB LaMarr Woodley DB Eric Berry DB Ted Ginn, Jr. DB Myron Rolle
Special Teams & Multi-Purpose | P Tyler Lewis PK Jimmy Stevens RB/WR/KR Reggie Bush QB/ATH Jacory Harris WR/DB/KR DeSean Jackson QB/ATH/DB Terrelle Pryor QB/ATH Tim Tebow QB/ATH Vince Young

2008 College Football All-America Team consensus selections
Offense | QB Sam Bradford RB Shonn Greene RB Javon Ringer WR Michael Crabtree WR Dez Bryant TE Chase Coffman OT Andre Smith OT Michael Oher G Duke Robinson G Brandon Carter C Antoine Caldwell
Defense | DE Brian Orakpo DE Jerry Hughes DE Aaron Maybin DT Terrence Cody LB Rey Maualuga LB Brandon Spikes LB James Laurinaitis CB Malcolm Jenkins CB Alphonso Smith S Eric Berry S Taylor Mays
Special teams | P Kevin Huber PK Louie Sakoda KR/ST Brandon James & Jeremy Maclin

2009 NFL Draft First Round Selections
Matthew Stafford Jason Smith Tyson Jackson Aaron Curry Mark Sanchez Andre Smith Darrius Heyward-Bey Eugene Monroe B. J. Raji Michael Crabtree Aaron Maybin Knowshon Moreno Brian Orakpo Malcolm Jenkins Brian Cushing Larry English Josh Freeman Robert Ayers Jeremy Maclin Brandon Pettigrew Alex Mack Percy Harvin Michael Oher Peria Jerry Vontae Davis Clay Matthews Donald Brown Eric Wood Hakeem Nicks Kenny Britt Beanie Wells Ziggy Hood
Draft years 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13

Baltimore Ravens first-round draft picks
Ogden R. Lewis Boulware Starks McAlister J. Lewis Taylor Heap Reed Suggs Boller Clayton Ngata Grubbs Flacco Oher Smith Elam
AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC OAK SD NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI STL SF SEA

Baltimore Ravens 2009 NFL Draft selections
Michael Oher Paul Kruger Lardarius Webb Jason Phillips Davon Drew Cedric Peerman

Baltimore Ravens current roster
Active roster | 2 Tyrod Taylor 4 Sam Koch 5 Joe Flacco 9 Justin Tucker 12 Jacoby Jones 14 Marlon Brown 17 Tandon Doss 21 Lardarius Webb 22 Jimmy Smith 23 Chykie Brown 24 Corey Graham 25 Asa Jackson 26 Matt Elam 27 Ray Rice 28 Brynden Trawick 30 Bernard Pierce 31 Omar Brown 32 James Ihedigbo 34 Bernard Scott 36 Jeromy Miles 40 Kyle Juszczyk 41 Anthony Levine 44 Vonta Leach 46 Morgan Cox 50 Albert McClellan 51 Daryl Smith 53 Jameel McClain 55 Terrell Suggs 56 Josh Bynes 58 Elvis Dumervil 59 Arthur Brown 60 Eugene Monroe 62 Terrence Cody 66 Gino Gradkowski 68 A. Q. Shipley 71 Rick Wagner 73 Marshal Yanda 74 Michael Oher 76 Jah Reid 77 Ryan Jensen 80 Brandon Stokley 82 Torrey Smith 83 Deonte Thompson 84 Ed Dickson 87 Dallas Clark 90 Pernell McPhee 91 Courtney Upshaw 92 Haloti Ngata 93 DeAngelo Tyson 94 John Simon 97 Arthur Jones 98 Brandon Williams 99 Chris Canty
Reserve lists | 13 Aaron Mellette (IR) 49 D. J. Bryant (IR) 67 Kapron Lewis-Moore (NF-Inj.) 72 Kelechi Osemele (IR) 88 Dennis Pitta (IR-DFR) 95 Adrian Hamilton (IR)
Practice squad | 3 Nick Stephens 7 Gerrard Sheppard 11 Kamar Aiken 35 Jonas Gray 61 David Mims 65 Reggie Stephens 69 Cody Larsen 85 Matt Furstenburg
AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC OAK SD NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI STL SF SEA

Persondata
Name | Oher, Michael
Alternative names | Oher, Michael Jerome; Oher, Michael J.; Williams, Michael Jerome
Short description | All-American college football player, professional football player, offensive lineman
Date of birth | May 28, 1986
Place of birth | Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Date of death |
Place of death |