2023 Football Roster
Houston Jr., Sidney
Jersey Number 8
Sidney Houston Jr.
- Position:
- Defensive End/Linebacker
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-2 / 246
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Cahokia, Ill.
- Prev School:
- McKendree
- High School:
- East St. Louis HS
Bio
Awards and Honors:
2023 Preseason All-MAC (first team by Pro Football Focus; third team by College Football Network; fourth team by Athlon Sports)
Elite rusher on the edge anchors the Ball State defense as a hybrid lined up between the defensive line and linebacking units ... returns among a Coll-Houston-Pearce linebacking trio that made 33 starts last year and played in every game ... the trio enters 2023 with 44 combined starts overall ... Houston
2022: Helped anchor a linebacking unit with Clayton Coll and Cole Pearce ... sixth on the team with 67 tackles and second to Pearce with 7.5 tackles for loss ... also added four sacks and four QB hurries ... had three tackles in opening games at Tennessee (Sept. 1) and vs. Western Michigan (Sept. 10), before entering the starting rotation for a shutout performance against Murray State (Sept. 17) ... started the last 10 games with at least five tackles in each contest ... had a season-high eight stops twice -- at Kent State (Nov. 1) and vs. Ohio (Nov. 15) ... had at least a share of a TFL in eight of 10 starts, and at least a share of a sack in four of his last six games ... 4-yard fumble recovery and touchdown staked Ball State to a 14-10 lead in a win at Central Michigan (Oct. 8), accounting for the Cardinals' only defensive touchdown of the season.
PRIOR TO BALL STATE: Played for three seasons at McKendree University (D-II) ... played for head coach Mike Babcock ... named first-team all-conference as a sophomore after totaling 70 tackles, including 10.5 tackles-for-loss, and 5.5 sacks in all 11 games on the defensive line ... also had seven quarterback hurries ... played in all 11 games as a freshman in 2019, racking up 27 tackles, including 3.0 tackles-for-loss ... took a redshirt in 2020.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played for three seasons on varsity at East St. Louis as a middle linebacker and tight end ... played for head coach Darren Sunkett ... tabbed first-team all-conference, all-area and all-metro as a senior ... totaled 143 tackles, including 12.0 tackles-for-loss, 7.0 sacks and one interception as a senior ... had 72 tackles, including 18.0 tackles-for-loss, 6.0 sacks and one interception as a junior.
PERSONAL: Son of Antoinette Edwards ... has two brothers, DJ and Nick ... cousin, Javontez Spraggins, plays on the offensive line at Tennessee ... plans to major in Business Administration.
2023 Preseason All-MAC (first team by Pro Football Focus; third team by College Football Network; fourth team by Athlon Sports)
Elite rusher on the edge anchors the Ball State defense as a hybrid lined up between the defensive line and linebacking units ... returns among a Coll-Houston-Pearce linebacking trio that made 33 starts last year and played in every game ... the trio enters 2023 with 44 combined starts overall ... Houston
2022: Helped anchor a linebacking unit with Clayton Coll and Cole Pearce ... sixth on the team with 67 tackles and second to Pearce with 7.5 tackles for loss ... also added four sacks and four QB hurries ... had three tackles in opening games at Tennessee (Sept. 1) and vs. Western Michigan (Sept. 10), before entering the starting rotation for a shutout performance against Murray State (Sept. 17) ... started the last 10 games with at least five tackles in each contest ... had a season-high eight stops twice -- at Kent State (Nov. 1) and vs. Ohio (Nov. 15) ... had at least a share of a TFL in eight of 10 starts, and at least a share of a sack in four of his last six games ... 4-yard fumble recovery and touchdown staked Ball State to a 14-10 lead in a win at Central Michigan (Oct. 8), accounting for the Cardinals' only defensive touchdown of the season.
PRIOR TO BALL STATE: Played for three seasons at McKendree University (D-II) ... played for head coach Mike Babcock ... named first-team all-conference as a sophomore after totaling 70 tackles, including 10.5 tackles-for-loss, and 5.5 sacks in all 11 games on the defensive line ... also had seven quarterback hurries ... played in all 11 games as a freshman in 2019, racking up 27 tackles, including 3.0 tackles-for-loss ... took a redshirt in 2020.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played for three seasons on varsity at East St. Louis as a middle linebacker and tight end ... played for head coach Darren Sunkett ... tabbed first-team all-conference, all-area and all-metro as a senior ... totaled 143 tackles, including 12.0 tackles-for-loss, 7.0 sacks and one interception as a senior ... had 72 tackles, including 18.0 tackles-for-loss, 6.0 sacks and one interception as a junior.
PERSONAL: Son of Antoinette Edwards ... has two brothers, DJ and Nick ... cousin, Javontez Spraggins, plays on the offensive line at Tennessee ... plans to major in Business Administration.
Football // Bye Week with Charlie Cardinal
Friday, September 26
Football // Together: Episode 5 - Produced by Sports Link
Friday, September 26
Football // Magwood to Kelly trick play touchdown
Monday, September 22
Football // UConn Preview
Friday, September 19
