#78 Matt Birk 6-4, 308 lbs Harvard

Games and Starts

(reg. season, playoffs): 1998 (7/0, 1/0) 1999 (15/0, 2/0), 2000 (16/16, 2/2). Total - 38/16, 5/2.

Professional Info

Enjoyed a breakout 2000 season by starting all 16 games at center and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in his first season as a starter...Had never played center before the Vikings moved him to the spot...Is one of four native Minnesotans (Corbin Lacina, Craig Sauer and Todd Bouman) on the current roster.

2000: Joined quarterback Daunte Culpepper as players making their first NFL starts in 2000 but neither missed a beat, each earning Pro Bowl honors and the Viking offense averaging 372.6 yards per game on the season...The team's offensive average of 372.6 was the second-highest average in Dennis Green's nine seasons with the team, trailing only the record-setting 1998 team...Named to the 2000 All-Madden Team...In his 16 starts, Robert Smith went over the 100-yard mark eight times...Helped Smith set a new Vikings' single-season rushing record (1,521 yards) and set the team's new career rushing record (6,818)...In first career NFL start in regular season opener he opened the way for Smith to run for 109 yards.

1999: Saw time on special teams in season opener at Atlanta (9/12)...Replaced an injured Korey Stringer at right tackle vs. Oakland (9/19)...Saw brief time at right tackle at Green Bay (9/26)...Suffered fractured right thumb vs. San Francisco (10/24)...Played at Denver (10/31) with a soft cast, and played on special teams and tackle on goal-line situations...Played special teams vs. Dallas (11/8)...Played both special teams and on the offensive line at Chicago (11/14)...Went into game as an eligible receiver in goal-line situations at the N.Y. Giants (12/26)...Inactive vs. Detroit (1/2/00) with an ankle injury...Saw playoff action vs. Dallas (1/9/00) and at St. Louis (1/16/00).

1998: Played on special teams in Divisional Playoff vs. Arizona (1/10/99) and NFC Championship Game vs. Atlanta (1/17/99)...Replaced injured Everett Lindsay at right tackle in regular-season finale at Tennessee (12/26) and played rest of game...Played at right tackle in 50-10 win over Jacksonville (12/20)...Played in the fourth quarter of games vs. Cincinnati (11/15), vs. Green Bay (11/22) and vs. Chicago (12/6)...Saw first NFL action at right guard at Tampa Bay (11/1) when David Dixon left the game with a shoulder injury...Deactivated for the first seven games of the season...Drafted in the sixth round (173rd overall)...Is one of four native Minnesotans (Corbin Lacina, Craig Sauer, and Todd Bouman) on the current roster.

College Info

1997 All-American second team selection by the NFL Draft Report...All-Ivy League, All-New England and Division 1-AA All-ECAC first team choice...Led the way as the Harvard offense ranked 5th in the nation in rushing (207.7 ypg) and in passing efficiency (86.3 rating) as a senior in 1997...Harvard went 7-0 in league play, and 9-1 overall during his senior season and won the Ivy League crown.

Personal Info

All-State and All-St. Paul Conference as a two way lineman at Cretin-Derham Hall High School (St. Paul, MN)...Lettered three times in football...High school teammate of offensive lineman Corbin Lacina...Added four letters as a forward on the Raiders basketball team, picking up All-Conference and All-State recognition...Academic All-State football and basketball pick...Also lettered in track...Received the "Padden Award" given to the outstanding student athlete at Cretin-Derham Hall...Received degree in Economics...Resides in St. Paul, MN...Brother, Ben is a pitcher for the University of Minnesota...Co-owner of The Total Athlete, an athletic training facility and nutrition store in St. Paul. Co-owner with current Viking and former high school teammate Lacina...Active in the Twin Cities community through Vikings Victory Visits to local hospitals and schools and the Oak Park Neighborhood Center for youth.

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#60 Cory Withrow 6-2, 281 lbs Washington State

Games and Starts

(reg. season/playoffs) 2000 (12/0, 2/0)

Professional Info

Has developed into the Vikings' top backup at center and is versatile enough to play both guard spots...Regular on special teams in 2000, earning his first NFL game action.

2000: Played in 12 games on the season and saw time in both the NFC Divisional Playoff vs. New Orleans (1/6/01) and NFC Championship game at N.Y. Giants (1/14/01)...Saw time on special teams and at center on the team's final drive in Divisional Playoff vs. New Orleans (1/6/01)...Saw first time of the season at center vs. Arizona (11/12)...Saw first NFL action from scrimmage at tackle at Detroit (10/1) in the fourth quarter...Played special teams in the season opener vs. Chicago (9/3), his first NFL game action.

1999: Dressed for a pair of games but did not play at Denver (10/31) and vs. Dallas (11/8)...Spent the first seven weeks of the season on the practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster for four weeks...Released and placed on practice squad for the final five regular season games and both playoff games...Signed by Vikings on April 30 and spent training camp with the team...Released on September 5 when team made cut to 53 players and signed to the practice squad on September 6.

1998: Spent time on the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad following release by Minnesota...Waived by Vikings on August 30 following training camp...Signed with Minnesota as a rookie free agent on May 1, 1998.

College Info

Helped protect Heisman Trophy finalist and first-round NFL draft choice Ryan Leaf...Started 34 straight games to end his college career...Honored as All-Pac-10 second team as a senior...An offensive captain for the Cougars...Named Offensive Lineman of the Game vs. USC (8/13), Illinois (9/20) and Arizona (10/25)...Moved to guard from center in fall camp...Started every game at right guard in 1995 and '96...Earned scholarship in 1994 after walking on as a freshman...Redshirted in 1993.

Personal Info

Born in Spokane, WA...Likes to skydive, bungee jump, play basketball, golf and ride roller coasters in his free time...Majored in biology education at WSU...Wife's name is Kiersten.

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#69 Mike Malano 6-2, 304 lbs San Deigo State

Professional Info

Versatile offensive line prospect that can play center and guard...Spent the 2000 campaign on injured reserve with a broken leg suffered in training camp...Placed on injured reserve on August 19, 2000...Selected in the seventh round by Minnesota (240th overall) in the 2000 Draft...Joins Robert Griffith, Nate Jacquet, Brian Russell, and Antwone Young as the other San Diego State alumni on the Vikings' roster.

College Info

All-Mountain West Conference first-team choice as a senior...Started every game at center, making 30 knockdowns while not allowing a quarterback sack for the entire season...Helped an offense that generated 373.3 yards per game...Had a season-high five knockdowns as the team gained 414 total yards vs. South Florida (9/4)...Instrumental in helping the Aztecs pick up 572 total yards vs. Kansas (9/25)...All-Western Athletic Conference first-team selection as a junior in 1998...Didn't allow a sack all season and registered 22 knockdowns...Named Aztecs Lineman of the Year...Had four knockdowns vs. Tulsa (10/3)...Helped the Aztecs gain 463 total yards vs. New Mexico (10/17)...Started the first seven games in 1997 at strong-side offensive guard before moving to center vs. Hawaii (10/25) and the remainder of the season...Started every game at strong-side guard in 1996...Part of a offense that finished eighth in the nation in total and scoring offense.

Personal Info

Recipient of the Frank Kush Award, given to the best offensive lineman in the state of Arizona as a senior at Horizon (Scottsdale, AZ) High...Super Prep Magazine All-Far West, first-team All-Arizona and All-Desert Valley Region selection in 1994...Started two years at offensive guard and defensive tackle...Team finished the 1994 season with an 11-3 record and won the Arizona 5A state championship for the first time in school history...Social Sciences major...Resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.

IZ

-- IZ (izmorrow@yahoo.com), June 10, 2001