Michigan State senior safety Isaiah Lewis Prepares For Saturday’s Senior Bowl

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State senior safety Isaiah Lewis, who started 40 of 53 career games, will represent the North in Saturday’s Reese’s Senior

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State senior safety Isaiah Lewis, who started 40 of 53 career games, will represent the North in Saturday’s Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. NFL Network will televise the Senior Bowl from Ladd-Peebles Stadium at 4 p.m. EST. Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith leads the North Team.

A first-team All-Big Ten selection by the league’s head coaches, Lewis started 12 of 13 games in 2013 and finished sixth on the team in tackles (58 total: 29 solos, 29 assists) and production points (147 during the regular season). He ranked second on the team in passes defended (10 total: two interceptions and eight pass break-ups) and pass break-ups (eight).

The 5-foot-10, 208-pound Lewis closed out his Spartan career with four stops, including a half tackle for loss, in Michigan State’s 24-20 victory over fifth-ranked Stanford in the 100th Rose Bowl Game. The 13-1 Spartans finished the 2013 season ranked third in the final Associated Press and USA TODAY Polls.

“Isaiah Lewis is a solid all-around football player,” MSU assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said. “He’s a tough, athletic guy, who has a nose for the ball. Lewis is one of the hardest hitters we have on our team, and he always shows up on game day, especially for an all-star game.”

“Isaiah Lewis is a very explosive football player,” Spartan secondary coach Harlon Barnett said. “He plays with power, and he’s a very good tackler. Isaiah has good speed, quickness and ball skills. I guarantee that he will play at 100 miles per hour in the Senior Bowl.”

Lewis produced a career-best 13 tackles (nine solos, four assists) and a pass break-up in MSU’s 34-24 win over second-ranked Ohio State in the 2013 Big Ten Championship Game. He also accounted for a career-high 31 production points against the Buckeyes.

In his final appearance in Spartan Stadium, Lewis registered six tackles and a pass break-up as Michigan State completed its first-ever 8-0 Big Ten season with a 14-3 victory over Minnesota.

He recorded an interception in back-to-back games against Purdue and at Illinois.

Lewis made seven stops in MSU’s 21-6 victory over South Florida.

As a junior, he ranked second on the team with a career-high 80 tackles (41 solos, 39 assists).

His career totals include 227 tackles, eight interceptions and 26 passes defended (18 pass break-ups) in 53 games, including 40 starting assignments. Lewis ranks 10th in MSU history with 158 career interception return yards. He posted double-figure tackles four times during his career. Lewis also was credited with five tackles for loss (9 yards).