* 2013 Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team
* 2012 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference 2nd Team
* Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week
* College Sporting News Weekly National All-Star
* College Sports Madness.com Defensive Player of the Week
* College Football Performance.com Defensive End Watch List
* College Football Performance.com DE of the Week H.M.
* Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll
Helped to form a hard-charging defensive line rotation ... Continues to improve strength, quickness and technique ... Has played in all 44 games during career including 23 starts ... Enters senior year with 21.5 sacks and 21 QB hurries ... Named to College Football Performance.com Defensive End Watch List for second straight season ... Named to the 2013 preseason all-Missouri Valley Football Conference team ... 2012 SEASON (JUNIOR): Started all 15 games ... Finished season with 57 tackles including 27 solos, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks ... Added two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and one pass breakup ... Named to the all-Missouri Valley Football Conference second team ... Credited with a safety in 22-7 at Colorado State (9-8-12) ... Recorded career-high six tackles, three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles as part of eight-tackle effort in 38-20 win at Illinois State (11-17-12) that clinched second straight MVFC title ... Earned Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week, College Sporting News National All-Star and College Sports Madness.com Defensive Player of the Week honors ... Credited with three QB hurries in 48-7 win over nationally-ranked Youngstown State (10-6-12) ... NDSU boasted the nation’s top scoring defense (11.53 ppg) in 2012, and also led the country in total defense (234.47 avg/g) and first downs allowed (12.67 avg/g). The Bison ranked 2nd in pass defense (140.6 avg/g), 4th in rush defense (93.87 avg/g), 9th in turnover margin (+1.00 avg/g) and 17th in pass efficiency defense (113.67) ... Named to MVFC Honor Roll ... 2011 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Started in eight of 15 games played ... Finished season with 50 tackles including 24 solos, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and seven QB hurries ... Had a career-high nine tackles vs. James Madison (12-3-11) in NCAA FCS second game ... Twice had season-high four solo tackles including vs. Sam Houston State (1-7-12) in the NCAA FCS national championship game ... Recorded three quarterback hurries vs. Lehigh (12-10-11) in NCAA FCS quarterfinal game ... Season-high two sacks at Western Illinois (11-19-11) ... Named to Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll ... 2010 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Played in all 14 games ... Finished with 27 tackles including 16 solos, 8.5 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and four QB hurries ... Credited with a season-high five tackles including a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery vs. Indiana State (10-23-10) ... Also had two sacks vs. South Dakota State (11-13-10) ... Part of the Bison defense that ranked 7th nationally in both scoring defense (18.21 ppg) and turnover margin (+1.07 avg.) ... 2009 SEASON (REDSHIRT): Sat out the season as a redshirt in the Bison program ... Led Green defense with five tackles including a pair of sacks in spring game ... HIGH SCHOOL: 2009 graduate of Northfield High School ... All-state, all-metro and all-conference first team selection for Northfield High School and head coach Bubba Sullivan ... Collected 56 tackles including eight tackles for loss and six sacks ... Offensively, had 26 catches for 456 yards and eight TDs ... 2008 Minnesota Vikings all-State pick ... Set school career record with 32 sacks and single-season mark with 16 ... Finalist for Minnesota’s Mr. Football ... Northfield was the Minnesota Class 4A state runner-up with a 10-4 record in 2008 ... Three-year starter in hockey and two-year letterwinner in baseball ... PERSONAL: Son of Pete and Lori Jirik ... Has one brother, Jake, and one sister, Katie ... Majoring in sports management with a minor in business... Worked for the Fargo Force during summer.
Jirik’s Career Bests
Solo Tackles: 6 at Illinois State, 11-17-12
Assisted Tackles: 6 vs. James Madison, 12-3-11
Tackles: 9 vs. James Madison, 12-3-11
Tackles for Loss: 3 at Illinois State, 11-17-12
Sacks: 3 at Illinois State, 11-17-12
Forced Fumbles: 2 at Illinois State, 11-17-12
Fumble Recovery:Â 1 vs. Wofford, 12-8-12; Indiana State, 10-23-10
QB Hurries: 3 vs. Youngstown State, 10-6-12; vs. Lehigh, 12-10-11
