Shane Vereen
Encyclopedia
Shane Patrick-Henry Vereen (born March 2, 1989) is an American football
running back
for the New England Patriots
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was drafted 56th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft
. He played college football at California
.
. His father, Henry Vereen, was a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League
for the BC Lions
in the early 1980s.
Vereen is a second cousin of stage actor and dancer Ben Vereen
.
Vereen attended Valencia High School in Valencia, California.
, Vereen redshirted
for the 2007 season.
In 2008, he served as the primary backup to Jahvid Best
as part of Cal's two running back system, playing in all of the team's 13 games. In the season opener against Michigan State
, he rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown. The game marked the first time that two Cal running backs had completed over 100 yards rushing since the 2006 Holiday Bowl
, with Best tallying 111 yards in the victory. For the season, he rushed for 715 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 27 catches for 221 yards and a touchdown.
As the primary running back in 2009, Vereen rushed for 952 yards and 12 touchdowns, along with 25 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He also competed on the track team during the 2009 season in the 100 metres
.
In the 2010 season opener against UC Davis
on September 4, Vereen had 67 rushing yards for two touchdowns, with a third receiving in a 52–3 blowout victory. He followed this up with 60 rushing yards and one score as well as a receiving touchdown the following week against Colorado
. On September 17 he had a career-high 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns as Cal fell to Nevada
in Reno
, and 102 rushing yards while being kept out of the end zone in a narrow loss to Arizona
on September 25. On October 9, Vereen had a 151 yard rushing performance with two touchdowns against UCLA
. He finished the season with 1,167 rushing yards and 13 touchdwons to go with 22 catches for 209 yards and three touchdowns. After graduating in December with a degree in Media Studies
, Vereen decided to forego his senior season and declared for the NFL Draft
.
in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft
with the 56th overall pick. He was signed to a four year contract by the Patriots on August 1, 2011. On November 21, Vereen scored his first career NFL touchdown on a four yard run in a 34-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was drafted 56th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
. He played college football at California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Early years
Vereen was born in Valencia, CaliforniaValencia, California
Valencia is an affluent planned community located in the City of Santa Clarita, California and Los Angeles County, California, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley, adjacent to Interstate 5. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities that merged to create the...
. His father, Henry Vereen, was a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
for the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
in the early 1980s.
Vereen is a second cousin of stage actor and dancer Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen is an American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts.- Early years :...
.
Vereen attended Valencia High School in Valencia, California.
College career
After being recruited to play for CaliforniaCalifornia Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, Vereen redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
for the 2007 season.
In 2008, he served as the primary backup to Jahvid Best
Jahvid Best
Jahvid Andre Best is a running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was selected by the Lions with the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. In college, he played for the California Golden Bears, setting several records, including most all-purpose yards in a single season and...
as part of Cal's two running back system, playing in all of the team's 13 games. In the season opener against Michigan State
2008 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2008 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2008–2009 college football season. The team's head coach was Mark Dantonio. The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan...
, he rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown. The game marked the first time that two Cal running backs had completed over 100 yards rushing since the 2006 Holiday Bowl
2006 Holiday Bowl
The 2006 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 28, 2006 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season and one of 32 games in the 2006-2007 bowl season. It featured the Texas A&M Aggies representing the Big 12 against the...
, with Best tallying 111 yards in the victory. For the season, he rushed for 715 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 27 catches for 221 yards and a touchdown.
As the primary running back in 2009, Vereen rushed for 952 yards and 12 touchdowns, along with 25 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He also competed on the track team during the 2009 season in the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
.
In the 2010 season opener against UC Davis
UC Davis Aggies football
The UC Davis Aggies football team represents the University of California, Davis in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate competition...
on September 4, Vereen had 67 rushing yards for two touchdowns, with a third receiving in a 52–3 blowout victory. He followed this up with 60 rushing yards and one score as well as a receiving touchdown the following week against Colorado
2010 Colorado Buffaloes football team
The 2010 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by fifth-year head coach Dan Hawkins for the first nine games and interim head coach Brian Cabral for the final three games. Colorado played their...
. On September 17 he had a career-high 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns as Cal fell to Nevada
2010 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2010 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolf Pack were led by head coach Chris Ault in his 26th season overall and 7th since taking over the head coaching job for the third time in 2004. They played...
in Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, and 102 rushing yards while being kept out of the end zone in a narrow loss to Arizona
2010 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 2010 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the college football season of 2010. The team's head coach was Mike Stoops. The Wildcats played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona...
on September 25. On October 9, Vereen had a 151 yard rushing performance with two touchdowns against UCLA
2010 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2010 UCLA Bruins football team, coached by third year head coach Rick Neuheisel, opened the season on the road against the Kansas State Wildcats on September 4, 2010. The next three games would be against ranked opponents, and after a road win at #7 Texas, expectations for the Bruins dampened...
. He finished the season with 1,167 rushing yards and 13 touchdwons to go with 22 catches for 209 yards and three touchdowns. After graduating in December with a degree in Media Studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
, Vereen decided to forego his senior season and declared for the NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
.
Rushing
| Year | Team | Games-Games Started | Carries | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Cal 2008 California Golden Bears football team The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford... |
13–3 | 142 | 715 | 5.0 | 81 | 4 |
| 2009 | Cal 2009 California Golden Bears football team The 2009 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition during the 2009 season... |
13–4 | 183 | 952 | 5.2 | 61 | 12 |
| 2010 | Cal 2010 California Golden Bears football team The 2010 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition in the 2010 season... |
12–12 | 231 | 1,167 | 5.1 | 59 | 13 |
| Totals | 38–19 | 556 | 2,834 | 5.1 | 81 | 29 | |
Receiving
| Year | Team | Games-Games Started | Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Cal 2008 California Golden Bears football team The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford... |
13–3 | 27 | 221 | 8.2 | 59 | 1 |
| 2009 | Cal 2009 California Golden Bears football team The 2009 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition during the 2009 season... |
13–4 | 25 | 244 | 9.8 | 21 | 2 |
| 2010 | Cal 2010 California Golden Bears football team The 2010 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition in the 2010 season... |
12-12 | 22 | 209 | 9.5 | 31 | 3 |
| Totals | 38–19 | 74 | 674 | 9.2 | 59 | 6 | |
New England Patriots
Vereen was selected by the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
with the 56th overall pick. He was signed to a four year contract by the Patriots on August 1, 2011. On November 21, Vereen scored his first career NFL touchdown on a four yard run in a 34-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.