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PRO: After an outstanding collegiate career allowed Andre Gurode (pronounced ger-ODD) to be selected by Dallas in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, the former Colorado Buffalo went on to start 42 of his first 44 NFL games. He has spent much of that time moving between the center and guard positions, and it is that experience and versatility that has made him a valuable piece of the offensive line depth chart. Possessing size, power and solid athletic ability, Gurode made six starts at center as a rookie in 2002 and 39 starts at right guard over the last 57 games, including postseason. His 42 regular season starts - between 2002 and 2004 - were the second most for any Dallas offensive lineman over that span. As the 37th overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft, Gurode was the highest offensive lineman taken by Dallas since 1981 (Howard Richards - 25th overall). Gurode is expected to figure in the mix at either guard or center in 2006.
2005: Gurode spent the majority of his playing time in a rotation with starting center Al Johnson for most of the 2005 season before an injury to Marco Rivera pushed him into the starting lineup at right guard for the final two games of the season. In the season-opening win at San Diego (9/11), Gurode saw action at center in the third and early fourth quarter, and he was in the lineup for the Cowboys third quarter touchdown drive. In the following week's loss to Washington (9/19), he again took over at center in the third quarter for Johnson on a couple of possessions. The offensive line did not allow a sack in 36 pass plays on the night, marking the first time Dallas shut out an opposing defense in the sack category since Dec. 8, 2002 against San Francisco. While in the line rotation at center in the win at San Francisco (9/25), Gurode contributed to a line performance that rolled up 443 yards of total offense. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe was given the time to throw for 363 yards - the eighth best performance in club history. In the following week's loss at Oakland (10/2), Gurode took over at center to start the second quarter and stayed in the lineup until the final drive of the game. Gurode was on the field for all three Dallas scoring drives against the Raiders. In the last-minute loss at Seattle (10/23), he saw action on a third of the snaps in the center rotation with Johnson as the running game racked up 164 yards. Gurode's game action in the next four games was limited to special teams work only. In the loss at the N.Y. Giants (12/4), he replaced Johnson (who was coming off knee surgery 10 days earlier) at center with 2:00 remaining in the first half and stayed in for the remainder of the game. He again rotated with Johnson in the win over Kansas City (12/11) as the line allowed Bledsoe time to throw for 332 yards and three touchdowns while the running game picked up 129 yards and a score. The 445 yards of total offense against the Chiefs was the second-best output of the season. In the loss at Washington (12/18), Gurode replaced Rivera at right guard on the final drive after Rivera suffered a strained neck. Gurode then drew the starting assignment, in place of Rivera, at Carolina (12/24), marking his first starting call of the season. He responded by helping Julius Jones run for 194 yards, the fourth best performance in club history. The Dallas offense racked up 22 first downs, 394 total yards and 24 points in the come-from-behind win over the Panthers. In the season ending loss against St. Louis (1/1/06), he again started at right guard in place of the injured Rivera.
2004: Gurode started 13 of the 14 games he played at right guard, helping Vinny Testaverde throw for the then third most yards in club history (3,532). Gurode's season got off to a difficult start as he suffered a sprained left knee in the third quarter of the opener at Minnesota (9/12). Although he did not return after the injury, he helped the Dallas offense rack up 423 yards of total offense, the team's best showing since Jan. 2, 2000 (437 total yards). The sprained knee kept Gurode out of action the following two weeks. He returned to the starting lineup in the home loss to the N.Y. Giants (10/10) and helped the running game rack up 166 yards on the day (5.5 yards-per-carry). In the loss at Green Bay (10/24), the line allowed just two sacks in 38 pass plays as Testaverde threw for 308 yards, his club-record tying third 300-yard passing game of the season. In the victory over Detroit (10/31), the line allowed Eddie George to rush for 99 yards on the day, his top rushing total of the season. Also against the Lions, Testaverde completed 79.2% of his passes (19-of-24) for 235 yards and was sacked just once in 25 pass plays. The Lions entered the game with the NFL's top ranked defensive unit in sacks-per-pass play. In the Monday night loss to Philadelphia (11/15), Gurode's blocking allowed Testaverde to complete 21-of-30 passes for 254 yards while allowing just one sack to the third ranked defense in the NFL in sacks-per-pass play. In the Thanksgiving Day win over Chicago (11/25), Gurode suffered a sprained left knee on the second play of the game and did not return. He returned to the lineup in the thrilling Monday night win at Seattle (12/6), helping to open holes for Jones to run for 198 yards - the third best rushing day in club history and the second best ever by a Dallas rookie. In the narrow loss at Philadelphia (12/19), Gurode started at right guard but then gave way to Matt Lehr in the second quarter, returning to the lineup late in the first half. In the season finale at the N.Y. Giants, (1/2/05), he saw limited action on special teams as Ben Noll started in his right guard spot.
2003: After making the switch from center to guard midway through the 2002 season, Gurode remained the Cowboys starting right guard throughout his sophomore season. In the season opener against Atlanta (9/7), he was part of a line that guided Dallas to 149 rushing yards while allowing Quincy Carter time to throw for 268 yards as the club rolled up 403 total yards. He was part of a line at the N.Y. Giants (9/15) that was instrumental in Carter having time to throw for a career-high 321 yards in the Cowboys come-from-behind, overtime victory. The line opened holes for Dallas to rush for 202 yards on 41 carries (4.9 avg.) at the N.Y. Jets (9/28). Against Arizona (10/5), Gurode - despite suffering a sprained ankle in the third quarter - helped the Cowboys pick up 365 total yards while controlling the clock for 36:28. The offensive line allowed just one sack in 28 pass plays at Detroit (10/19) while opening holes for Dallas backs to rush for 134 yards. The Cowboys also controlled the clock for 37:21 against the Lions. Against Washington (11/2), the Dallas offense racked up 400 yards of total offense, including 208 on the ground, while allowing only one sack in 34 pass plays. Gurode and the line allowed just one sack in 34 pass plays against Buffalo (11/9) and one sack in 37 pass plays at New England (11/16). The Cowboys offensive line allowed one sack for 0 yards against Carolina (11/23), and Gurode helped hold defensive tackle Kris Jenkins without a tackle. Gurode did not start and saw limited special teams action at Philadelphia (12/7) but returned to his right guard spot at Washington (12/14) and was instrumental in helping lead Troy Hambrick to 189 rushing yards - the fourth best single-game rushing performance in club history - despite suffering a strained groin late in the third quarter. Against the N.Y. Giants (12/21), he helped Dallas rush for 104 yards, the 10th 100-yard day of the season, despite missing some third and fourth quarter action after suffering cramps. Gurode's pass blocking in the regular season finale at New Orleans (12/28) allowed Carter to throw a career-high 47 passes for 290 yards.
2002: As the first Cowboys rookie to ever start the season at center, Gurode also became the first rookie starter at the center position since Mark Stepnoski in 1989. In his NFL debut at Houston (9/8), Gurode was part of a Dallas line that led the way to 155 rushing yards. Despite numerous changes and injuries on the offensive line at St. Louis (9/29), Gurode was a constant force for a unit that allowed just two sacks in 38 pass plays and helped Dallas rush for 122 yards on 27 carries (4.5 avg.). He missed the next two games - against the N.Y. Giants (10/6) and Carolina (10/13) - after suffering a sprained great toe on his left foot in practice on Oct. 2. He returned to the lineup at Arizona (10/20) and helped Dallas rush for 148 yards. He then became part of history against Seattle (10/27) as the starting center on the Dallas line that helped Emmitt Smith eclipse Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Smith earned his first 100-yard rushing day of the season against the Seahawks with 109 yards. Gurode made the move to the starting right guard spot at Detroit (11/3). Against Jacksonville (11/24), the line provided time for Chad Hutchinson to throw for 301 yards and opened holes for the running game to rush for 118 yards. The 405 net yards was a season-high. Gurode personally helped limit Jaguars defensive tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud to two tackles and no sacks on the day. In the Thanksgiving Day win over Washington (11/28), Gurode suffered a strained groin on the extra point following the first Dallas touchdown and missed the rest of the game. Despite suffering a bruised jaw in the second quarter against San Francisco (12/8), he returned to action and helped hold the 49ers without a sack in 28 pass plays.
COLLEGE: Gurode allowed just 7.5 sacks in 2,653 plays over three-plus years as a starter for the Buffaloes. He started his first two and a half seasons at center for Colorado before moving to guard in the middle of his junior year. As a senior, Gurode earned All-America honors after starting every game at right guard, and he was also a unanimous All-Big 12 selection. As a junior, Gurode earned All-Big 12 honors and the John Mack Award, as selected by the coaches for being CU's most outstanding offensive player. Gurode started the first six games of the year at center and the final five games at guard. As a sophomore, he earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors while helping the Buffaloes to a 7-5 record and a win over Boston College in the Insight.com Bowl. He was the starter all season at center, playing the second-most snaps from scrimmage on the team. As a freshman, he tore cartilage in his right knee the second week of the season that forced him to miss the next six games. Gurode returned to start the final three regular season games and the 51-43 win over Oregon in the Aloha Bowl.
PERSONAL: As a senior at North Shore High School in Houston, Texas, Gurode was a PrepStar and SuperPrep All-America, while USA Today selected him as an honorable mention All-America. He was also named to the prestigious Houston Chronicle Top 100 List and made the Austin American-Statesman ?Fab 55 team. He earned all-area honors as a senior (second team honors as a junior), and was all-district and all-Greater Houston as a junior and senior (when he also was his team's most outstanding offensive lineman). Gurode lettered three times in basketball and four times in track with personal bests of 186-0 in the discus and 54-1 in the shot put. As a high school junior, he won third place in a drafting competition for intermediate computer design. He earned a degree in ethnic studies at Colorado, where he was a member of the school's ?Academic Starters' team. As a member of the Cowboys 2002 Rookie Club - a program designed to introduce rookie team members to community service in the Dallas area - Gurode participated in monthly charity visits to non-profit organizations serving children. He also participates annually in the team's annual support of The Salvation Army Angel Tree program, providing Christmas presents to children and families in need. During the 2003 season, he volunteered with several teammates to serve an early Thanksgiving meal to hundreds of men and women at The Salvation Army Carr P. Collins Social Service Center. During the spring of 2004, he served as a celebrity football coach at the Cowboys annual Let Us Play! Sports Camp for 150 underprivileged girls from area non-profit agencies. The week before Thanksgiving in 2005, Gurode and former Cowboy Torrin Tucker teamed up to provide turkeys and all the fixings for a nutritious Thanksgiving Day meal for 100 individuals in need from the Cedar Crest area of South Dallas. |
