Hall of Fame
P.D. was not only always among the smallest players for every football team he played on from age eight through his college career, he was also the youngest.
After P.D. was tested this undersized six-year-old graded out to nearly 4th grade reading and math levels. He was plucked from the first grade and skipped into the second.
Later P.D. excelled in football (running back, defensive back) and track at Middle Township (NJ) High School but the Panthers’ ho-hum record coupled with his questionable size wasn't attracting a lot of college recruiters who were concerned whether or not he would ever grow any more.
Tiger coach Gordy Combs saw through all that, encouraging him to visit Towson. Despite whispers from Rutgers and Maryland, the deciding vote was cast by his mother who said Towson “felt like it was home.”
As a first-year Tiger, freshman P.D. worked his way onto special teams, slowly figuring into certain defensive packages. In late October he earned the first of 38 consecutive starts. In the 2001 season finale the kid who was too small and only 17-years-old was named Patriot League Player of the Week for leading the Tigers to a 27-9 win over Georgetown. That honor would be the first of many for him.
P.D. closed out his career with 274 tackles. His 11 career sacks were the most by any Tiger defensive back at the time of his induction. He led the Tigers in tackles with 111 in his senior year when he served as a co-captain. He finished his career with 8 interceptions, returning 3 for TD’s which tied the school record.
He was chosen Tiger Football’s MVP in both his junior and senior years. He is the only Towson football player ever named 1st team All-Conference in two different leagues, earning the honor as a sophomore and junior in the Patriot League and as a senior in the Atlantic 10. In addition he is one of just two three-time first team all-conference players at Towson. In his senior year he was named third team All-American by Football Gazette. He was selected the Brooks-Irvine (New Jersey) Division I-AA Player of the Year in 2004. He was an All-ECAC honorable mention pick as a sophomore.
A biology major, his undergraduate academic achievements included Atlantic 10 and Patriot League All-Academic honors twice, CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic and the NCAA FCS Athletic Directors All-Academic Team.
After graduating from Towson P.D. earned a doctorate of pharmacy degree from Howard University. He served a residency at Shore Regional Medical Center and later held a hematology/oncology pharmacy fellowship and faculty position at Howard as he embarked on his career in education.
