|
| Colton Ryan, right, studies the human body as well as opposing offenses. Albright athletics photo |
Albright linebacker Colton Ryan always excelled at biology and the sciences. So it’s not too surprising that a chance encounter in a bookstore with an atlas of the human body so fascinated him so much that he decided he’d pursue a future in medicine.
“From then on, I decided that’s what I wanted to do,” said Ryan, who has already been accepted to Penn State School of Medicine at Hershey. “I wanted to be a doctor. I’ve been working toward that goal ever since then.”
Playing football in college?
At least in high school, that was something he never gave much thought. But at the suggestion a teacher and mentor, who was an Albright alum, the native of Fredericksburg, Pa., decided to visit the Reading campus.
“I had no intention of playing college football,” said Ryan, who played mostly running back in at North Lebanon High School. “I wanted to go somewhere far away. I came here as a favor to him and I fell in love with the science center and football facilities.”
The decision has paid off for the 6-0, 224-pound biochemistry major on both fronts.
Academically, he sports a grade point average over 3.9, is a Rhodes Scholarship candidate and semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. (The Campbell Trophy is considered the academic Heisman for all divisions of college football.)
And then on the field, Ryan is the anchor of a defense that ranks among the best in D-III in total defense (21st – 274 yards/game) and scoring defense (16th – 11.3 pts/game.) Meanwhile, at 6-0, the Lions are off to their best start since 2009. That season they advanced all the way to the quarterfinals in the D-III playoffs.
“It certainly isn’t a surprise from our standpoint,” Albright coach John Marzka said of the Lions’ great start. “Last year, we were extremely young. We struggled through some growing pains on both sides of the ball.”
Albright started last season 1-4, but rallied to win their last five regular season games before falling to Salisbury in an ECAC bowl game. Ryan earned team defensive MVP honors and led the team in tackles (105) in his first season as a starter.
“Colton is a very high achiever,” Marzka said. “He is the strongest guy in the weight room, hardest worker and best student. In 25 years of coaching, he is probably the strongest leader I’ve ever been around.”
After allowing 23 points in the first half in their opening game this season, the Lion defense has been stifling. They shut out the powerful Sea Gulls in the second half to allow the offense to erase a 23-3 deficit in a one-point victory. In the last five games, they’ve permitted no more than 13 points, while ranking fourth in turnover margin (plus-2.17) and ninth in pass efficiency defense.
“Last year, we were pretty young,” Ryan said. “We didn’t have a lot of guys with starting experience. It was a learning curve.
“This year we’ve come out and played to our full potential. We keep getting better because we have unity, fly around and have fun.”
The Albright offense is having fun as well. The Lions have averaging nearly 40 points a game. While their stats won’t jump out at you, they run it well, throw accurately, can beat the blitz and take care of the football. That’s a formula for success for any offense.
“I don’t really care if we set any records in the running game or the passing game,” Marzka said. “The hardest offense to defend is one that can become great at a couple of things but in a balanced way. That’s really our aim.”
Redshirt freshman Mike Knight has emerged at quarterback and depth in the receiving corps makes it difficult to focus on any one receiver. They have also performed better up front on the offensive line despite losing a couple from last season.
Throw in All-American kicker/punter Daniel Sobolewski and you have a team that may be more balanced in all three aspects of the game than even the 2009 semifinalists.
This week the Lions will face an old nemesis when they host Delaware Valley. It was the Aggies that handed Albright their first loss back in 2009. In fact, they have beaten the Lions five straight times. Albright last beat Delaware Valley in the second round of the 2009 playoffs.
The Aggies love to run the football, which could play right into the strength of the Albright defense, which allowing just under 100 yards a game on the ground.
“They are the best team we’ve seen since Salisbury,” Ryan said. “It should be a battle.”
Delaware Valley has had some growing pains at quarterback but hit its stride in the run game averaging more than 300 yards a game on the ground by running out of multiple formations and a variety of ball carriers and a big strong offensive line.
“They are a traditionally strong program,” Marzka said of the 5-1 Aggies. “This year is no different.”
So as his senior winds down, Ryan, a seemingly bright future ahead, is focused on applying the life lessons that football can teach. Lessons he didn’t necessarily understand as a high school player.
“It was something that went in one ear and right out the other,” he said. “I always loved football. I always had a passion for football. It was coming here that I realized what football meant in my life.”
Success in hard work, dedication and teamwork. Sounds like a good formula for anyone, even a future doctor.
Top 25
Wesley (6-0, 5-0 NJAC) stayed at No. 4 after defeating Kean 56-14. Quarterback Joe Callahan tied the school record for touchdown passes in a career by firing five to raise his total to 100. The senior needs just 25 yards to reach 10,000 career passing yards.
Albright (6-0, 5-0 MAC) moved up one spot to No. 20 after crushing FDU-Florham 51-6.
Rowan (5-1, 4-1 NJAC) moved up to No. 21 after holding Southern Virginia to 99 yards of total offense. The Profs are currently sixth in D-III in total defense (225 yards/game) and eighth in scoring defense (10.0)
Salisbury (4-1, 4-0 NJAC) stayed at No. 23 after setting the school’s rushing record (651 yards) in a 62-33 victory over William Paterson. In all, the Sea Gulls gained 744 yards and Jerome Johnson led the way with 204. They’ll travel to Kean on Saturday.
Cortland (6-1, 4-1 E8) is receiving the most votes (33) of any east team after beating Alfred 20-14. St. Lawrence (5-1, 3-0 LL) remained steady with 13 votes after an idle weekend. Delaware Valley (5-1, 4-1 MAC) is getting six votes, while Ithaca (4-2, 2-2 MAC) dropped out of the poll for the second time this season after falling to Brockport 27-17, The Bombers still are getting two votes.
Trending Up
St John Fisher. The Cardinal have won three consecutive games to reach the .500 mark and should move to 4-3 with winless Alfred State coming to town on Friday night.
Montclair State. The Red Hawks (3-3, 3-2) has won three in a row after overcoming a 15-point deficit to defeat Christopher Newport. They’ll travel to a winless TCNJ this week.
Frostburg State. The Bobcats (5-1, 4-1 NJAC) won their fourth in a row to see their first non-losing season since 2005 after beating TCNJ 19-6. The road gets tougher for the Bobcats from here with trips to CNU, Rowan and Salisbury left on the schedule.
Buffalo State. The Bengals (4-2, 2-2 E8) won their third in a row by beating first-year program Finlandia 62-0 on Saturday. They have a victory over E8 leader Cortland already. They still have a shot at the conference title if they can win out and get a little help. Easier said than done in the E8.
Widener. The Pride are quietly still in the MAC race after beating Misericordia 40-10 for their third straight victory. A win over Stevenson this week is needed to stay in the mix. They are currently ninth in total defense (230 yards/game) and eight in passing (334 yards/game.) Can they find a run game? They currently rank 193rd in D-III.
Trending Down
Hartwick. The Eagles feature the fourth-best passing game in D-III averaging 370 yards a game, but they’ve lost four in a row after starting 2-0.
Christopher Newport, William Paterson, TCNJ and Southern Virginia. These teams are combined 2-21, but will see a lot of one another over the next four weeks in a fight to stay out of the cellar in the NJAC.
FDU-Florham, Lycoming, Wilkes and Misericordia. These MAC teams are a combined 4-20.
Games to Watch
Rowan (5-1, 4-1 NJAC) at Wesley (6-0, 5-0 NJAC): A matchup of the sixth-ranked defense in the country in Rowan against the Wolverines top-ranked offense. The Profs will need to run it well, force turnovers and make some big plays in the pass game to keep their NJAC title hopes alive.
Delaware Valley (5-1, 4-1 MAC) at Albright (6-0, 5-0 MAC): See above.
Widener (4-2, 4-1 MAC) at Stevenson (5-1, 4-1 MAC): The loser of this game is probably headed to an ECAC game. The winner stays in the MAC title hunt.
Brockport at Cortland (6-1, 4-1 E8): The Red Dragons are the lone team in the conference that controls their own destiny. Win out and they are in, lose and things get complicated.
RPI (5-2, 3-1 LL) at Hobart (4-2, 2-1 LL): Another game this week where the loser is likely out of the conference chase and the winner stays alive.
