Murray State University Athletics
Hometown player returns after breakout season last year
8/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Tony Ryan came to Murray State in 2001 from Calloway County High School as a 195-pound quarterback, and was forced to redshirt to gain strength and experience. Since 2001, Ryan has changed from quarterback to safety to defensive back and again to safety, all while putting on 25 more pounds. The 220-pound safety is the Racers' returning leader in tackles (55 last season), and after a breakout year in 2004, the senior is looking to put up more great numbers for the Racers' stingy defense.
"Tony is a guy who all through the spring and summer and now in the fall workouts has remained the most consistent," Racer head coach Joe Pannunzio said. "He's the guy who keeps everybody together on defense, the core. Having him out there is like having a quarterback on the defensive side of the ball. All the guys look to him in the huddle when important decisions need to be made during the game."
Ryan, a Murray native, saw action in the first six games of the 2002 season, collecting 13 tackles before a broken leg sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Ryan's 2003 season was also cut short due to injury (arm), and he collected three tackles in nine games, mainly on special teams.
Last season, Ryan played his first injury-free season, and emerged as one of the top strong safeties in the OVC. He played in all 11 games, tallying 55 tackles (35 solo), two sacks, five passes broken up and one interception. Ryan also forced one fumble and recovered two for the top defensive unit in the OVC.
Ryan's successful collegiate career shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Good athletes run in his family. His grandfather, Johnny Reagan, was a standout basketball and baseball player at Murray State from 1945-48 before going on to coach the baseball team for 36 years, ending a great career with an induction in both the Murray State Hall of Fame (in 1971) and the OVC Hall of Fame (1988). His brother Greg is also a 6-4, 280-pound sophomore offensive lineman at Western Kentucky University.
CAMP NOTES: Today, the Racers worked on defending the no-huddle offense. "Two OVC opponents in Samford and Southeast Missouri run the no-huddle offense," said Pannunzio, "so we need to get used to that tempo."
INJURY REPORT: The Racers were noticeably short-handed today, but not all absences were due to injury. "We have a lot of minor injuries we are trying to work through," Pannunzio said. "We also have a lot of kids missing who are trying to get their schedules correct before the first day of classes tomorrow."
BELL-IGERENT FANS: In fun spirits, Pannunzio repeatedly rang a cowbell today in practice to emulate the sounds of the 55,082 infamous loud fans that will fill Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field for the Murray State season opener against Mississippi State on Sept. 3.
