Ryan Reynolds (American football)
Encyclopedia
Ryan Reynolds is a former linebacker
for the Oklahoma Sooners
. He was a four-year standout in football and judo in high school, both at Lake Havasu High School in Arizona and at Bishop Gorman High School
in Las Vegas, Nevada
, where he was recognized nationally.
As a senior, he recorded 94 tackles (including 12 tackles for loss) and 6 sacks to go along with his junior year totals of 96 tackles and 6 sacks. As a junior, he also ran for a career best 393 yards from his fullback position. He was recognized at the Palo Alto Nike training camp in 2004 for his performance in their SPARQ (Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness) test. He scored higher on the test than any player in the Camp's history.
As a senior, he was a USA Today
first team All-American, a Parade All-American (a publication that also recognized him as the top linebacker in the country), a U.S. Army All-American, and Nevada's Gatorade
player of the year. Rivals.com and ESPN.com both ranked him the No. 2 outside LB in the nation. He was a consensus top 30 player nationally and Rivals.com placed him as the best player in the state of Nevada. He was also selected as the Las Vegas Sun
state defensive player of the year. Reynolds was awarded the 2005 Walter Payton Trophy
at the US Army All-American Bowl awards dinner.
At Bishop Gorman, Reynolds was a high school teammate of fellow OU Sooner DeMarco Murray
.
, Nebraska
, and Tulsa
after spring practices and was redshirt
ed for the 2006-2007 season
.
Reynolds told a reporter at the completion of his college career that he had no interest in pursuing an NFL career.
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. He was a four-year standout in football and judo in high school, both at Lake Havasu High School in Arizona and at Bishop Gorman High School
Bishop Gorman High School
Bishop Gorman High School is a Roman Catholic private preparatory school located in Summerlin, in Clark County, Nevada, United States serving the Las Vegas area for over 50 years. The school is administered by the Diocese of Las Vegas...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, where he was recognized nationally.
High school career
Reynolds was a four-year letterman, two years at Lake Havasu High School and two years at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. He showed his athleticism and versatility, playing linebacker and defensive back on defense and tight end and fullback on offense.He was also a state wrestling champion and a five-time national judo champion. A View Newspaper article called Reynolds the 'most highly recruited high school football player in Nevada history'.As a senior, he recorded 94 tackles (including 12 tackles for loss) and 6 sacks to go along with his junior year totals of 96 tackles and 6 sacks. As a junior, he also ran for a career best 393 yards from his fullback position. He was recognized at the Palo Alto Nike training camp in 2004 for his performance in their SPARQ (Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness) test. He scored higher on the test than any player in the Camp's history.
As a senior, he was a USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
first team All-American, a Parade All-American (a publication that also recognized him as the top linebacker in the country), a U.S. Army All-American, and Nevada's Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
player of the year. Rivals.com and ESPN.com both ranked him the No. 2 outside LB in the nation. He was a consensus top 30 player nationally and Rivals.com placed him as the best player in the state of Nevada. He was also selected as the Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas Sun
The Las Vegas Sun is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. It is one of Las Vegas, Nevada's two daily newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group....
state defensive player of the year. Reynolds was awarded the 2005 Walter Payton Trophy
Walter Payton Trophy
The Walter Payton Trophy has been awarded annually since 2005 to the most athletic high school football player in the United States...
at the US Army All-American Bowl awards dinner.
At Bishop Gorman, Reynolds was a high school teammate of fellow OU Sooner DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys who played high school football for Bishop Gorman and college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.-High school career:...
.
College career
2005 season
Reynolds was relegated to special teams as a true freshman, logging tackles against Oklahoma StateOklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
, Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, and Tulsa
2006 season
Although he was penciled in as a starter for the Sooners, Reynolds injured his ACLAnterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
after spring practices and was redshirt
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...
ed for the 2006-2007 season
2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2006 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2006-2007, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship...
.
2009 season
In December, 2009, the NCAA denied Reynolds his request to play a sixth year due to injuries.Reynolds told a reporter at the completion of his college career that he had no interest in pursuing an NFL career.
College statistics
| Year | G-GS | UT | AT | Total | Loss | Sacks | INT | FC | FR | PBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 8-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | - | - | - |
| 2006 | 0-0 | - | - | - | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | - | - | - |
| Total | 8-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | - | - | - |