Ryan Torain
Encyclopedia
Ryan Devon Torain is an American football
running back
for the Washington Redskins
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Arizona State
.
in Shawnee, Kansas
. He was a letterman in football
, basketball
, and track & field
. Ryan graduated in 2004 when he was a first team All-League selection and an All-State Class 6A selection in football.
An excellent receiving threat, Torain was ASU's second-leading returning receiver for 2007 and led all returning Pac-10 tailbacks in yards-per-catch average (11.4) and touchdown receptions (3). Ryan ran for over 100 yards in seven games and 70 or more yards in 12 of 19 contests. He rushed for career-highs of 191 yards on 24 carries at California on Sept. 23, 2006. Torain was listed by ESPN's Mel Kiper as the No. 2 senior running back
in the nation for 2007. He appeared in 19 games with 14 starts carrying 323 times for 1,782 yards (5.5 avg.) . He caught 25 passes for 305 yards (12.2 avg.) with five touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 93.8 rushing yards-per-game for his career.
. In early August, he fractured his elbow, missing three months.
Torain made his NFL debut in a game against the Miami Dolphins
, earning only one yard on three carries in a loss. He started his first NFL game on November 6, 2008 against the Cleveland Browns
. After rushing for 68 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, Torain hurt his knee as he was being tackled in the second quarter. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL)and was placed on a season-ending injured reserve
. He became the third running back to be out for the season for the Broncos, joining Michael Pittman
, and Andre Hall
.
Torain was waived/injured by the Broncos on August 12, 2009 and subsequently reverted to injured reserve
. He was released with an injury settlement on August 16.
, whose head coach Mike Shanahan
, as then-head coach of the Denver Broncos
, had drafted Torain in 2008.
On September 4, 2010, Torain was released by the Redskins,
but was re-signed to the practice squad on September 24, 2010, and was elevated to the 53-man team roster as Brandon Banks
was released. In his first game back he had 7 carries for 46 yards with a 6.6 yard average. Ryan was designated to replace Clinton Portis
as the principal running back. Portis suffered a groin pull during the Redskins' Week 4 victory at Philadelphia. After a 70-yard, 1-touchdown performance against the Eagles, Torain served as the Redskins' primary running back for the next five weeks. He had a 100 yard game and two touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts
and then a career high 125 yards against the Chicago Bears
. Torain suffered a hamstring injury the next week in a game against the Detroit Lions
. He then returned after his injury and rushed for 172 yards in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
.
Early years
Ryan lived in Topeka, KS attending Pauline South Elementary School and both Washburn Rural Middle and High schools. He resided in the Montara Neighborhood before moving to Shawnee Mission during his high school years. Torain attended Shawnee Mission Northwest High SchoolShawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The current principal is Dr. Bill Harrington. Shawnee Mission Northwest is one of many schools located within Shawnee, Kansas and surrounding...
in Shawnee, Kansas
Shawnee, Kansas
Shawnee is a city located in northwest Johnson County, Kansas, United States and is a western suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 62,209. Shawnee's fur trading and pioneering heritage blends histories of these Kansas Territory townships: Monticello and...
. He was a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track & field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. Ryan graduated in 2004 when he was a first team All-League selection and an All-State Class 6A selection in football.
College career
Ryan Torain attended Arizona State after graduating from Butler County Community College. He earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors as a junior and was one of the Pac-10's elite backs until his senior season was cut short midway through 2007. Torain ran for 1,229 yards in 2006, becoming ASU's first 1,000-yard runner since Delvon Flowers in 2001 and running for the eighth-most single-season yards in ASU history. Compiling the most yards since Sun Devil great Freddie Williams' total on ASU's legendary, undefeated 1975 squad. Ryan totaled the fourth-most rushing yards by a player in his debut season in the history of the Pac-10 Conference. He ranked 13th in the Nation and second in the Pac-10 Conference among returning backs in total rushing yards. He also led the team with 10 total touchdowns as a junior.An excellent receiving threat, Torain was ASU's second-leading returning receiver for 2007 and led all returning Pac-10 tailbacks in yards-per-catch average (11.4) and touchdown receptions (3). Ryan ran for over 100 yards in seven games and 70 or more yards in 12 of 19 contests. He rushed for career-highs of 191 yards on 24 carries at California on Sept. 23, 2006. Torain was listed by ESPN's Mel Kiper as the No. 2 senior running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the nation for 2007. He appeared in 19 games with 14 starts carrying 323 times for 1,782 yards (5.5 avg.) . He caught 25 passes for 305 yards (12.2 avg.) with five touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 93.8 rushing yards-per-game for his career.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos selected Torain in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. In early August, he fractured his elbow, missing three months.
Torain made his NFL debut in a game against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, earning only one yard on three carries in a loss. He started his first NFL game on November 6, 2008 against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After rushing for 68 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, Torain hurt his knee as he was being tackled in the second quarter. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior 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...
(ACL)and was placed on a season-ending injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. He became the third running back to be out for the season for the Broncos, joining Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State....
, and Andre Hall
Andre Hall
Andre Hall is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
.
Torain was waived/injured by the Broncos on August 12, 2009 and subsequently reverted to injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. He was released with an injury settlement on August 16.
Washington Redskins
On April 19, 2010, Torain was signed by the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, whose head coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
, as then-head coach of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, had drafted Torain in 2008.
On September 4, 2010, Torain was released by the Redskins,
but was re-signed to the practice squad on September 24, 2010, and was elevated to the 53-man team roster as Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
was released. In his first game back he had 7 carries for 46 yards with a 6.6 yard average. Ryan was designated to replace Clinton Portis
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
as the principal running back. Portis suffered a groin pull during the Redskins' Week 4 victory at Philadelphia. After a 70-yard, 1-touchdown performance against the Eagles, Torain served as the Redskins' primary running back for the next five weeks. He had a 100 yard game and two touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and then a career high 125 yards against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Torain suffered a hamstring injury the next week in a game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He then returned after his injury and rushed for 172 yards in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers.