2016 Football Roster
Zack Ryan
- Position:
- Linebacker
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-11 / 220
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Westlake, Ohio
- Prev School:
- St. Ignatius HS
- High School:
- St. Ignatius
Awards and Honors:
2016 Ball State Willie Snead True Cardinal Award
2016 (R-Sr.): Started all 12 games at middle linebacker … racked up 319 career tackles and 42 starts in his time as a Cardinal … both of those numbers are the most for anyone on the 2016 roster … finished fifth on the team with 69 tackles as a senior … thrice posted a season-high nine tackles … notched a team-best nine stops, two tackles for loss and a sack in the season opening win at Georgia State … came up with two big plays down the stretch at FAU on Sept. 24 – a fourth down stop with 5:33 remaining and an interception on FAU’s final possession … tallied six stops, a sack and forced fumble against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 8.
2015 (R-Jr.): Played in all 12 games with five starts at linebacker … ranked fourth on the team with 67 tackles … notched at least three tackles in every game … tallied a season-best 10 stops at No. 16 Texas A&M on Sept. 12 … recovered a fumble early in the game at No. 17 Northwestern on Sept. 26 which led to a Ball State field goal … forced a first quarter fumble at Western Michigan on Nov. 5.
2014 (R-So.): Started all 12 games to earn second letter … career-high 15 tackles versus Eastern Michigan … finished the season with double-digit tackle totals in the final four games -- Northern Illinois (13), Massachusetts (14), Eastern Michigan (15) and Bowling Green (10) … also had 10 tackles at Iowa … career-high 2.5 tackles for loss versus Eastern Michigan … one sack versus EMU … career-best two forced fumbles versus Eastern Michigan … first career interception versus Akron and returned it 27 yards … one fumble recovery at Toledo … led the Cardinals in tackles and tied for team-high honors in tackles for loss … led the team in tackles in each of the final four games of the season.
2013 (R-Fr.): Made first career start in the season opener versus Illinois State … started 12 games to earn first letter and scholarship … third on the team with seven tackles versus Illinois State … first career tackle for loss and first career pass break-up versus Illinois State … led team with season-high 11 tackles versus Army … tied season high with 11 tackles at Northern Illinois … second on the team with seven tackles at North Texas … third on the team with 10 tackles at Eastern Michigan … credited with first career sacks with 1.5 at Eastern Michigan … seven tackles and first career fumble recovery versus Toledo … seven tackles at Virginia … seven tackles, including one tackle for loss versus Kent State … first career fumble forced versus Kent State and second at Akron.
2012 (Fr.): Redshirted as a walk-on.
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters in football for coach Chuck Kyle at St. Ignatius … helped team to a 13-2 overall record as a senior … helped team to a state title as a senior … all-conference second team as a senior … managed 138 total tackles, including 70 solo tackles as a senior … registered nine sacks as a senior and 18 sacks in career … totaled 240 tackles, including 90 solos, in career … named St. Ignatius' Most Valuable Linebacker as a senior.
PERSONAL: Son of Tim and Sue Ryan … three brothers … father played football at Wake Forest … brother, Connor, was a senior captain on the 2013 Ball State football team and played four seasons for the Cardinals … brother, Jake, played collegiate football at Michigan and now competes for the Green Bay Packers … born Jan. 20, 1994, in Fairview, Ohio … full name is Zachary Francis Ryan.
