Brian Calhoun
Encyclopedia
Brian Calhoun is a gridiron football
running back
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
of the Canadian Football League
. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions
in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Wisconsin
.
. Rushed for over 5000 yards, scoring 82 touchdowns in high school. Named the Gatorade State Player of the Year, team MVP, All-America
, first-team all-state, and being ranked the nation’s 12th best running back by Rivals.com. He was named the Track and Field MVP for four years and was a member of the 2001 Junior Team USA that completed at the World Youth Championships in Hungary
. He finished 7th in the long jump at 24'.2". Was a member of the Milwaukee Striders track club and completed at USATF and AAU
sponsored events.
for his freshman (2002) and sophomore (2003) years, Calhoun decided to return home and attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. During his two years at Colorado, Calhoun was named the ABC Player of the Game against Nebraska University in 2002 and again against Florida State in 2003. Named the Player of the game against Iowa State, Kansas State and was named honorable mention All Big 12. Because of NCAA
transfer rules, Brian had to sit out the entire 2004 season. However, he kept himself busy by participating on the scout team and on the 4 x 100 meter relay team. The relay team would go on to become the 2005 Big Ten Conference
champions.
In the 2003 season, Calhoun took over for an injured Bobby Purify and carried the ball 195 times for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns. Calhoun enjoyed a fantastic 2005 with the Wisconsin Badgers by leading the nation with 348 rushing touches for 1,636 yards and 53 receiving touches for 571 yards. He finished with 22 rushing and 2 receiving touchdowns. His 22 rushing touchdowns were a school record. In addition, his 2,207 all purpose yards, ranks 2nd in school history. Became the 2nd player in Big Ten history with 1000 rushing and 500 receiving yards in one season. Became the 2nd player in NCAA history with 1500 yards rushing and 500 receiving yards in one a season [first done in 1991]. Was named to the Big Ten First Team, 2nd Team All-American by the Associated Press
Sports Illustrated
. Named as a semifinalist for the Maxwell Trophy, Doak Walker Award
and blossomed into a dark horse Heisman Trophy
candidate, but faded towards the end of the season. Calhoun was named the MVP of the 2006 Capital One Bowl
, after gaining 213 yards and scoring a touchdown in the Wisconsin Badgers
victory over the Auburn Tigers
.
. He was selected in the third round (pick #74) by the Detroit Lions. Calhoun was placed on injured reserve
for the season in November after tearing his ACL.
Calhoun was released on May 4, 2009, finishing his Lions career with 54 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards and 221 kick return yards and no touchdowns.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
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 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was drafted by 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...
in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. 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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
.
Early years
Calhoun achieved numerous honors playing high school football track and field at Oak Creek High School in Oak Creek, WisconsinOak Creek, Wisconsin
Oak Creek is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 28,456 at the 2000 census. In 2009, its population was estimated at 33,946.-History:...
. Rushed for over 5000 yards, scoring 82 touchdowns in high school. Named the Gatorade State Player of the Year, team MVP, All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
, first-team all-state, and being ranked the nation’s 12th best running back by Rivals.com. He was named the Track and Field MVP for four years and was a member of the 2001 Junior Team USA that completed at the World Youth Championships in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. He finished 7th in the long jump at 24'.2". Was a member of the Milwaukee Striders track club and completed at USATF and AAU
AAU
-Education:* Aalborg University, in Denmark* Academy of Art University,in San Francisco* Addis Ababa University, in Ethiopia* Allied American University, brand used by Allied Schools in California, United States* Alpen-Adria-University of Klagenfurt, in Austria...
sponsored events.
College career
After playing football at ColoradoColorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
for his freshman (2002) and sophomore (2003) years, Calhoun decided to return home and attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. During his two years at Colorado, Calhoun was named the ABC Player of the Game against Nebraska University in 2002 and again against Florida State in 2003. Named the Player of the game against Iowa State, Kansas State and was named honorable mention All Big 12. Because of NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
transfer rules, Brian had to sit out the entire 2004 season. However, he kept himself busy by participating on the scout team and on the 4 x 100 meter relay team. The relay team would go on to become the 2005 Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
champions.
In the 2003 season, Calhoun took over for an injured Bobby Purify and carried the ball 195 times for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns. Calhoun enjoyed a fantastic 2005 with the Wisconsin Badgers by leading the nation with 348 rushing touches for 1,636 yards and 53 receiving touches for 571 yards. He finished with 22 rushing and 2 receiving touchdowns. His 22 rushing touchdowns were a school record. In addition, his 2,207 all purpose yards, ranks 2nd in school history. Became the 2nd player in Big Ten history with 1000 rushing and 500 receiving yards in one season. Became the 2nd player in NCAA history with 1500 yards rushing and 500 receiving yards in one a season [first done in 1991]. Was named to the Big Ten First Team, 2nd Team All-American by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. Named as a semifinalist for the Maxwell Trophy, Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
and blossomed into a dark horse Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate, but faded towards the end of the season. Calhoun was named the MVP of the 2006 Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
, after gaining 213 yards and scoring a touchdown in the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
victory over the Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
.
Detroit Lions
Calhoun decided to fore go his senior season at Wisconsin and entered the 2006 NFL Draft2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He was selected in the third round (pick #74) by the Detroit Lions. Calhoun was placed on 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...
for the season in November after tearing his ACL.
Calhoun was released on May 4, 2009, finishing his Lions career with 54 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards and 221 kick return yards and no touchdowns.