Jordan Todman
Encyclopedia
Jordan Todman is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was the starting running back
for the University of Connecticut
Huskies
. He finished his collegiate career third on the Huskies all-time rushing list. Todman was selected by the San Diego Chargers
in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft
with overall pick number 183.
, Todman earned all-state honors twice, and was named the Boston Globe's Player of the Year during his senior season. Despite finishing his high school career as the second leading rusher in Massachusetts
state history to(Jo Jo Goodine), many recruiting sites and college coaches thought he would be best suited to play defense. Despite late interest from Penn State
and Boston College
, only Connecticut
, Purdue
and Northeastern offered scholarships. On December 16, 2007, after finishing an official visit to Boston College, Todman committed to play running back
for UConn.
season with a shoulder injury, and made his debut with 81 yards rushing and a touchdown
in a UConn victory over Virginia
. He would spend the rest of the year as the backup to All-America
n running back, Donald Brown
, and would finish the year with 296 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
After Brown left for the NFL
, Todman was promoted to starting running back for his sophomore
season. Before the season began, he was named to the Doak Walker Award
watch list. Despite splitting carries with Andre Dixon
, Todman lead the Huskies with 1,188 rushing yards. He gained over 100 yards in a game five times, including running for 162 yards with 4 touchdowns in a 47–45 loss to Cincinnati
. In addition to his running back duties, Todman was also the primary kick returner. In the Huskies victory over Notre Dame
, he returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. After the season, he was named second team All-Big East.
With Dixon's graduation at the end of the 2009
season, Todman entered his junior season as the team's primary running back. Just as the previous year, he was once again named to the Doak Walker Award watch list. During the regular season, Todman ran for over 100 yards in 9 of the 11 games he played (he missed the Huskies game against Buffalo
with an elbow injury). He set a career high when he ran for 222 yards during a nationally televised game on ESPN
against Pittsburgh
, on the same day it was announced that he was not named a semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award. At the end of the regular season, he had 1,574 rushing yards on 302 carriers and 14 rushing touchdowns. Connecticut finished in a three-way tie for the Big East Conference
with West Virginia and Pittsburgh, but Connecticut won the tie-breakers and played the Oklahoma Sooners
in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl
. After the season, Todman was the unanimous selection as Big East Conference's
Offensive Player of the Year.
After the Fiesta Bowl, Todman announced that he would forego his senior season and enter the NFL
draft
by the San Diego Chargers
. He was waived on October 22 and resigned to the practice squad.
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
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was the starting 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 University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Huskies
Connecticut Huskies football
The Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...
. He finished his collegiate career third on the Huskies all-time rushing list. Todman was selected by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
with overall pick number 183.
Early career
At Dartmouth High SchoolDartmouth High School (Massachusetts)
Dartmouth High School is a four-year public high school located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.As of the 2007/08 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,264 students and 78.5 classroom teachers , for a student-teacher ratio of 16.1....
, Todman earned all-state honors twice, and was named the Boston Globe's Player of the Year during his senior season. Despite finishing his high school career as the second leading rusher in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state history to(Jo Jo Goodine), many recruiting sites and college coaches thought he would be best suited to play defense. Despite late interest from Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
and Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
, only Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies football
The Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...
, Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
and Northeastern offered scholarships. On December 16, 2007, after finishing an official visit to Boston College, Todman committed to play 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 UConn.
College career
Todman missed the first two games of his freshmanFreshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
season with a shoulder injury, and made his debut with 81 yards rushing and a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in a UConn victory over Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. He would spend the rest of the year as the backup to 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...
n running back, Donald Brown
Donald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
, and would finish the year with 296 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
After Brown left for the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Todman was promoted to starting running back for his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
season. Before the season began, he was named to the 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...
watch list. Despite splitting carries with Andre Dixon
Andre Dixon
Andre Jamar Dixon is an American football running back who currently plays for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at Connecticut....
, Todman lead the Huskies with 1,188 rushing yards. He gained over 100 yards in a game five times, including running for 162 yards with 4 touchdowns in a 47–45 loss to Cincinnati
2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, played its home games in Nippert Stadium....
. In addition to his running back duties, Todman was also the primary kick returner. In the Huskies victory over Notre Dame
2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2009 college football season. Charlie Weis entered his fifth season as head coach with the expectation from the Notre Dame administration that his team would be in position to compete for a BCS Bowl berth...
, he returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. After the season, he was named second team All-Big East.
With Dixon's graduation at the end of the 2009
2009 Connecticut Huskies football team
The 2009 Connecticut Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2009 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference. The team was coached by Randy Edsall and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut...
season, Todman entered his junior season as the team's primary running back. Just as the previous year, he was once again named to the Doak Walker Award watch list. During the regular season, Todman ran for over 100 yards in 9 of the 11 games he played (he missed the Huskies game against Buffalo
2010 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2010 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulls, led by first year head coach Jeff Quinn, played their home games at the University at Buffalo Stadium and members of the east division of the Mid-American Conference...
with an elbow injury). He set a career high when he ran for 222 yards during a nationally televised game on ESPN
ESPN College Football Thursday Primetime
ESPN College Football Primetime is a live game presentation of Division 1-A college football on ESPN. In the past, the presenting sponsor was Cooper Tires, but since the 2006 season, the current presenting sponsor is Applebee's. The game telecast airs every Thursday night at 7:45pm ET during the...
against Pittsburgh
2010 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
-Rankings:The Panthers debuted at #15 in the preseason Coaches' Poll. and in the preseason Associated Press Poll.Sports Illustrated ranked Pitt #16 in the annual College Football Preview issue on August 16, 2010....
, on the same day it was announced that he was not named a semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award. At the end of the regular season, he had 1,574 rushing yards on 302 carriers and 14 rushing touchdowns. Connecticut finished in a three-way tie for the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
with West Virginia and Pittsburgh, but Connecticut won the tie-breakers and played 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...
in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl
2011 Fiesta Bowl
The 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game played as part of the 2011 Bowl Championship Series of the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
. After the season, Todman was the unanimous selection as Big East Conference's
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
Offensive Player of the Year.
After the Fiesta Bowl, Todman announced that he would forego his senior season and enter the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
College Stats
| Year | Team | Att | Yards | Average | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team The 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2008 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference... |
Connecticut University of Connecticut The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually... |
47 | 296 | 6.3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 Connecticut Huskies football team The 2009 Connecticut Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2009 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference. The team was coached by Randy Edsall and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut... |
Connecticut University of Connecticut The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually... |
235 | 1,188 | 5.1 | 14 | 21 | 185 | 0 |
| 2010 2010 Connecticut Huskies football team The 2010 Connecticut Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season as a member of the Big East Conference. The team was coached by Randy Edsall and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut... |
Connecticut University of Connecticut The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually... |
334 | 1,695 | 5.1 | 14 | 19 | 94 | 0 |
| College Totals | 616 | 3,179 | 5.2 | 31 | 42 | 283 | 0 | |
San Diego Chargers
Todman was selected with the 183rd pick in the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was waived on October 22 and resigned to the practice squad.