Lance Ball
Encyclopedia
Lance Ball is an American football
running back
who is a member of the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at Maryland
.
Ball has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts
and Tennessee Titans
.
in Teaneck, New Jersey
, where he rushed for 3,403 yards and 39 touchdowns in his high school career.
at the University of Maryland
. He had four 100-yard games in his last seven starts during his sophomore season, and emerged as one of the top running backs in the ACC
, rushing for 903 yards with six touchdowns. He was the third-leading rusher in the conference with a 82.1 per-game average, and earned second-team All-ACC honors. In his junior season, he again led the team in rushing with 815 yards. He majored in family studies and minored in community health.
. He was signed to their practice squad on September 1, 2008. He was released from the practice squad on September 30.
on October 12, 2008. He was activated from the practice squad on December 28, 2008 and had his NFL debut on the same date.
An exclusive-rights free agent in the 2009 offseason, Ball was re-signed by the Colts on March 17.
practice squad.
' practice squad on November 3. Ball was signed to a reserve/futures contract on January 5, 2010. On September 21, 2010 Ball was waived by the Denver Broncos.
Lance Ball caught a touchdown pass for the Denver Broncos on September 12, 2011 in the Raiders-Broncos game week one of the 2011 season. Ball had 96 yards rushing on November 13th 2011 in a win at Kansas City - his first real opportunity with the Broncos. With Knowshon Moreno out for the season, Ball is in line for more action in the Broncos backfield.
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...
who is a member 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...
of the National Football League
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...
. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. 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 Maryland
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Ball has also been a member of 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 Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
.
Early years
Ball is a 2003 graduate of Teaneck High SchoolTeaneck High School
Teaneck High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school, which is part of the Teaneck Public Schools district in Teaneck, New Jersey, United States...
in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, where he rushed for 3,403 yards and 39 touchdowns in his high school career.
College career
Ball played college footballCollege 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 the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. He had four 100-yard games in his last seven starts during his sophomore season, and emerged as one of the top running backs in the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, rushing for 903 yards with six touchdowns. He was the third-leading rusher in the conference with a 82.1 per-game average, and earned second-team All-ACC honors. In his junior season, he again led the team in rushing with 815 yards. He majored in family studies and minored in community health.
St. Louis Rams
Ball was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, but was signed as an undrafted free agent by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. He was signed to their practice squad on September 1, 2008. He was released from the practice squad on September 30.
Indianapolis Colts
Ball was signed to the practice squad of the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis 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 ....
on October 12, 2008. He was activated from the practice squad on December 28, 2008 and had his NFL debut on the same date.
An exclusive-rights free agent in the 2009 offseason, Ball was re-signed by the Colts on March 17.
Tennessee Titans
On October 8, 2009, Ball was signed to the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
practice squad.
Denver Broncos
Ball was signed to the Denver BroncosDenver 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...
' practice squad on November 3. Ball was signed to a reserve/futures contract on January 5, 2010. On September 21, 2010 Ball was waived by the Denver Broncos.
Lance Ball caught a touchdown pass for the Denver Broncos on September 12, 2011 in the Raiders-Broncos game week one of the 2011 season. Ball had 96 yards rushing on November 13th 2011 in a win at Kansas City - his first real opportunity with the Broncos. With Knowshon Moreno out for the season, Ball is in line for more action in the Broncos backfield.