Ryan Glasper
Encyclopedia
Ryan E. Glasper is a professional Canadian football
and American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was signed as a street free agent by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
in 2007. He played college football
for the Boston College Eagles
.
Glasper has also been a member of the Toronto Argonauts
, Edmonton Eskimos
and Hartford Colonials.
, Connecticut
. At the age of 14, his mother signed legal custody of him over to his then high school football coach, Jude Kelly.
Ryan attended Southington High School
in Southington, Connecticut
. He started on the varsity squad his sophomore
year and played a pivotal role on the offense as a receiver and running back
. Catching passes from quarterback
Dan Bruetsch, he became a dangerous offensive weapon and showed his potential. Glasper helped the Blue Knights win the CCC South crown. As a junior
, he progressed to have a greater role in the offense, as he started at wide receiver, running back, and on special teams. Glasper, once again, helped lead his team to another CCC South title. In the beginning of his senior
campaign he was asked to play quarterback with the graduation of strong armed quarterback Doug Fink (who was later drafted by the Boston Red Sox
in the 29th round of the 2003 draft). Glasper eagerly took on the role and was progressing well until an ankle injury sidelined him. It was during this time that Glasper signed his letter of intent
with Boston College
to play safety on their defense. After signing his letter of intent, Glasper moved over to the defensive backfield full-time. While mentoring young sophomore quarterback Aaron Canterbury, Glasper helped led the Blue Knights to a share of the CCC South title.
Glasper was voted part of the tri-captain squad during his senior year with Dan Bird and John Vose.
During his high school career, Glasper also returned punts and kickoffs. He set school records for longest punt return (92 yards), longest kickoff return (98 yards) and longest play from scrimmage (97 yards). He also earned SuperPrep All-America
n honors as a senior defensive back and was voted to the All-State Class LL team, as well as 2001 New Haven Register All-State, for his outstanding play.
Glasper also played varsity basketball and was on the track team in high school.
ed his freshman
year at Boston College, eventually making a total of 29 starts and appearing in 45 total collegiate contests. He ended his college career with 177 career tackles, including 100 unassisted stops. He finished with six interceptions, eight pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack in his career. Glasper won 2 awards for the Boston College Eagles
. He was awarded the Paul Cavanagh Award, for the player whose collective on and off the field accomplishments speak volumes about his commitment to balance, a level-headed and realistic outlook on life, and his wholesome perspective on volunteerism, ethics and the community; a football player whose accomplishments on the field distinguish him as an achiever and as a contributor in many ways. He was also awarded the Jay McGillis Scholarship Award, given in recognition of a defensive back who best exemplifies the personal qualities of team dedication and leadership by example, an extraordinary competitive spirit, and personal concern for family, friends and teammates.
In January 2006, during 7-on-7 drills with teammates, Glasper took a false step and tore his labrum and cartilage
in his left hip, requiring surgery three months later. He was not granted a medical red-shirt by the BC coaching and medical staff, forcing him to miss the first 5 games of the season or not play at all and have his college career be over. He eventually returned but was never at 100% during the season but he still was a force on the defense. By the time BC's bowl game
came around on December 30, Glasper was back down to his playing weight of 212 pounds (96.2 kg) and notched his best game of the season. With help from his agent, Glasper got a late invitation to the Hula Bowl
in January. Despite getting to Hawaii on Tuesday night, when most of the team had been there since Saturday, Glasper was tabbed as a starter after just one meeting and one practice.
Glasper went undrafted
but attended the New York Giants
rookie camp as a try-out, but was not signed to a contract.
. The Ti-Cats converted Glasper from a strong safety to an outside linebacker. The move proved to be successful, as he served as a starter for the Hamilton defense. Glasper made his CFL debut on July 7 of that year. He completed the season playing in eight games, recording 27 defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, one forced fumble, 2 tackles for losses, and two pass knockdowns.
In 2008, Glasper dressed in the first 10 games of the Tiger-Cats' season, recording 30 defensive tackles and five special teams tackles. He was eventually released by the Tiger-Cats on September 30, 2008. On October 15, Glasper was signed by the Toronto Argonauts to a practice roster agreement.
He was signed by the Edmonton Eskimos
on May 4, 2009. He was released on June 25, 2009.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
and American football
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...
safety 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 signed as a street free agent by 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...
in 2007. 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...
for the Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...
.
Glasper has also been a member of the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
and Hartford Colonials.
Early life
Ryan Glasper was born in New BritainNew Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. At the age of 14, his mother signed legal custody of him over to his then high school football coach, Jude Kelly.
Ryan attended Southington High School
Southington High School
Southington High School is a public high school located at 720 Pleasant Street in Southington, Connecticut.It is the only high school located in the town of Southington.-Academics:...
in Southington, Connecticut
Southington, Connecticut
Southington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence...
. He started on the varsity squad 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...
year and played a pivotal role on the offense as a receiver and 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...
. Catching passes from quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Dan Bruetsch, he became a dangerous offensive weapon and showed his potential. Glasper helped the Blue Knights win the CCC South crown. As a junior
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
, he progressed to have a greater role in the offense, as he started at wide receiver, running back, and on special teams. Glasper, once again, helped lead his team to another CCC South title. In the beginning of his senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
campaign he was asked to play quarterback with the graduation of strong armed quarterback Doug Fink (who was later drafted by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the 29th round of the 2003 draft). Glasper eagerly took on the role and was progressing well until an ankle injury sidelined him. It was during this time that Glasper signed his letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
with Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
to play safety on their defense. After signing his letter of intent, Glasper moved over to the defensive backfield full-time. While mentoring young sophomore quarterback Aaron Canterbury, Glasper helped led the Blue Knights to a share of the CCC South title.
Glasper was voted part of the tri-captain squad during his senior year with Dan Bird and John Vose.
During his high school career, Glasper also returned punts and kickoffs. He set school records for longest punt return (92 yards), longest kickoff return (98 yards) and longest play from scrimmage (97 yards). He also earned SuperPrep 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 honors as a senior defensive back and was voted to the All-State Class LL team, as well as 2001 New Haven Register All-State, for his outstanding play.
Glasper also played varsity basketball and was on the track team in high school.
College career
Glasper was not redshirtRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed his freshman
Freshman
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...
year at Boston College, eventually making a total of 29 starts and appearing in 45 total collegiate contests. He ended his college career with 177 career tackles, including 100 unassisted stops. He finished with six interceptions, eight pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack in his career. Glasper won 2 awards for the Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...
. He was awarded the Paul Cavanagh Award, for the player whose collective on and off the field accomplishments speak volumes about his commitment to balance, a level-headed and realistic outlook on life, and his wholesome perspective on volunteerism, ethics and the community; a football player whose accomplishments on the field distinguish him as an achiever and as a contributor in many ways. He was also awarded the Jay McGillis Scholarship Award, given in recognition of a defensive back who best exemplifies the personal qualities of team dedication and leadership by example, an extraordinary competitive spirit, and personal concern for family, friends and teammates.
In January 2006, during 7-on-7 drills with teammates, Glasper took a false step and tore his labrum and cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
in his left hip, requiring surgery three months later. He was not granted a medical red-shirt by the BC coaching and medical staff, forcing him to miss the first 5 games of the season or not play at all and have his college career be over. He eventually returned but was never at 100% during the season but he still was a force on the defense. By the time BC's bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
came around on December 30, Glasper was back down to his playing weight of 212 pounds (96.2 kg) and notched his best game of the season. With help from his agent, Glasper got a late invitation to the Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
in January. Despite getting to Hawaii on Tuesday night, when most of the team had been there since Saturday, Glasper was tabbed as a starter after just one meeting and one practice.
NFL
Glasper worked out at the Boston College Pro Day on March 21, 2007. He had a relatively good showing running his 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. He ran a 20 yard dash in 2.66 seconds and a 10 yard dash in 1.56 seconds. Ryan also ran the 20 yard shuttle run in 4.15 seconds and maneuvered the 3-cone drill in 6.86 seconds. Ryan bench pressed a standard 225 pounds (102.1 kg) 14 times, had a vertical leap of 34.5 inches (87.6 cm), and had a leap of 9 in 5 in (2.87 m) in the broad jump.Glasper went undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
but attended the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
rookie camp as a try-out, but was not signed to a contract.
CFL
In 2007, Glasper was signed by the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton 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...
. The Ti-Cats converted Glasper from a strong safety to an outside linebacker. The move proved to be successful, as he served as a starter for the Hamilton defense. Glasper made his CFL debut on July 7 of that year. He completed the season playing in eight games, recording 27 defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, one forced fumble, 2 tackles for losses, and two pass knockdowns.
In 2008, Glasper dressed in the first 10 games of the Tiger-Cats' season, recording 30 defensive tackles and five special teams tackles. He was eventually released by the Tiger-Cats on September 30, 2008. On October 15, Glasper was signed by the Toronto Argonauts to a practice roster agreement.
He was signed by the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
on May 4, 2009. He was released on June 25, 2009.