Ryan Christian was a key piece of the Horned Frogs Top 10 finishes in 2008 & 2009
18 | RB Ryan Christian (2005-2009)
A four-sport star at Aledo High School, Ryan Christian was an unranked football prospect in the Class of 2005 when he arrived in Fort Worth. He redshirted his first season and saw limited action as a redshirt freshman before transitioning to the running back for his sophomore season and becoming a weapon out of the backfield, with his top games of 2007 being his 105 scrimmage yards at Air Force and 103 all-purpose yards in the Texas Bowl win over Houston. The 5-foot-11, 188-pound runner’s had a breakout in 2008 with 8 games of 50+ all-purpose yards including 148 total yards playing in Hurricane Ike in the win vs. the Jim Harbaugh-led Stanford Cardinal and 112 scrimmage yards at Utah. Perhaps the best play he made all season did not involve carrying the ball: TCU was trailing by two scores late in the first half of the Poinsettia Bowl vs No. 9 Boise State and Andy Dalton threw an interception that the Broncos were clear to return for a back-breaking pick-six, but Christian chased down the defender, preventing the score. The TCU defense would force a field goal and the Horned Frogs would go on win the game 17-16.
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Christian’s stats were not as prolific in 2009, with his standout game being a 106 yard, 2-TD explosion at San Diego State, but he remained a major contributor to an offense that completed an undefeated regular season and Mountain West Champions.