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Ryan Hanley loves football. So much, in fact, that the junior at Towson University sacrificed his body and all he ever knew to make a position switch when offensive line coach John Donatelli, his position coach at the time, made the suggestion.

“Ryan has been with me for two years,” Donatelli said. “I’ve always seen Ryan as one of those kids with tremendous passion and love for the game. As a coach, you always try to find spots for those guys.”

But a position switch is harder than it seems, particularly on the gridiron. Hanley, an offensive guard who tipped the scales at 315 pounds, lost 55 pounds while transforming into a fullback for new head coach Rob Ambrose. And while Ambrose’s offense will largely be spread-based, Ambrose said there is plenty of room for a fullback in his offense.

“There’s definitely going to be a fullback in this offense,” Ambrose said. “We’re going to play smart football, we’re going to play hardnosed football and we’re going to need a fullback.”

The transition, in particularly the weight loss, was not easy for Hanley, but the work he has done has not gone unnoticed. Despite some ribbing from teammates, senior linebacker Alex Butt recognized Hanley as one of the standouts of spring practice.

“A 260-pound fullback? That’s a lot to meet in the hole,” the defensive captain said.

One of the things Hanley noted was that being 315 pounds was not good from a health perspective, even for an offensive lineman. That, coupled with the backing of Donatelli and Ambrose, made the decision easy for Hanley, even while adjusting to the style of the new coaching staff.

“To be honest, it was voluntary,” Hanley said of the weight loss. “I knew I was short at 6’2” for the offensive line and I’ve always prided myself on being a little quicker. It’s definitely an upgrade to move up from an offensive lineman to fullback. I looked at it as a chance to be healthy. I don’t know how healthy you can be at 300 plus pounds.”

Hanley began doing intense cardio sessions twice a day at Burdick Gym three times a week on top of his football obligations and was put on a diet by his new position coach, James Vollono, who is in charge of the running backs, and the process was taken from there.

The entire spring was spent that way for Hanley. He worked. He practiced. He even made time for a job on top of his football and school obligations. And even though he went semi under the radar on the team, he didn’t care. 

You see, Hanley isn’t a talker. He would rather earn his spot and let the coaches evaluate him than promote his own work by running his mouth. And, he says, he couldn’t be more thrilled with the way things have worked themselves out. 

“I have no complaints, honestly,” Hanley said. “It’s a whole new attitude with the coaching changes and everything. I’m just so excited.”