Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham senior linebacker Ryan Greenhagen is going to find it difficult to improve on his season-opening performance at Nebraska. The Sparta, N.J. native, set an NCAA Division I record with 31 total tackles against the Cornhuskers on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
For his efforts, the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year was named the Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Patriot League Football GEICO Defensive Player of the Week.
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In a 52-7 loss at Nebraska, Greenhagen had 14 solo tackles and 17 assists (a tackle was credited to him on Monday). The former record of 30 was accomplished three times previously since the NCAA made tackles an official statistic in 2000. Others to achieve the feat include Chattanooga's Josh Cain (2001), Norfolk State's Kevin Talley (2004) and Stetson's Donald Payne (2014).
Due to a scoring change, Fordham's Ryan Greenhagen is now the DI record holder for most tackles in a game.
According to cbssports.com Greenhagen's 31 tackles were the most by any player against an FBS opponent since the NCAA began keeping records. The record was previously held by former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, who had 28 tackles against Army. NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary notably recorded 35 tackles against Houston and 33 tackles against Arkansas in 1978 for Baylor, but both of those games occurred before stats were considered official.
Greenhagen broke a 31-year-old Patriot League single-game tackles record, a mark that was held by Lehigh's Lee Picariello against William. & Mary in 1990.
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The Rams return to action on Saturday, September 11, as they host Monmouth University for their home opener on Jack Coffey Field at 6:00 p.m.
