Always Bringing Energy: Ryan Savage

By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com

As Ryan Savage approaches the final game of his senior season, he recognizes the difference between satisfaction in the process and satisfaction in the results. He appreciates that fact that there was only one he had total control over, and that is the one he feels satisfied.

"I'm incredibly proud of my class," Savage said. "We have only 17 seniors. We've traveled the most freshmen we've ever had. I think we did a great job upholding the culture and standard. It hurts that the record doesn't show the team we are, but I'm very happy with the culture we have maintained here. I've never seen a lack of work ethic. I've seen passion and love of football."

Work ethic, passion and love of football has defined every step of Savage's journey to this weekend. And even if the football goes away after this weekend, it will help him create the path he forges in the future.

• • •

While some young football players dream of playing at the Division I level the first time they put on a helmet, Savage didn't really begin to consider it until a standout junior season at La Salle College High School. While he loved the sport, academics remained the top priority, so Savage put his focus on the Ivy League programs.

Following one Junior Day camp at Princeton, Ivy League programs turned into Ivy League program.

"I remember going into the bubble and seeing Coach [Steve] Verbit, and he was talking about internships, and the alumni base, and the 40 years after football, and I felt like I was investing in myself," he said. "From that point, Princeton was #1. Princeton was the mecca. [My family was] going to do everything we could to get there."

The academic profile was never an issue. He had the grades and test scores to generate interest from some of the best schools in the country. And while he had been an all-city performer as a junior, he recognized that his physical profile wasn't going to turn quite as many heads.

"I was trying out for defensive line, and I was 6 feet tall, 210 pounds, and I ran a 4.9 40," Savage said. "There was nothing out of the ordinary that made you say 'we've got to get this guy.' I knew I had to work hard. I loved what Coach Verbit preached about relentlessness, energy, and effort."

Savage was relentless as a senior football player, where he would earn All-Southeastern PA honors, and he was relentless in communicating with Princeton, hoping and waiting for an offer that never seemed like it would come. Two signing days came and went, and Savage started mentally preparing himself that this might not work out.

Then came a mid-day text message from assistant coach Mike Weick that altered the course of his life.

"I got it in the middle of the school day and just left the class," he said. "I didn't even ask. I got out and texted my dad. My mom left where she was. I committed that night. I loved the game, but academics was the #1 priority. I wanted to be set up life. Playing football was cool, but graduating from a great university was even cooler."

The coolest? He got to do both.

• • •

Playing actual football was put on hold, first by COVID, and then by the fact that Savage was pretty deep on a 2021 depth chart that would go on to drive Princeton to an Ivy League championship.

He could have been content with being a positive member of the locker room and focusing on his academic pursuits. An economics major, Savage has already had an internship in private equity and will pursue a career in that area. But 'being content' was never part of Savage's journey to Princeton, and it certainly wasn't going to his mindset there either.

"I always wanted to be a guy who looked back and was very proud of the effort I gave," he said. "I'm devoting so much time to this, and I love football, so why not give my absolute best at this? I also felt like Princeton gave me a chance that nobody else did, and I owed something to them. Coach Surace and Coach Verbit saw something in me about the player I was. I wanted to be high-energy and relentless, and I wanted to prove to them that they didn't make a mistake."

Savage focused on two areas to build trust with the coaching staff and earn playing time. He knew everything there was to know about every position on the defensive line. He understood the assignment on both the edge and the interior, so he could fill in at any spot. He also had a knack for rushing the passer. Size certainly has its advantages, but there wasn't a magic wand that would make Savage grow four inches, so he focused on quickness, footwork, and how he used his hands on pass rush plays.

It was a daily grind. Study the game. Focus on technique. Never let down.

The work paid off. He appeared in four varsity games last season, and has become a consistent member of the defensive rotation this year. Savage has 15 career tackles at Princeton; eight of them have been over the last two weeks.

"Ryan is the perfect utility player," head coach Bob Surace said. "He can play any position very well across the defensive line in both our base and nickel defenses. His motor never stops, and that has helped him become such a valuable player."

Relentlessness drove Savage both to Princeton and at Princeton, and it will drive him beyond Princeton as well. But he knows there were lessons learned in the pursuit of football that will stay with him throughout his life.

"I think I can embrace any challenge," he said. "I wanted to look back and know that I embraced what was in front of me with the willingness to work and a great attitude. That has applied to all phases of my life. Football has taught me so much about dealing with adversity and being able to overcome it. Day by day, I know the compounding of work will lead to a great result."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Players Mentioned

Ryan Savage

Princeton University Athletics

Upcoming Events

Recent Results