Copperhead Country has had its fair share of celebrity contributors in its 10 years of existence. Our late friend Mick Holien and former Montana Grizzly great Sammy Akem certainly lead that list of color commentators, but on Friday that list grows with verifiable NFL experience and talent.
Ryan Hoag, most famously known for being drafted at Mr. Irrelevant by the Raiders in 2003, will provide color commentary for Fairfield-Anaconda on Friday Sept. 4.
Hoag was also a member of the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL while getting other profession experience with the Berliin Thunder, Edmonton Eskimos, New York Sentinels and Omaha Nighthawks.
According to his Wikipedia page, Hoag formally worked as a teaching artist for Upstream Arts as well as the head varsity tennis coach at his alma mater Washburn High School in Minneapolis, Minn. He currently works as a sports and fitness director for Rock Creek Cattle Company while also contributing as a sports broadcaster, most notably on the pre pregame show for the Las Vegas Raiders and regular contributor on the Silver and Black Sports Network.
From being a 6-2, 200-pound versatile, scrappy wide receiver from NCAA D-III Gustavus Adolphus University in Minnesota, Hoag proved that perseverance was a key contributor chasing his professional football dreams.
He left Gustavus with 144 receptions for 2,232 yards (15.5 average) and 29 touchdowns. He was the only Gustavus player with over 2,000 career receiving yards and was an All-MIAC 1st-team selection as a junior and senior as well as being named Gustavus Male Athlete of the Year as a senior. He caught 56 passes for 808 yards (14.4 avg.) and ten touchdowns as a senior, and also returned 13 kickoffs for 397 yards (30.5 avg.). He set a school record with 13 catches for 175 yards, and achieving 313 total yards (175 receiving, 122 kickoff return, four punt return and 12 rushing). As a junior, Hoag pulled in 54 passes for 876 yards (16.2 avg.) and set a Gustavus record with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 548 yards (16.1 avg.) and five touchdowns as a sophomore.
He took 3rd at 2002 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.51 and 4th at the 2003 Indoor Championships in the 55-meter dash at 6.45.
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. with the pregame show set to air at 6:45 p.m. live on copperheadcountry.org.
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