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15 college football players whose careers ended too soon

By Connor Muldowney

Aug 30, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett (9) throws the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter of the 2014 Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 30, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett (9) throws the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter of the 2014 Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Thomas Tyner (24) rushes for a touchdown during the second half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Florida State Seminoles at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Thomas Tyner (24) rushes for a touchdown during the second half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Florida State Seminoles at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

One of the most shocking retirements in recent memory was former five-star running back Thomas Tyler of Oregon. He was ranked a top-20 recruit in the country in the 2013 class, according to 247Sports, and was expected to do big things with the Ducks’ explosive offense.

Heck, Oregon running backs have been on everyone’s Heisman radar for the past few years. Tyler was expected to be the next big thing, but after missing the entire 2015 season with a shoulder injury, he announced his retirement from football. Quite the fall from grace going from a blue-chip recruit to a retired collegiate athlete.

Tyner, however, is a different case.

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In just two years with the Ducks, he racked up 1,485 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns. He also averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He was retired for 15 months until he recently decided to return to college football, but this time with rival Oregon State.

John Canzano of The Oregonian reported that Tyner requested a release from Oregon and was granted that the next day. He chose Oregon State as his next home, stating that he always wanted to be a Beaver.

Although he’s no longer retired, it’s too soon to tell if his career will end too early because of lingering injuries.

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