PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football mourns the passing of Nate Toran, one of the greatest players in program history and a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame. The two-time All-America selection from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, died Saturday at 66.
 
Toran is survived by his wife, Jackie, son, Nathaniel, and daughter, Marcy, as well as three grandchildren, Xavier, Molly and Lincoln, his sister, Carolyn, two brothers, Melvin and Harvey, and his two nieces and four nephews. Toran will be laid to rest in New Jersey and in lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital.
 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Toran family, as we mourn the loss of Nate Toran, one of the greatest players in Rutgers Football history. pic.twitter.com/WNXSupSxKW

— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) June 18, 2020

 
A four-year letterwinner from 1973-76, Toran is the Scarlet Knights' all-time leader with 52 career sacks, 23 more than second place in the school record book. That includes the top three single-season sack marks: 19 (1974), 17 (1976) and 16 (1975).
 
Toran served as a captain for the 11-0 1976 team that led the nation in total defense (179.2), scoring defense (7.4) and rushing yards allowed (83.9). The defensive lineman ended his career with 18 consecutive wins, a school record.
 
"On the field, I'm not playing just for myself," Toran said in 1975. "If I do something well, I don't dwell on it. All the team members help each other out, and no one person can really take the credit. We all have a lot of respect for each other. Still, for me there is nothing like the pleasure I get from sacking a quarterback."


 
Out of Perth Amboy High School, where he also played basketball and set the school record in shot put, Toran worked his way into the lineup midway through 1973 as a freshman before shattering the Rutgers record with 19 sacks in 1974. He also recovered four fumbles, forced two fumbles and knocked down five passes with 68 tackles overall. The performance garnered his first of three All-East honors, plus the team's George T. Cronin Trophy "as the player who manifested the most improvement and progress."
 
"Nate is one of the finest individuals a person would want to coach," head coach Frank Burns said in 1975. "He has a tremendous overall attitude and is a tough, quick and strong athlete who enjoys football. He's a hitter and an excellent leader who has the respect of the entire team."
 
Toran, a biological science major, continued to make strides and merited Associated Press All-America in 1975, posting 16 more sacks with 61 tackles, six forced fumbles, four fumbles recovered and three pass breakups. That also warranted the David Bender Trophy as the team's top lineman. The Scarlet Knights started 2-2 following a loss to Lehigh when Toran stated, "I don't want to lose anymore." Toran would never suffer another defeat at Rutgers, as the team reeled off seven-straight victories to cap a 9-2 campaign heading into 1976.
 
"What can you say about Nate?" said defensive line coach Ted Cottrell in 1976. "He's just an All-American in my book and one of the finest individuals a person would want to coach. Nate has a tremendous attitude and is tough, quick, strong and agile. I wouldn't want to play against him."
 
The historic 1976 squad finished as one of three unbeaten, untied teams from across the country that season. Toran capped his collegiate career with 17 sacks and 79 tackles to earn Kodak First Team All-America. That put the defensive lineman as the fifth Rutgers first-team honoree following Paul Robeson, Homer Hazel, Bill Austin and Alex Kroll. In addition to that, he won the Homer Hazel Award as the team's most valuable player and the Paul Robeson Award as "the senior whose performance, leadership and dedication on and off the field had the greatest impact on Rutgers football."
 
Toran would sign with the Philadelphia Eagles before suffering a career-ending injury. He later would become one of the nine members of the first Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame class in 1988. Securing four degrees, Toran was also enshrined in the New Jersey Sports Writers Hall of Fame.



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