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Inviata - 28/02/2023 : 08:59:20
NASHVILLE The first call he made was to his mother.It had to be.She was the one who moved Sam Okuayinonu to the United States from Liberia in 2011, mother and son hoping to better their lives through education when they settled in Boston.Clara Okuayinonu also was the one who funded the early stages of Sam Okuayinonus long and unusual college-football journey, which included one year at Coahoma Community College (Mi s.) and two at https://www.shophornetsedge.com/brooklyn-nets-jeresy/jordan-bowden-jersey Mesabi Range Community College (Minn.) before he arrived at the University of Maryland in 2019.So when the 24-year-old defensive lineman got word last week hed been promoted from the Tenne see Titans practice squad to the teams 53-man roster, he knew who needed to be the first to know.She just started crying she was crying because she was so excited, Okuayinonu said. She has been with me throughout this whole journey, my football journey. ... Shes always been there supporting me, https://www.shophornetsedge.com/brooklyn-nets-hats so she knew how much this meant to me and how much it means to us. Better times, man.Whether or not Okuayinonu plays Sunday in Washington and how much the 6-1, 269-pound defensive lineman will eventually contribute to the Titans remains to be seen.But the man known to teammates and coaches as Sam O. is intriguing, in part because there is the in the strong, athletic prospect.A soccer player growing up in Monrovia, Liberia, Okuayinonu didnt even begin playing football until his senior year at Lowell High in Ma sachusetts.I used to be all soccer, but my cousin my senior year (in high school), he was like, `You kind of big, you should try (football) out. Why dont you try it out, man? Okuayinonu said. So I just kind of tried it out. I didnt really like it at first, but the more I played the game, the more I loved the game.Okuayinonus late start meant he had to attract the attention of major college scouts via the junior college route, which led to his combined three years in Mi https://www.shophornetsedge.com/brooklyn-nets-jeresy/bruce-brown-jr-jersey si sippi and Minnesota before earning a scholarship to Maryland.Scroll to ContinueHe was pa sed over in the draft last April, likely because he was considered a tweener not nece sarily long and lean enough for the edge, not nece sarily big and stout enough for the interior defensive line.But Titans coaches by Okuayinonus skills and high motor, the attributes that helped him post 55 tackles, 8.5 tackles for lo s and six sacks during his final season at Maryland when he earned third-team All-Big 10 honors.He just shows up you turn the film on, watch the (scout) team, watch special teams, you notice him, Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. Hes going hard. https://www.shophornetsedge.com/brooklyn-nets-jeresy/tyler-johnson-jersey Hes trying to play with technique and fundamentals. A guy practices like that and it usually correlates. I think hes earned an opportunity to get out there and play, and Im excited to kind of see where he is.Added Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo, Okuayinonus college teammate at Maryland: Man, hes just a relentle s player. Plays with a lot of power. Has quickne s off the edge. But for me, its his toughne s, and how relentle s he is when he plays. Thats whats most I admire about him.If hes active on Sunday, Okuayinonu will likely see most of his action on the edge, where the Titans are hurting due to injuries to Harold Landry, Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi. He has the versatility, however, to move into different spots on the defensive https://www.shophornetsedge.com/brooklyn-nets-jeresy/andre-roberson-jersey line.Okuayinonu said when he got word earlier this week that general manager Jon Robinson wanted to speak to him, he wasnt sure what to expect.But when Robinson complimented Okuayinonus work ethic and improved skills and then told him hed earned a promotion to the Titans 53-man roster Okuayinonu couldnt contain his emotion.It was crazy https://www.shophornetsedge.com/brooklyn-nets-jeresy/d-angelo-russell-jersey , a great moment, Okuayinonu said. I gave him a hug. I actually gave him a hug, a big hug. I was so happy.As soon as he left Robinsons office, Okuayinonu placed the call to his mother.It was great news, Okuayinonu said. A great time for me and my family.Then Okuayinonu retweeted a one-word social-media post Deakonti that has a special meaning in his native language.It means everything has time theres a time for everything, Okuayinonu said. Just waiting your time, waiting for your moment, doing everything you can to get there -- and then when your time comes, making the best out of the situation, taking advantage of the opportunities.A large one may await on Sunday. |
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