Osi Umenyiora on Giants signing Nigerian OT prospect Roy Mbaeteka: 'This is what dreams are made of'

Graphic Image: Igor Lazarevic

MICHAEL BACA

EAST RUTTERFORD, NJ (NFL) - Osi Umenyiora's dream of producing NFL prospects out of Nigeria has been realized.

The New York Giants on Friday announced the signing of offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka, a Nigerian product of the NFL's International Player Program. After mentoring Mbaeteka through the process as an inexperienced prospect, Umenyiora was ecstatic to learn his protégé was signed by an NFL team and the ripple effect it may have in Africa going forward.

"Hard to describe what has just happened here," Umenyiora tweeted upon the announcement. "I'm an emotional wreck. What this means for so many people where We come from is impossible to explain. Thank you Giants. This is what dreams are made of."

Mbaeteka, a 6-foot-9, 320-pound prospect, is one of 13 athletes from nine countries who were selected to compete for a spot in the league's 2022 International Player Program. Instituted in 2017, the program has produced current NFL players like Efe Obada, Jakob Johnson and Jordan Mailata. The Giants are hoping Mbaeteka is the next Mailata, who went on to become the Eagles' starting left tackle in three years despite not having any football experience as a rookie from Australia.

"Once you see him, you know he's physically imposing and in a year or two if you immerse him in football culture, he's going to be fantastic," Umenyiora said, via the team's website. "The Giants took a chance. Not much of a chance, I think. When you see him working, you're going to know what he's about. He is big, strong, physical, extremely intelligent, very athletic. He's built to play offensive tackle in the league. In fact, he reminds me quite a bit of (former Giants teammate) Kareem McKenzie. He has the same temperament. He's very smart, but he's a very athletic player."

Umenyiora has been an integral part of the NFL's international growth since retiring from the league in 2014. The 12-year NFL veteran is one of the founders of NFL Africa and a co-founder of The Uprise, a football program based in Nigeria with the purpose of discovering future NFL prospects. Umenyiora believes Mbaeteka is the first of many Africans yet to be discovered.

"I realized there are so many incredible athletes over there -- I'm talking a hundred times better than I was as an athlete," Umenyiora said. "And they have no chance of bettering their lives, no chance to actually do something constructive with their lives because of the situation over there. In America and in the West, you have opportunities for these guys to do something with all the incredible talent that they have. I recognized that and I decided I was going to start a program to help get these guys opportunities in America. We've had camps in South Africa, Ghana, Senegal. I have scouts in these locations and they're looking for the best athletes we can find and once we find them, we bring them to a location and we start to train them."

Born in London, Umenyiora lived in Nigeria from ages 7-14 before coming to America and discovering his football talent as a teenager. A second-round pick by the Giants out of Troy University, Umenyiora went on to become a two-time Super Bowl champion in New York and finished his career fourth on the franchise's all-time sack list (75.0).

After landing in New York the conventional way in 2003, Umenyiora is now dedicated to helping teams find NFL-caliber talent in uncustomary methods. Befittingly enough, it's his former team taking a leap of faith on a 22-year-old Nigerian, and Umenyiora believes it will be the start of something big.

"A lot of people think this was me, but I had nothing to do with this," Umenyiora said. "The Giants decided they were going to fly him in. They did this on their own. They saw him, they liked him, they flew him in yesterday, and he blew them away. They offered him a contract and here we are. For it to be the Giants of all teams, it means the world to me, it really does.

"What the Giants have done here is truly hard to put into words. There are so many people in Nigeria and in Africa who are going to see this and right now they're going to have hope. Before, they were hopeless. They're going to see this as hope and they're going to start working and working toward something, however unrealistic it is. At least now, they will see that it is possible. They've changed the world, they really have."

Mentored By Osi Umenyiora, Nigerian OT Roy Mbaeteka Signs With Giants

Roy Mbaeteka and Osi Umenyiora. Image: NY Giants

BY MICHAEL EISEN

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (NY GIANTS) – The Giants signed one of their most intriguing, noteworthy and unforeseen prospects of this or any offseason.

Roy Mbaeteka is a 6-9, 320-pound offensive tackle who has no high school or college football experience. That's hardly surprising, considering he's lived his entire life in Nigeria. His nascent football career has also included stops in London and Arizona. Now he's heading to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, where the Giants believe he can develop into an NFL-caliber lineman.


So does one of Mbaeteka's mentors, former Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who lived in Nigeria as a youngster and was perhaps the first to spot the 22-year-old's talent.

"Once you see him, you know he's physically imposing and in a year or two if you immerse him in football culture, he's going to be fantastic," Umenyiora said in a phone conversation from his home in London. "The Giants took a chance. Not much of a chance, I think. When you see him working, you're going to know what he's about.

"He is big, strong, physical, extremely intelligent, very athletic. He's built to play offensive tackle in the league. In fact, he reminds me quite a bit of Kareem McKenzie (a former tackle who, like Umenyiora, played on the Giants' Super Bowl XLII and XLVI teams). He has the same temperament. He's very smart, but he's a very athletic player."

Umenyiora is fourth on the Giants' career sack list with 75.0 and a member of the franchise's Ring of Honor. Since concluding his 12-year career in 2014, he has worked in a variety of roles to help the NFL grow internationally. Last year, Umenyiora was one of the founders of NFL Africa, which is part of the league's International Player Pathway program (IPP).

Born in London, Umenyiora lived in Nigeria from ages 7-14. He has made numerous visits to the country and finding potential NFL players both there and throughout Africa has become one of his great passions. He and Ejike Ugboaja, a former Nigerian basketball player, founded a program there they call The Uprise.

"I realized there are so many incredible athletes over there – I'm talking a hundred times better than I was as an athlete," Umenyiora said. "And they have no chance of bettering their lives, no chance to actually do something constructive with their lives because of the situation over there.

"In America and in the West, you have opportunities for these guys to do something with all the incredible talent that they have. I recognized that and I decided I was going to start a program to help get these guys opportunities in America. We've had camps in South Africa, Ghana, Senegal. I have scouts in these locations and they're looking for the best athletes we can find and once we find them, we bring them to a location and we start to train them."

Mbaeteka was first spotted by Umenyiora at a camp in Nigeria in May 2021. He was one of three players selected to train at the NFL Academy in London in October. Three months later, the NFL announced that he was one of 13 players selected to compete for a spot in the 2022 International Player Pathway program. Mbaeteka was one of three potential linemen to travel to Arizona to work with former NFL center LeCharles Bentley. "He's been immersed in football for the last couple of months," Umenyiora said.

The NFL held a showcase for the international players in Arizona that was attended by Giants scout Jeremy Breit, who was so impressed with Mbaeteka that the team flew him to New Jersey yesterday and signed him today.

"When the Giants brought him in, they took him to the board and drew things and asked him all these questions and he was able to answer them, because that's what he's been working on this entire time," Umenyiora said. "He's highly intelligent. I guess they were blown away by the fact that he was able to do all that stuff."

Umenyiora believes Mbaeteka can equal or succeed the success of Jordan Mailata, an Australian native who had no prior football experience when he joined the Philadelphia Eagles and is now the team's starting left tackle.

"If you have the physical attributes, you can make that transition rather easily," Umenyiora said. "And I can tell you in Africa there's hundreds of thousands of people who have those attributes who just need an opportunity and we're going to provide it for them."

Umenyiora is thrilled the Giants are giving that chance to Mbaeteka.

"A lot of people think this was me, but I had nothing to do with this," Umenyiora said. "The Giants decided they were going to fly him in. They did this on their own. They saw him, they liked him, they flew him in yesterday, and he blew them away. They offered him a contract and here we are. For it to be the Giants of all teams, it means the world to me, it really does.

"What the Giants have done here is truly hard to put into words. There are so many people in Nigeria and in Africa who are going to see this and right now they're going to have hope. Before, they were hopeless. They're going to see this as hope and they're going to start working and working toward something, however unrealistic it is. At least now, they will see that it is possible. They've changed the world, they really have."

Giants Sign Nigerian OT Roy Mbaeteka

BY JOHN FENNELLY

NEW YORK (GIANTS WIRE) - Many NFL teams are spanning the globe these days to find players and you can count the New York Giants as one of them.

On Friday, they announced the signing of Roy Mbaeteka is a 6-foot-9, 320-pound offensive tackle from Nigeria who was mentored by former Giants great Osi Umenyiora in the NFL Africa initiative, which is part of the league’s International Player Pathway program (IPP).

Mbaeteka has no high school or college experience but the Giants are hoping he can be molded into a competitive player much the way the Philadelphia Eagles did with Jordan Mailata, a former Australian rugby star who is now a starter at tackle on their offensive line.

“Once you see him, you know he’s physically imposing and in a year or two if you immerse him in football culture, he’s going to be fantastic,” Umenyiora told Giants.com in a phone conversation from his home in London.

“The Giants took a chance. Not much of a chance, I think. When you see him working, you’re going to know what he’s about. . . He is big, strong, physical, extremely intelligent, very athletic. He’s built to play offensive tackle in the league. In fact, he reminds me quite a bit of Kareem McKenzie. He has the same temperament. He’s very smart, but he’s a very athletic player.”

Osi has been very active in developing international talent for the NFL, especially in Africa. He downplayed his role in bringing the Giants and Mbaeteka together.

“A lot of people think this was me, but I had nothing to do with this,” Umenyiora said. “The Giants decided they were going to fly him in. They did this on their own. They saw him, they liked him, they flew him in [on Thursday], and he blew them away. They offered him a contract and here we are. For it to be the Giants of all teams, it means the world to me, it really does.

“What the Giants have done here is truly hard to put into words. There are so many people in Nigeria and in Africa who are going to see this and right now they’re going to have hope. Before, they were hopeless. They’re going to see this as hope and they’re going to start working and working toward something, however unrealistic it is. At least now, they will see that it is possible. They’ve changed the world, they really have.”

“If you have the physical attributes, you can make that transition rather easily. And I can tell you in Africa there’s hundreds of thousands of people who have those attributes who just need an opportunity and we’re going to provide it for them.”

Chiedozie Ogbene: I Was Meant To Be A Doctor but that Didn’t Work Out As Planned

Rotherham United’s Chiedozie Ogbene celebrates at the full-time whistle. Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

BY GAVIN CUMMISKEY

IRISH TIMES

Before Rotherham United there were stints at Brentford and Exeter City. Before Limerick FC there was Nemo Rangers. Go further back and find an eight-year-old Chiedozie Ogbene leaving the Enugu state in Nigeria’s interior to catch a flight from Lagos to a place called Cork.

Nursing is the profession that allowed the Ogbenes to settle in Ireland. “Both my parents are nurses. Dad is still practising in CUH in Cork.” Elder brother Uche Ogbene recently joined the family business. “I was expected to be a doctor but that didn’t work out as planned.”

Seriously, Dr Ogbene was the original plan? “Yeah, I always wanted to follow the medical side. I went to a further educational college in Cork to study sports injuries to understand ‘why do I get injured?’ I didn’t go to university but I think we are all interested in human anatomy in the family.

“I am just grateful that my football career took off, but education is something I still look at as really important for your mental health and planning because football is going to end.”

Memories of being raised in Nigeria are hazy yet never fully fade for the first African-born Republic of Ireland international.

“I just remember running around with cousins in the street. Back then I didn’t play a lot of football, just watched my brothers play in a sandy field. I never had interest really. It was when I moved to Ireland and started playing street football with my neighbours, that’s when I took it up.”

One of those neighbours is current Shelbourne and Ireland player Saoirse Noonan. Life in the Grange suburb of Cork, from the time Ogbene arrived in 2005 until signing for Brentford in 2018, are devoid of the horrors suffered by other African families who have struggled to settle in less-welcoming communities.

“I didn’t have great English but I didn’t feel left out as a kid. When you get older, as a teenager, people bully but they don’t know you, really. I didn’t have any trouble, didn’t have too much racism. Saoirse can tell you when we used to play out in the park, we all included each other playing tag rugby or soccer.

“I had a great childhood in Cork, honestly.”
‘Dad worked really hard’

At home the Ogbenes remain as Nigerian as they are Irish in the community.

“My dad worked really hard to get us where we are,” Ogbene explained. “It wasn’t an easy route to Ireland. He had to work, study and go to different countries like Kuwait before he was accepted into Ireland. There were so many journeys he had to go through for me to have the easier route.

“But also, I am grateful for the people in Cork who helped me. They could have made my life difficult but they just saw me as their own.”

Naturally, Igbo remains the family’s first language.

“My parents always pushed me to make sure I improved my English, they always wanted to hear it, but they also want us to remember where we come from, and the culture is something we take huge pride in. I’d come home from school and would switch to Igbo. My girlfriend Sandra used to come around and she would be looking at me, ‘I hope you are not talking negative about me!’”

The Ogbenes sound like Irish immigrants in America or Britain, holding tight to their identity amid a rapidly changing, multicultural society.

“Our household is quite Nigerian dominant. That is just something in our DNA. That is something that my parents and brothers and sisters take huge pride in and hopefully we pass it on to our kids; to share the cultural differences of being Irish and Nigerian because it is important to know where you come from.”

Ogbene’s head-spinning first year on the international scene concluded last November with the 24-year-old saluting Irish fans during a sticky affair in Luxembourg.

The 3-4-2-1 system was malfunctioning. As the attacking trio struggled for cohesion, with Ogbene’s pace drawing as many fouls as a League One promotion scrap, Adam Idah was withdrawn on 62 minutes. The arrival of Jason Knight nudged Callum Robinson further forward and suddenly the matrix clicked.

Shane Duffy’s header made it 1-0 but 20 matches into a tumultuous new era for Irish football, Stephen Kenny’s team needed more than another escapology act from the giant Derry centre half.

As Luxembourg chased an equaliser, Ireland calmly counter-attacked until Jeff Hendrick over-played a ball for Ogbene wide right. Maxime Chanot tried and failed to shake him.

“In training, we press because when you press you don’t give the opposition time to pick a pass,” said Ogbene. “So I lost the ball but – like for Rotherham – we press high and the first reaction was to get the ball back. That’s what we worked on before the game so I knew when I pressed everyone else was going to follow. It only takes one guy to kick it off.

“So I pressed. I only showed him one way because I knew he wanted to come inside. When he tried to take me on I was able to nick it. Jeff was in the right position. Knighty went into the box and I could have stood there and got my breather but all the games I have been playing have me well conditioned, so I kept going. Happy I ran into the box, instead of being lazy. Just gambled and Knighty cut it back for me.”

“Magnificent goal by any standard,” went Ronnie Whelan on commentary as Ogbene scooped Knight’s back heel into the net. “This is the stuff we are talking about. That is evolving.”

The evolution has temporarily stalled as Ogbene, Knight and Hendrick disappeared into the labyrinth of English club football. Hendrick, despite some commanding nights for Ireland, has only played 13 minutes of Newcastle United’s winter slide towards the Championship. Drop down two divisions and Ogbene is flying.
Professional football career

His pursuit of a professional football career was high risk, even foolhardy, after rejecting the elite sporting route laid before him by the GAA in Cork. In 2015, he pulled out of Nemo’s under-21 county football final replay to play for Cork City against UCD in a regular season under-19 match.

“Yeah, it was a big risk but I felt in my gut that I had to take it. If I stayed with Nemo Rangers and played Gaelic football it would have been easier to make it because obviously it is only played in Ireland and I was quite good at the sport. A lot of people knew I could go to the next level and they were giving me the pathway.

“But I wanted to be a footballer. I was just 17 when I made the decision. It was a difficult time for me because I looked at the people at Nemo Rangers as family.”

And you had kicked 1-2 in the drawn final?

“Yeah, it was a big shout to let that go but I am glad I did.”

For a time he effectively became his own agent – Glenn Corcoran handles negotiations now – approaching Limerick FC manager Martin Russell and later Rotherham boss Paul Warne to avoid even a hint of misinterpretation.

“I was just not stopping. At the time at Cork City I was not offered the right contract and having made a lot of sacrifices, like not going to college, and Cork City were very good at that time so I didn’t see myself playing games, nor did I hear the right words from the manager that I would get the opportunity.

“So I trusted my gut. It was nerve-racking making these calls at age 18 or 19, but honestly if I had go back I’d do it again.”

That might wash in the League of Ireland, but switching from Brentford to Rotherham in 2019 was supposed to be handled by the middle men.

“I have a close friend who suggested I go to a Rotherham game. And when I was there I just decided to introduce myself to the manager. Contract talks at Brentford were kind of at a halt so I just wanted to make it clear that I was serious about the move.

“The manager mentioned to me that he didn’t sign me because he wanted me, he signed me because he knew what type of person I was, having shown up to that game. He knew he was signing a good human being. He always reminds me of that.”

Speaking of good human beings, when did Kenny come into your life?

“I think he tried to sign me for Dundalk but going to Brentford was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. Last year, during my knee injury, he rang and said he would like to bring me on board to the national team. I was quite shocked. My agent [Corcoran] played a big part in speaking with Stephen, making sure he knew I was interested in declaring for Ireland.”

Despite FIFA erecting some highly questionable barriers for an Irish citizen born in Nigeria, Ogbene came off the bench in Budapest last June. Five caps later, he has three wins, two draws and two important goals from Ireland’s 10-nil aggregate return.

“I feel like nothing has come easy for me. I have always had to work hard. At youth level in Cork I was never the best player, I never played for the ‘emerging talent’ team or the Cork schoolboys. I always wanted to get to the level so I trained harder than everyone else.

“I would never let anyone get above me. The most talented players are treated differently, and I would have been on the receiving end when I wasn’t being treated nicely and I would always smile, I would always be happy. That comes from my mum.”
Seven-year anniversary

South Yorkshire was frozen over last week, so Ogbene could celebrate a milestone with his partner Sandra as Rotherham United’s rock-hard pitch mercifully interrupted League One’s two-match-a-week grind.

“Secretly I hoped the game against Lincoln would be called off as the right wing back role is taxing on the body,” said Ogbene, in mock conspiratorial tones over Zoom. “A lot of mileage up and down so when you play Saturday-Tuesday you feel the fatigue. You are not as explosive as you want to be.

“Also, it is our seven-year anniversary.”

Doing anything nice? “We have to! She was going to be watching a football match. . .”

Ideally Rotherham are promoted in May as League One champions and avoid a play-off slog. This would ensure his hamstrings make the Nations League in June, where four matches in 10 gruelling days include separate trips to Armenia and Ukraine (presuming a Russian invasion can be averted).

The outbreak of a third World War hindering the flow of Irish-Africans like Gavin Bazunu, Andrew Omobamidele, Idah and Ogbene into the Ireland team would fit neatly into the madness of the Kenny era.

“We all have one agenda – to win for the nation,” said Ogbene of this new look Ireland side. “And, at the same time, you are doing your family proud. We came to Ireland, to a different culture, different surroundings, and the way I have been accepted really did bring tears to my mother’s eyes. You see how people treat her in Cork. She feels famous. It is really nice for her to feel included in the society.”

Giants Now: Osi Growing Football In Nigeria

BY MATT CITAK

Osi Umenyiora

Osi Umenyiora growing football in Nigeria with The Uprise

Osi Umenyiora put together a dominant career with the Giants.

In 129 games from 2003 to 2012, the defensive end amassed 75.0 sacks, good for the sixth-most in franchise history. Additionally, his 32 forced fumbles ranks No. 1 all-time among Giants legends, while his 70 tackles for loss comes in at No. 4. Umenyiora was a two-time All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler and of course, a two-time Super Bowl Champion during his years with Big Blue. He was inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor back in 2015.

As impressive as he was on the field, Umenyiora has made a tremendous impact off the field as well. While he was born in London, Umenyiora's parents are both originally from Nigeria. He has quietly been donating resources to Nigeria for two decades now, but he recently decided he wanted to do more for his homeland.

Umenyiora's latest humanitarian effort is called The Uprise, a football program established in Nigeria by the former Giant and Ejike Ugboaja, a former Nigerian professional basketball player.

Through this program, three young men earned the opportunity to travel to the International Combine in London.

"We had some of the guys come over to the UK combine, and the people who saw them were wowed," Umenyiora said. "They were amazed by the level of size, strength and athleticism these guys have, and I was just telling them there's so many more of them there who just need that opportunity, right? And the mentality and the work ethic that they all have, it's not just, 'Oh, I need to make it the NFL.' They want to go to school, they just want a chance to do something better with their lives, and American football is pretty much a sport that gives them that opportunity."

Check out the video below to view Umenyiora's inspiring effort to help grow football in Nigeria through The Uprise.

 In the latest edition of Papa's Perspective, Bob Papa and John Schmeelk look back at some of the most memorable matchups between the Giants and Bears, which can be found in the audio below.

AHIA MGBEDE: 40 Years After, Ekeji Recalls Why He Missed AFCON 1980 Finals

Pat Ekeji

BY DURO IKHAZUAGBE

As Nigerians are celebrating 40 years of Green Eagles first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory in 1980, Dr. Patrick Ekeji who was an integral part of the squad few months before the final, recalls events that led to his exit from the team.

Speaking with THIS DAY yesterday, Dr. Ekeji who rose to become the country’s chief sports officer as Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), attributed his exit from the Green Eagles as ordained by God.

“I was an integral part of the team and was always in the ‘possibles’ line up. It never crossed my mind that I will not be in the team to play in the 1980 Nations’ Cup for Nigeria,” recalled Ekeji.

As a fresh graduate from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Ekeji was hot for both Enugu Rangers and the senior national team. He was shuttling between Enugu and Lagos for Rangers and the Green Eagles respectively.

He recalled that after Rangers lost the 1978/79 league title chase and were beaten 3-0 in the final of the 1979 Challenge Cup in Lagos by Bendel Insurance FC of Benin, Coach P.O.C Achebe got eased out of the Rangers job.

“I thus became a Coach/Player for Rangers. It was during this period that I met one of the young Brazilian coaches then NFA Chairman, Sunday Dankaro recruited for Nigeria. Carlos Alberto Parreira along with Head Coach, Otto Gloria and a Fitness Trainer, Carlesso were brought into the Green Eagles team to compliment the jobs of Nigerian coaches like Isiaka Yakubu and John Zagbai.

“But along the line, Carlos was seconded to Rangers to help organize the teams ahead of the West African Football Union Cup semi final clash with Police of Senegal team. While working with Carlos, I just discovered that he brought a refreshingly different aura to the team. It was even better than what we were getting at the Green Eagles camp.

“ This was what made me, as one of the senior players in the Eagles to report my observations of Carlos’s technical competence to both Isaac Akioye who was NSC director and Eleyae Awoture the NIS boss at the time. I wanted Carlos drafted to the Green Eagles,” Ekeji also recalled.

However, his suggestion leaked to Otto Gloria as Head Coach who didn’t take kindly to it.

“I just noticed that Otto Gloria was no longer using me among the ‘Possibles’ anymore. He started to sideline me as punishment for dare to suggest bringing Carlos Alberto Parrieira to Green Eagles for his competence,” alleged the ex international.

Ekeji said when he could not stomach it any longer, “ I just walked up to Otto Gloria to tell him I wanted to decamp and he obliged me with a handshake.”

Ekeji said he had to reactivate a scholarship for a Master degree programme in Germany that was barely a month to expiration.

He said he had no regrets for his reports about the competence of Carlos Alberto Parreira because the coach proved his worth later by leading Brazil to win the World Cup in 1994.

“Looking back now, I think my not playing in the AFCON 1980 and getting all the largesse handed out to my teammates by the Federal Government was ordained by God.

“Though I missed those benefits but I gained more through the Masters degree programme as it prepared me more for some of the roles I later played in the nation’s sports.”

Ekeji who rose to the exalted position of Director General of the National Sports Commission, believes that that AFCON 1980 victory opened doors for subsequent honours Nigeria picked up in the game at both continental and global levels.

SOURCE: THIS DAY LIVE

AHIA MGBEDE: Obstacles Overcome, TFC Rookie Achara Now Hoping To Set MLS On Fire

Ifunanyachi Achara. Image: Toronto FC

BY STEVE BUFFERY

Trying to get a professional athlete to reveal his personal goals for an upcoming season can be as difficult as getting a Fort Knox guard to give you the combination to the vault.

Nobody, it seems, wants to say something that might come back and haunt them.

But Toronto FC rookie Ifunanyachi Achara certainly isn’t afraid to lay it on the line.

“My first goal this year was to get drafted, and then sign, which was awesome,” the young TFC forward said following a training session at BMO Field. “My goal now is to try to make the team, try to come (off) the bench and see how I can help the team. And keep working hard. And personal goals … winning (MLS) rookie of the year is achievable for me. I think if I get my chance on the field, I can do a lot.”

Hey, when your journey to the professional ranks has been as improbable as Achara’s, you’re not afraid to aim high and go for it.

When Achara was 15 years old, he had made a name for himself playing youth/street soccer in his hometown of Enugu, in southeastern Nigeria, and was invited to try out for the Nigerian U17 team. Despite a good camp, he didn’t make the national team — an exceptionally talented squad that went on to win the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates.

“That was really disappointing,” said Achara, who thought that perhaps he had missed a huge opportunity to get recognized and further his career. “But I used that to work harder.”

The work paid off. Later, while playing in a tournament back home, Achara was spotted by American coach Jon Moodey and — through the MTN Football Scholar program — recruited to the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass. While there, he played with England U21 international Jack Harrison, Charlotte Independence winger Mutaya Mwape and, later on, future TFC teammate Jacob Shaffelburg. Going to Berkshire was a turning point in Achara’s life, though travelling to a new country and barely speaking English was not easy.

“The first year was really tough because it was really cold in Massachusetts and I had to adapt to the weather and the food,” he said. “It was hard for me to communicate. It was difficult writing papers, talking to teachers and doing presentations. I couldn’t really express myself. I knew what I wanted to say, but I just couldn’t say it.

“I was alone, but at the same time I had a lot of people who cared about me, like Jon Moodey and some of the faculty at Berkshire and then later at Georgetown,” he said.

Berkshire opened doors for Achara in soccer and in other ways. He embraced new experiences with both arms, such as playing ice hockey for the first time. In his senior year at the prestigious New England boarding school, the young Nigerian was told, as part of a course, to pick an intramural winter sport to try.

“All my friends were doing basketball, but I’m just terrible at basketball,” Achara said with a laugh. “So I thought I’d try something I’ve never done before. We don’t have ice rinks in Nigeria and I wanted to try a different culture’s sports.”

Achara spent two weeks learning to skate before finally playing a game.

“I learned to skate, but I couldn’t stop. I’d just run into the (boards),” he said, laughing. “I got better, but our team was terrible. We were bad because it was all new people learning how to skate and play hockey. And then we played against the (junior varsity) girls team.

“I scored the game-winner!” he said, laughing.

One sport other than soccer that Achara did excel in at Berkshire was track. In fact, he was a member of the Berkshire team that won the New England Prep School Track Association 4×400-metre relay title. Another member was Shaffelburg (who later won a NEPSTA 4×100 title with Ifunanyachi’s younger brother Ugochukwu, now a forward with Northwestern University). When asked who is faster, he or Shaffelburg, Ifunanyachi smiled and said his Canadian teammate can beat him over 100 metres but probably not over 400. When relayed that information, Shaffelburg smiled, slyly, and said that he can beat Achara over any distance.

From Berkshire, Achara went to Georgetown University and flourished in the Big East Conference, captaining the Hoyas to the NCAA national championship in 2019. His career with Georgetown, however, was marred by injuries, including lateral collateral ligament in his right knee in his first and second years, and a sprained left meniscus requiring surgery prior to his senior year. It was clear that Achara had all the qualities to be a tremendous player — strength, pace, skill and athleticism — but he seemed snake-bit and there was some question, at least in his mind, whether his name would be announced at the MLS SuperDraft. The 22-year-old said his plan, if he wasn’t drafted, was to work for a while in the U.S., save some money and then return home and perhaps work in his dad’s small retail business in Enugu. Happily, the Reds selected Achara 25th overall in the 2020 draft, though he likely would have gone much higher if not for his injury history at Georgetown.

“That was awesome,” said Achara. “But it was a difficult pick for (TFC). If it was a U.S. team that had drafted me, I would have been able to go there right away. But I had to get a VISA (to come) to Canada. And I couldn’t do my VISA (application) because I didn’t know if I would make the team yet. I was in a difficult spot.”

To add to the uncertainty, just before the Reds opened preseason training in Orlando in January, Achara came down with the flu and was told to stay home. Again, he felt like a tremendous opportunity to move his career forward was falling by the wayside.

“My feeling was, they’re aren’t going to see me enough,” he said.

But Achara was able to join TFC in Los Angeles for the second part of pre-season where he put the coaching staff on notice that he waqs ready to play in MLS right now, scoring three goals in preseason games. Before the regular season began, TFC signed Achara to a first-team contract.
Shaffelburg was at the Canadian national team training camp when he heard that the Reds had drafted Achara, his former teammate at Berkshire.

“I was shocked,” said the Port Williams, N.S. native. “I had no idea (the team was considering him). I was rooming with (TFC forward) Jayden (Nelson) at Canada camp and he said: ‘Look who we drafted.’ So I looked and it was Achara. I couldn’t believe it. But it’s crazy to be here with him.”

Shaffelburg, now in his second year with the Reds, said when he first arrived at Berkshire as a freshman, Achara was a senior and went out of his way to help him get acclimatized to the school and the campus. Now Shaffelburg wants to do the same for Achara in Toronto.

“He’s a super nice guy,” said the second-year winger.

Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney is careful not to place young players too high on a pedestal. And rightly so. Players don’t need that kind of pressure. But he certainly wasn’t stingy on Thursday in his praise of Achara after seeing what the young man can do on the field.
“I think he’s a player who’s going to help us this year,” said Vanney. “Over the years, we haven’t had a lot of draft picks who, in their first year, were going to bring something new to the team. But I think he will be able to.

“Very interesting player,” Vanney continued. “Very intelligent kid. Whenever we’ve given him tactical information or even adjustments in-game, he’s very quick to apply them. He’s quick, he can play on the move, he can play short, he’s technically gifted with his right foot and his left foot. He’s a player that we’re excited about and we believe can help us and add some difference. He can come inside, he can stay outside, he can play as a nine (centre forward), he can play as a winger. He’s a really nice player in all aspects. And defensively, he understands his role and he’s in the right positions. He brings a unique skill set to our group that we need.”

Vanney said there’s a chance Achara may get some time on the field during the club’s home opener on Saturday against New York City FC.

“For me, it’s looking for the right moment and opportunity to get him out in front of the big crowd, get his feet wet and take the emotion of it in,” said the coach.

Vanney said he received several texts from friends in soccer after the Reds selected the young Nigerian.

“(They) said: ‘This kid is really talented. If you can get the best out of him, he’s going to help you a great deal,’” said Vanney. “And he’s probably further along than we thought in terms of his tactical intelligence, his understanding and feel for the game and his ability to apply things quickly.”

The best news of all for Achara is, physically, he feels great – no lingering aches or pains from his time at Georgetown.

“The injury stuff is all in the past now,” he said. “I’m strong, I feel great, nothing hurts. It’s just amazing.”

The Reds’ return to Toronto from San Jose last Sunday marked Achara’s first-ever visit to Canada and training at frigid BMO Field on Thursday certainly didn’t throw him for a loop. He can’t stop smiling.

“I love it here,” he said. “Coming here and playing and being around the guys, they just make you so much better. They’re all good players.”

Sitting inside the dining room at BMO Field, Achara admitted that he has one other goal this season — to be able to bring his parents to Toronto from Nigeria. The personable footballer hasn’t been back home since Christmas 2016 and admits that he gets homesick and really misses his family.

“I don’t think my mom has actually ever seen me play soccer at all,” he said. “That would be nice if they come.”

INJURED RETURNS ARE ON HOLD

Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney said on Thursday that winger Jacob Shaffelburg (hamstring) and midfielder Nick DeLeon (back) will likely not be in the lineup for the club’s home opener at BMO Field on Saturday against New York City FC.

“I still have to find out the severity of it and the timeline,” said Vanney, of Shaffelburg.

“Nick is getting closer. He had some work done on his back to try to relieve some nerve pain and he’s moving in the right direction. Everybody else who was in San Jose (for the season opener last Saturday) will be ready to go.”

There was actually a Pablo Piatti sighting at BMO Field on Thursday, though the club’s new Designated Player did not train with his teammates on the field.

Piatti suffered a strained hamstring during pre-season camp in Los Angeles. There is no timeline for his return.

“Once I start to see him around the field and running and working, then I’ll have a better indication,” Vanney said.

“I don’t have an exact time at the moment. One, we’ve got to get the hamstring healthy and, two, continue to get his fitness level up and get him ready to play.”

SOURCE: THE SUDBURY STAR

Who Are Giannis Antetokounmpo's Parents?

Giannis Antetokonumpo and his parents

BY ZACK WILLIS

The Antetokounmpo family has a lot to be thankful for. Not only is Giannis the reigning MVP and leader of the league-best Milwaukee Bucks, but older brother Thanasis plays alongside him and Kostas has been in and out of the Lakers lineup all season.

None of this would’ve been possible without the support of their parents. The Antetokounmpo brothers have been vocal about this since they entered the NBA.

Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo were both born and raised in Nigeria and emigrated to Greece early on, reports the Olympic Channel. As struggling immigrants, the Antetokounmpo family had to put up with a lot of racism and other hurdles, but this helped drive them toward the NBA.

The family’s Nigerian roots helped anchor their lives at home. In a country that treated them like they were unwanted, the family remembered its roots as it experienced everyday life. Giannis spoke about his home with The Undefeated.

“Obviously, I was born in Greece and went to school in Greece. But at the end of the day when I go home, there is no Greek culture,” Giannis said. “It’s straight-up Nigerian culture. It’s about discipline; it’s about respecting your elders, having morals.”

The Antetokounmpo parents spoke in Igbo, their native tongue, when they were at home. The family was full of perennial outsiders, but it was through basketball that they began to get noticed by those who had scorned them.

Discovering basketball

Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo were both athletes, although neither were basketball players. Charles was a soccer player in Nigeria; Veronica was a high-jumper. So while they may not have been versed in basketball, they knew what it took to be a competitor.

Giannis’s first love wasn’t basketball. As a kid, he followed in his father’s footsteps and took a liking to soccer. The eldest brother, Francis, was also a soccer player, so the athletic genes ran in the family. Perhaps thanks to his size, however, Giannis’s interests went to the sport he’s synonymous with.

When Giannis was a teenager and got serious about basketball, his father did everything in his power to ensure his son did what he needed to do to realize his dreams. At 14 years old, Charles insisted his son take a nap on game days to keep himself refreshed for the game. It’s a tradition Giannis continues to this day.

The Antetokounmpo family has always thrived thanks to the love and support of their parents. But a personal tragedy in 2017 altered their lives forever. Charles, only 53 at the time, was taken to the hospital with severe chest pains. Ten days later, he passed away. Heartbroken, Giannis took to Instagram to eulogize his father and thank him for everything he did.

“It’s been a year daddy, so many things have happened since the day you left for a better place and I know you been watching down on us with a smile just like the one in the picture. I think about you every single day and I miss you very much but September 29th is not going to be a sad day in my calendar but a day that I cherish what a great father and role model me and my brothers have in our life. I love you very much.”

Charles’ legacy lives on through his family. Giannis’s newborn son, Liam Charles Antetokounmpo, serves as a testament to the hard work his parents instilled in their family.

Azubuike Leading No. 1 Kansas Back On Top Of College Hoops

Kansas center Udoka Azubuike, left, comes up with the ball after a dive on the floor with Oklahoma forward Brady Manek, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

BY DAVE SKERETTA

LAWRENCE, KANSAS (AP) – Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton had just finished watching Udoka Azubuike bully his way to 19 points and 16 rebounds against his over-matched Cowboys when he pulled the 7-footer aside and pointed to the rafters in Allen Fieldhouse.

“Keep it up,” Boynton whispered into the ear of the Kansas center, “and your name will be up there, too.”

There are certain requirements for a player to have his jersey raised above the south seats in the old field house, among them becoming an All-American or winning the Big 12’s player of the year award. It’s not an honor that the Jayhawks bestow on just anyone.

The way Azubuike has been playing lately, it won’t be long before his No. 35 joins the jerseys of the great Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Lovellette, Jo Jo White and Danny Manning hanging from the ceiling.

“I don’t watch a whole lot of national basketball,” Boynton said later, “but I’d be hard-pressed to find a better national player of the year candidate than he is. The way he’s playing now is pretty special. Obviously there’s a special kind of fan base here and they appreciate it, but I don’t know if people appreciate him nationally.”

Azubuike has certainly opened some eyes over the last month.

His run began with 17 points and 12 rebounds against Texas, then continued with 20 points and 15 boards at TCU. Azubuike had another double-double against Oklahoma, then had 23 points and 19 rebounds last Saturday as the Jayhawks (25-3, 13-1) beat then-No. 1 Baylor on the road to regain the top spot in the nation and forge a tie atop the Big 12 standings.

Along the way, Azubuike reached the 1,000-point mark for his career – a nice benchmark considering he missed much of his first couple seasons to injury. His total of 35 rebounds in the past two games are the most since Thomas Robinson had that many during the 2011-12 season, and his 42 points and 35 rebounds allowed him to join Robinson, Dedric Lawson, Wayne Simien and Drew Gooden as the only players with at 40 or more points and 30 or more rebounds in a two-game span.

Azubuike has also been able to steer clear of foul trouble. His conditioning has improved to the point that he can easily play more than 30 minutes per game. And his defense has been unparalleled, almost single-handedly shutting down the entire paint.

“We’ve been trying to tell Doke all along he can dominate a game without getting a lot of touches. If that’s the case, he’s quickly becoming as good a center or the best defensive center since I’ve been here, and we’ve had some good ones,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I think people have begun to recognize him for what he brings to the table.”

Azubuike has come a long ways since his childhood in Delta, Nigeria. He was an exceedingly raw prospect coming out of high school, and his only offensive move early on was a dunk. But his game has improved over time to where he is a more well-rounded player – even his chronically poor foul shooting has reached an acceptable level.

Still, the question remains: Will the bruising big man’s game translate to the NBA?

Most mock drafts have the senior center going in the second round, if at all, primarily because teams are wary of drafting a prototypical center the way the game has evolved. And whereas Azubuike can dunk his way to big numbers in college, those easy looks at the rim will be much harder to find in the pros, and his mid-range game remains a work in progress.

“If he plays to his athletic ability that’s how he’ll get paid,” Self said. “He’ll never get paid by shooting 15-foot fadeaways or whatever it is. That’s not who he is. So, can he guard a ball screen? Can he get to the rim? Can he defend outside his area? If he can do those things he has a chance to make it.”

Most of the names hanging from the rafters in Allen Fieldhouse didn’t just put up big numbers or earn a long list of individual accolades. That’s not how the truly great ones get remembered at Kansas. They also took their team deep into the NCAA Tournament, and the best of them ushered the Jayhawks to the Final Four and beyond.

Azubuike has been there once, helping Kansas to the national semifinals as a sophomore. Taking his team back to the final weekend of the season would almost certainly cement his legacy among the best to play for the Jayhawks.

“If you look at Doke over the last recent games, you could make a case for it,” Self said. “Hopefully he’ll continue on this uptick and keep building on it, and if we win he’ll get some mention for player of the year. I’d like all our guys to be in the game for all the postseason accolades, but we still need to win games to think about any of that.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo Wants To Represent Best Of Both Worlds

Ciannis Antetokounmpo. Image: NBA

BY MARC J. SPEARS

Reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to show he’s more than just the “Greek Freak.”

As an All-Star captain this year, the Milwaukee Bucks forward displayed his pride in his African heritage during the All-Star draft.

“With my first pick I’m going to go with my African brother,” Antetokounmpo said during the telecast. “I’m going to go with Joel Embiid.”

And with his second pick, he took his “second African brother,” Pascal Siakam.

The draft selections were surprising to some, including TNT’s Inside the NBA crew, but not to those who know Antetokounmpo.

“He’s having a good time and enjoying the moment,” Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry said, “and he should.”

Antetokounmpo was born in Greece after his parents moved from Lagos, Nigeria, in 1991, but the four-time All-Star said he grew up in “a Nigerian home,” hearing his mother’s native language Igbo and enjoying Nigerian food, culture and music.

Last year, Antetokounmpo opened up to The Undefeated about wanting to learn more about his Nigerian roots. Since then, he said, a lot more Nigerians have embraced him.

“I was really, really happy about that,” Antetokounmpo said recently. “They call me ‘The Greek Freak’ and a lot of people support me and all that [in Greece]. A lot of people don’t know that I love my Nigerian side. The minute I go back home and walk in — my mom is Nigerian, I don’t have Greek in my house, so a lot of Nigerian people reaching out to me — was amazing. It made me feel welcome, so that was nice.”

While Antetokounmpo feels pressure from his fans to choose between Nigeria and Greece, he prefers to represent both.

​“It’s not a competition. I kind of hate that. I really do hate that,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’ve spoken about it. I kind of hate that a lot of people say, ‘He’s not Greek, he’s Nigerian.’ ‘No, he’s not Nigerian, he’s Greek.’ I’m both. I’m both. The same way a lot of people are both, I’m both.

“My parents are Nigerian. When I go back home, it’s Nigerian. Nigeria is in my blood. But I was raised [in Greece] and I was born in Greece. I’m both. … Just to be arguing about it, that’s silly and that’s dumb. In my opinion, it has to be accepted that a guy can be both. He can feel both.”

Lasry, who was born in Morocco, can relate to Antetokounmpo. His family moved to the United States when he was 7. His mother believed their family would have a better life here.

“Giannis just views himself as a person,” Lasry said. “He loves the fact that his parents came from Nigeria to Greece. He loves his heritage. He doesn’t view himself as one person. I was born in Morocco. It was great that I was born there. I don’t look at myself as Moroccan-American. I look at myself as I am who I am. I think Giannis looks at himself the exact same way.

“We’ve talked about the fact that we both weren’t born here. … It’s hard coming to a country and you’re trying to assimilate. At the same time, how lucky we are to be in the United States, because it’s the best country in the world.”

Antetokounmpo is now arguably the best player in the world. The 6-foot-11-inch forward visited his hometown of Athens last summer and starred on Greece’s World Cup team. He also plans to finally visit Nigeria this offseason.

“We got things we got to do as a family with [my brothers] and my mom,” said Antetokounmpo, who announced the birth of his son, Liam Charles Antetokounmpo, on Monday. (Charles is the name of Antetokounmpo’s late father.) “We going to go out there, go through our village and kind of [tape] a small documentary of us going there and seeing where my dad grew up, where my mom grew up. We have a lot of family back home. …

“We know where we are going to stay. We know what we are going to do. It’s going to be family. Let’s go do it. So I’m happy.”

SOURCE: THE UNDEFEATED

Raising Children With Values In Greenwich

Sean Obi

BY BOBBI EGGERS

Raising children in an affluent society has many challenges that are unpredictable as your kids grow up. Where you send your children to school, who your friends are and what happens along the way is a journey full of surprises. The choices you make are incredibly important for their future. Bringing a child from another country and culture and helping raise that individual in an affluent society such as Greenwich is even more unpredictable. This year we are celebrating ten years since our Greenwich family stood at JFK and welcomed a 6’ 9” 15 year old, black African into our family, Sean Obi. Our family made the decision together, excited to give this very special kid an opportunity in the United States and in our home in Greenwich, CT, changing his life and ours forever.

We had done our homework. My husband, Steve, had been doing business in Nigeria and played pickup basketball games in his free time there. He developed a group of basketball obsessed friends who talked about NBA or college games most of their business meetings. One of these friends contacted Steve and told him about “a smart, very respectful basketball loving kid who deserves better coaching in the United States and a better education than he will get here.” My son, Hunter, enthusiastically volunteered to have a brother. Hunter will always be my hero for stepping aside and generously sharing his life, not always as simple as it seems. I spoke to Sean’s parents in Nigeria, teachers, coaches, and almost anyone who ever knew him. We decided it was the right thing to do.

Sean’s background in Nigeria was something entirely different from the lives of my “natural” children, who now have a brother whose house was burnt down in religious riots when he was six years old. Not your typical Greenwich family experience. “We lost everything,” Sean said. His family is of the Christian Igbo tribe and they opted to move to a safer community. Sean spent his early education in a Catholic school with 100 students in a room, no laptops, and a teacher who wrote the lessons on a chalkboard. Students were not allowed to ask questions and the teacher didn’t know their names. It was learning by rote. Students like Sean did not read books, except for text books, and did not write papers. Teachers taught students how to write letters- a more useful tool for everyday lives.

Then, Sean was suddenly plunked into Greenwich in what seemed to be a Kardashian life, viewed only on TV. The beautiful homes, luxury cars and the brightly lit grocery stores packed to the ceilings with such a wide variety of fresh food and colorful packages, overwhelming and exciting all at once. Greens Farms Academy in Westport welcomed Sean to school with open arms. Hunter was already a student there and was excited to introduce his new brother to his friends, his basketball team and the teachers. Imagine going from being an anonymous student in a large classroom in Africa to learning, seated at a round Harkness table, with eight students at a private school in Westport, where you are expected to speak, discuss the book you are reading, and ask questions. This was a completely different educational culture to what he had known. Sean came to America with no background on George Washington, the Civil War, or drop down menus. His first book was Oedipus Rex, followed by Shakespeare. Although English was his first language, our cadence is different.

Our pronunciations and rhythm took time for him to figure out, but Sean was completely determined to be successful. He would sleep for two hours and then study for 3, then back to sleep and up by 6:00 am. He became his own advocate and, witnessing his will to learn, teachers at Greens Farm were enthusiastic to help. His hard work and determination helped launched him to Rice University and later to Duke University where he was recruited to play basketball. Some knee surgery slowed him down a bit, but he was never ambitious to play in the NBA and opted, instead, to get his master’s degree and go into business. His volunteer assistant basketball coach in high school, Peter Deutsch, took Sean under his wing, coached him on basketball moves and became a close friend of our family. “We are kindred spirits,” Peter says. Admiring his hard work ethic, Sean now works for Peter in his thriving business, Deutsch Family Wine Importers, in Stamford. The connections our Greenwich children make along the way often become monumental. It is part of the joy of living here.

Sean is not the only lucky one. My natural Greenwich children have a broader global understanding and empathy since Sean came into our lives. “Sean was my brother and my parent’s son right from the start,” Hunter says. “We are family.” One of my daughters, Madison, remembers Sean coming into our lives with great enthusiasm. “People always ask why we did it. He fit right in. It just happened naturally and it feels like he’s always been a part of our family.” People have been respectful and often curious. Sean and I are very close and when we are out and about, I can see other moms, puzzled, trying to figure us out- a 6’ 9,” 260 pound athlete, helping a much shorter me, with groceries, or trying to find a shirt at Lord and Taylor that has arms that are long enough for him. I have had friends say to me, “Oh how nice of you to do that. I could never do it.” I understand. We also have several friends who have brought international children into their families. It’s not for everyone, to be sure.

What is for everyone is trying to figure out how to give back or pay it forward, in your own significant way. Role modeling and guidance are the most important jobs you have as a parent. Help others in a way that works for you and your family. Show your children how to give back, especially when we have so much in our lives. It builds character and generosity of spirit. Family matters and our family is broader and richer with Sean as a member.

Together, with the Reverend Cheryl McFadden, we have started free Family Matters gatherings, open to all, at the Christ Church Greenwich bookstore, Dogwood, on some Sundays at 10:00 am. We will be discussing how to raise children with values in an affluent society, answering questions kids have about God, and on February 9, the topic is “Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?” Join us. For more info, email the Rev. Dr. Cheryl McFadden: cmcfadden@christchurchgreenwich.org

SOURCE: GREENWICH SENTINEL

OHIO STATE GRAD ASSISTANT KENNY ANUNIKE, A MAN WITH A DEEP AND PASSIONATE BACKGROUND, IS POSITIONING HIMSELF AS A POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR TO LARRY JOHNSON

Ohio State grad assistant Kenny Anunike, a Columbus native and Olentangy High School alum, could replace Larry Johnson as the Buckeyes' defensive line coach one day. Image via Eleven Warriors

BY ZACK CARPENTER

INDIANAPOLIS – Kenny Anunike stands in the south end zone of Lucas Oil Stadium just a few yards in front of his boss, Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, holding a pair of arm pads as he puts the Buckeyes’ Rushmen through their regular pre-game warmups.

A deep, booming “Set, HIT!” from Anunike, and off goes Chase Young, DaVon Hamilton or Tyler Friday, pulling their fists from the dirt, side-scissoring Anunike’s pads to the left, curling around the imposing 6-foot-5 defensive line assistant and powering their way toward Johnson, punching through their main position coach’s own arm pads to the right before jogging to the back of the line.

When each player on the country’s leading sack unit pushes through Anunike and gets to Johnson, maybe they don’t know it, but there’s a chance they’re running from the future and into the past.

Anunike, who joined Ohio State’s staff in 2017 and is in his second season as a graduate assistant, was chosen by Johnson to help lead a group of men that has grown to respect him as a mentor and football guide. So much so that Anunike (pronounced AN-NU-NICKY) has emerged as a worthy potential candidate to replace Johnson one day.

The next step for most graduate assistants who stick around the program for two years is a promotion to quality control coach. If he does stay with the Buckeyes past this season, that seems the likeliest option for Anunike, who’s trying to stay focused on the here-and-now but admits a potential takeover of Johnson has crossed his mind.

“I would absolutely love that,” Anunike said. “I’m from Ohio. I was born in Ohio. Scarlet and gray bleeds through my veins. I would love that. If that is in store for me – which is what I pray to God for – then that’s what it is. But if it’s not, then I’ll deal with it wherever I end up. I’m just excited to be where I am right now, with this amazing team and this amazing group of athletes, amazing group of players and amazing group of coaches, man. This is a place unlike anywhere I’ve ever been before. The brotherhood is truly, truly real on this team.

“I just worry about this moment. I worry about what’s right in front of me. I let that worry about itself because if I take care of what’s right in front of me right now, then I know those chips will fall in place right where they need to be, you know what I mean?”

Retirement rumors seem to run rampant for Johnson at this time of year. There’s been nothing concrete, only conjecture, as he continues to remain king over all other college defensive line coaches in terms of player development. But whenever Johnson does decide to hang up the spurs, he will need a successor to the crown, and there’s a very real possibility Anunike could slide in as the Buckeyes’ next defensive line coach.

“With the path he’s on right now, I think he could take over any D-line in the country,” Friday said. “I feel like, in a year or so, whenever Coach J wants to be done with this, Coach Kenny’s been built to take over and take us in the right path.”

Hamilton, a former three-star defensive lineman, mainly has Johnson to thank for evolving into a starter and the team’s second-leading sack getter.

Anunike had a strong hand in that development as well, bringing a more youthful, fiery side to the defensive line room and also providing different angles and perspectives learned during his time in the NFL while playing for the Denver Broncos. All reasons why Hamilton says he could see Anunike becoming Johnson’s successor.

“Yeah, I definitely could,” Hamilton said. “He works really hard at what he does, and hopefully he gets an opportunity to do what he loves to do. He’s definitely capable of doing whatever he dreams of doing.”

The team’s most talented defensive lineman has also gained an admiration and respect for Anunike and says he “definitely” could see Anunike stepping in for Johnson.

“If he really takes the teaching from Coach J – ‘cause Coach J’s gonna give him everything that he has – if he takes it and runs with it, I think he’ll be very good,” Young said. “He went to Duke. He had a 3.8 GPA. He can do whatever he wants in life if he wanted to, but he chooses to come here and coach us. We can’t ask for a better coach. Kenny, he can be the best that he wants to be.”

Those are incredibly strong words to describe the potential supplantation of a living legend by a guy who has zero position-coaching experience at any level.

Having a staffer go straight from grad assistant to position coach rarely happens because of the obvious risk. It happened recently for the Buckeyes when Brian Hartline took over for Zach Smith. That’s been a wildly successful move, but Hartline wasn’t replacing a beloved figure like Johnson, who in just six years has become immortal among loyal scarlet and gray die-hards.

Even without that desired experience, though, Anunike could be the perfect man for the unenviable task. Johnson has been grooming him for two years and has increasingly given him more challenges and tasks, at times putting Anunike solely in charge of the defensive line room.

He also has rapport and relationships with many of the Buckeyes’ defensive line targets, having taken on more recruiting responsibilities, especially since the summer, and he’s become one of the main assistants who many Ohio State recruits have referenced they have loved spending time getting to know.

Anunike wouldn’t be given that responsibility if he wasn’t worthy. He came to Ohio State with plenty of credibility and a local connection.

He was born in Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital in Westerville and was bred down the street from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, becoming a three-star defensive end at Olentangy High School for former Braves coach Ed Terwilliger, now heavily involved in recruiting as the Buckeyes’ director of high school relations.

Anunike was never recruited by Jim Tressel, instead taking a scholarship to become part of David Cutcliffe’s first class at Duke in 2008 as a tight end.

That’s where he made a name for himself, switching to defensive end full-time before his redshirt sophomore season, grinding through an assortment of injuries and five surgeries during a six-year career. He became a two-time All-ACC selection and the program’s all-time sacks leader when he left, earning the nickname “The Night Train” and creating a reputation as being a tough, unrelenting and respected player who coaches had to hold back on the field. Almost never the other way around.

“I’m a really highly passionate guy,” Anunike said. “That’s how I played the game. I flew around. Coaches didn’t have to tell me to hustle. They’d have to tell me to slow down and hold back a little bit. But you’d rather tell a horse to ‘Woah!’ than to ‘Giddy up!’ I’ve always thought that, and I’ve always had a drive and a passion. If I want something, I go get it and do it with everything that I’ve got.”

Two years after signing as a rookie free agent with the Broncos, he became a Super Bowl champion in 2014 while getting a front row seat for the teachings of Von Miller, which Anunike has passed down to Young.

“He’s (given) me tips on how to watch film and things like that,” Young said. “I would definitely use that and watch my opponents. I think that’s the biggest thing he’s really helped me with is how to watch film. He played in the league and played with one of the best, Von Miller, and Von taught him a lot. Some of the things that Von taught him, he’s teaching me.”

Anunike’s playing career ended in April 2017 when he was waived by the New York Jets, and in the summer he was brought onto the Buckeyes’ staff.

More than two years later, the 29-year-old has been on the field for those pre-game sessions, coaching with the same passion with which he played and thunderously echoing his voice at the Shoe, the Big House and Lucas Oil as an explosive coach who’s harnessed that energy by utilizing what Johnson has taught him.

“Coach J just teaches me how to hone it. It’s like when Cyclops takes off his glasses it’s like,” Anunike says, floating his hand across his face while making a laser noise in reference to the X-Men superhero. “Coach J just taught me how to put the glasses on and make it laser focused and to hone it – hone my skills, hone my voice, hone my attitude and everything – and just put it toward developing the players.”

But it’s more than just energy with Anunike. He’s learned three pillars of coaching from Johnson – motivation, inspiration and discipline of players.

“If you do those three things and you do them properly, and you show your players love and give them ownership, these players will run through walls for you,” Anunike said. “When you can do that and truly show these players that you love them, man, they’ll do anything for you.”

He’s also discovered how to better evaluate talent and character. It’s crucial to get high-quality character in your position room and to get players “who are great students, because I can give you a great correlation between a great student and a great football player and great athlete.”

The two sit in Johnson’s office weekly, an eclectic group of conversations being tossed around as the two have formed an air-tight bond by bouncing ideas off one another about how to attack zone reads and which packages they want to shuffle in and out on third downs against air raid offenses, while often finding time to share personal information and anecdotes.

“The conversations that we have are just unlike any other that I’ve had with any other coach or any other man in my life aside from my father,” Anunike said. “But the crazy thing is, me and Coach J are one in the same with just how we think and how we approach the game, which is how we really clicked. I have a deep, deep, extreme passion for the game of football. Coach J has the same exact thing. Coach J just may not voice it as loud as I do, but that’s me. I’m just a super passionate guy, and I’m not gonna change for nobody.”

Anunike didn’t develop that passion during his college or pro days. He was born with it. It’s quite literally in his blood.

Anunike is Nigerian. His father, Emmanuel, knew that for his son to have the life he wanted for him, he would have to be born on American soil. So he emigrated from his village in Onitsha, Nigeria to Boise, Idaho, working up every dollar he could in order to buy Anunike’s mother, Oby, a Visa and put her on a plane to America. She didn’t speak much English at the time, only fluent in Igbo – the principal native language of southeastern Nigeria – and she was eight months pregnant with Kenny, forced to sign a waiver so the airline would not be liable for her if she were to give birth mid-flight.

She landed in April, gave birth to Kenny in May in Ohio, and that’s when a career in education was supposed to begin that would land him in college

“In Nigerian culture, education is everything, man. Education, education, education,” Anunike said. “But I started getting good at football so my father was like – I would tell him, ‘Hey, I made a touchdown today,’ and he’d say ‘OK, how was your math test?’ … And then when he figured out he wouldn’t have to pay for school, he was like, ‘When’s your next game?’”

Football did get him into school, but the education came with it too. Anunike worked for that high GPA to earn a bachelor’s degree in biological anthropology and a master’s degree in liberal studies. He’s not alone in that academic success.

Anunike is the oldest of four, and he knew he couldn’t afford mistakes as he hoped to lead his two sisters and his brother down a straight path, which he certainly did.

One sister broke program records in shot put and discus for the Miami (Ohio) track and field team and serves as a seller of medical devices for Philips. Another sister recently passed her MCATs and is on the path to becoming a doctor (their father always wanted a doctor in the family). His brother played football for Toledo, being medically disqualified after suffering too many concussions but more than making up for it with a 4.0 GPA and nearing graduation with a business degree.

All this Anunike family success stems from Emmanuel and Oby’s high standards they set, and it’s all critical in how Kenny has become the Buckeye leader he is today.

“My dad set the bar so high, coming from Nigeria with nothing, and he got a Ph.D. in philosophy,” said Anunike, whose father also earned bachelor’s (architecture) and master’s (urban studies) degrees. “He works for the state of Ohio. He runs the solar department. If he can do all that with nothing, then how can I do nothing with everything? That’s really where my passion got sparked is from seeing his success.”

That’s why, when you see or hear him on the field, he wears those emotions so fervently on his sleeves. He knows no other way and would have it no other way.

Buckeye fans would be wise to get more acquainted with Anunike’s passion or start enjoying him while they’ve got him. Because no matter where it is, he will be a defensive line coach someday. That could mean for Ohio State next year or in two years. That could mean for another Power 5 program, or even a Group of 5 team down the road.

But whether it’s next season or years down the line, if all goes well, he’ll end up right back at Ohio Stadium and right back here in Columbus, where it all started. It would certainly make Emmanuel and Oby even prouder of their son. If that’s possible.

In the meantime, Anunike won’t rush anything. He’s going to wait patiently for his moment, and when that right moment comes, he’ll know exactly how to seize it.

Larry Johnson taught him that too.

SOURCE: ELEVEN WARRIORS