LITH's Ojuri Bolsters NDS Football Championship Run In Texas

Sam Ojuri, of Lake in the Hills, has rejuvenated his college career and now has a shot at a national college football championship this Saturday, Jan. 7.

“I promised myself when I got back I would do the best I can to show the coaches they recruited the right person,” Ojuri told the Daily Herald. “I wanted to exceed my expectations and their high expectations.”

Ojuri, a redshirt sophomore running back at Division-I North Dakota State University in Fargo, made up for a missed 2010 season with a bang in 2011.

The former Barrington High School football standout rushed for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns as the Bison team (13-1) makes its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series title game in Frisco, Texas.

The Bison, the No. 2 seed in the FCS playoffs, take on No. 1 seeded Sam Houston State University (14-0) at Pizza Hut Park at noon.

The game will be aired on ESPN 2.

"Not many teams can say you're still practicing right now, so you can be really happy" Ojuri told Fargo radio station KFGO.

As a high school player, Ojuri helped Barrington reach the section semifinals in 2008 when the Broncos had a 9-3 record. He racked up 1,852 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns that season.

Ojuri also starred as a basketball player and track athlete for the Broncos. A highly recruited Division-I football prospect, Ojuri surprised himself when he chose Division I-AA NDSU.

"They weren't in the picutre at all, and then I visited there and was like, 'Wow,'" Ojuri told the Daily Herald. "People think that's crazy but it's one of those places you have to see."

Since coming to NDSU, Ojuri has impacted the Bison backfield. He played as a true freshman in 2009 during rare losing season for the Bison (3-8). His 144 yards on 32 carries in limited playing time caught the attention of Bison coaches, but so did his off-the-field actions.

He missed the 2010 season after being suspended for violations of team rules.

"It was probably the most depressed I've ever been, watching my teammates go out and play and having to watch on the sideline," Ojuri told the Daily Herald. "I was totally exempt from the team and the only thing I could do was lift weights with the redshirt freshmen."

"It was me being young and not mature, and I had a couple of off-field issues that needed to be addressed."

Since then, Ojuri has emerged as the Bison's top running back along with senior back D.J. McNorton. That has given the Bison a power running game, which complements a strong passing attack and punishing defense. 

Ojuri became the 13th Bison to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season.

NDSU has a long-standing tradition of being a run-oriented program, which helped them win eight national titles at the Division II level. Ojuri joins a start-studded group that includes former Bison and St. Louis Ram running back Lamar Gordon.

“You see the list of 1,000-yard rushers and there’s a sense of accomplishment seeing my name up there with them,” Ojuri told the Fargo, ND, Forum.

Ojuri's parents, Adebisi and Abosede, reside in Lake in the Hills. Ojuri is a communications major at NDSU.