North Carolina State University Athletics
Program Spotlight: Yomi Ojo
11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Brian Reinhardt
Raleigh, N.C. - When NC State hired football coach Tom O’Brien after the 2006 season, a new attitude for the entire football team was promised at O’Brien’s introductory press conference. The new coach promised his football players would be Champions in the classroom, the community and on the football field.
One such player that had no problems living up to the coach’s high expectations in the classroom was senior offensive guard Yomi Ojo. Ojo had always achieved success in his class work since he stepped onto the NC State campus way back in the spring of 2003.
“I’ve always taken pride in my schoolwork,” said Ojo. “I think throughout both high school and college I’ve paid more attention to my work in the classroom than athletics. For me and my family, education was the key to success at NC State.”
Ojo will be one of 13 members of this year’s Wolfpack squad to receive their diploma from NC State this December. Ojo will get his degree in industrial engineering, and he said the main reason he has worked so hard over the last few years at school was to make his mother proud. He mother in fact, is the person that wanted to give him that unique Nigerian name.
“She is really happy to see me graduating,” said Ojo. “I take a lot of pride in getting this whole college experience done, and I know that she is proud of me for what I have accomplished.”
Although graduating from high school early and starting in the spring semester has become more routine over the years in college football, Ojo was one of the first players to experience the trend back in 2003. Because he was a top student in high school, and the way his school’s curriculum was set up, Ojo was able to enroll at NC State in the spring of 2003 when he would have been a high school senior.
“It was basically only like a two-week decision for myself,” said Ojo. “I just sort of got introduced to it, but it fit with my high school curriculum and was just something that was easy for me to do. I thought it was a good idea, so I just went for it.”
Although one might think it would be a hard decision to give up those senior year activities in high school, neither Ojo nor his mother thought twice about doing it.
“My mom was fine with that choice, because she knew it was something that I wanted to do,” said Ojo. “I went back for graduation and prom, so in the end I really don’t feel I missed out on anything on the high school side of things.”
Ojo is more than happy that he decided to get that early advantage at college life, and sees it as a reason he was able to adjust during his freshman season when school and football consumed all of his time.
“It let me get a good head start on the whole college situation,” said Ojo. “It let me get use to college without being in-season. The spring semester is a whole lot different than when we are playing in the fall.”
Originally born in New York, Ojo moved to Raleigh when he was around 11 years old. He eventually attended local Southeast High School, and had NC State as a prime college location located just a few miles down the road.
“When I was younger I went to a bunch of programs at NC State,” said Ojo. “I participated in science and math programs for African-Americans that were held on Centennial Campus. So to me, NC State was an easy selection as the college I wanted to go to.”
Even with an increase in playing time over the last few games on the offensive line for the Pack, Ojo is looking forward to the new adventures that graduation will provide him.
“I would like to get into manufacturing,” said Ojo. “I really don’t have that great of an idea of specifics, I’m pretty much open to anything related to that field. I would love to try to stay in Raleigh. Obviously living down here for about 10 years, I’m just really comfortable.”
This past summer, as Ojo was preparing for his final season with the Wolfpack, he got to get a taste of what being in the real-world will be like working a full-time job.
“I had an internship over the summer at a manufacturing company which mainly deals with trucks,” said Ojo. “I worked a lot with their final assembly, and I worked with their shipping and receiving parts section. They got me introduced to the processes that goes on in real-life applications.
“I went into it just trying to see what was out there and I wanted just to get some experience. I could see myself working in that exact same job. It will be a challenge to move out of this college life and into the real world, but I know I will enjoy it.”
Although a job looms in the near future, Ojo is still enjoying playing for the Wolfpack. It is something he has been doing since he enrolled early at NC State way back in 2003, and is sure to be something he will miss.
“I know I will miss football a lot once it’s all over here,” said Ojo. “I think it has helped me with my time management, it helped me get and stay focused. Since we don’t have a lot of free time, I was really able to concentrate and try to do well in school.
“Running out onto the home field that final time come November will certainly be an emotional day for me. It will be something different not to be part of this whole football experience that I have been going through in college.”
While Ojo takes much pride in talking about his family and the support they have given him over the years, he along with many other NC State football players will always hold a special place in their hearts for the many people they have met while playing for the Wolfpack.
“Playing for NC State has meant a lot,” said Ojo. “It gives you a certain feel of another family, bringing lots of stability to your life. I have come across so many people over the years here that have not only made my college experience better, but I’m sure I will be remembering for many years to come.
“It (football) gives you another aspect of your life to focus on, maybe if other things are going on you can escape and have football as a main focus. And school was the same way for me, if things weren’t going well with football, I could always focus on my studies and kind of escape.”
Raleigh, N.C. - When NC State hired football coach Tom O’Brien after the 2006 season, a new attitude for the entire football team was promised at O’Brien’s introductory press conference. The new coach promised his football players would be Champions in the classroom, the community and on the football field.
One such player that had no problems living up to the coach’s high expectations in the classroom was senior offensive guard Yomi Ojo. Ojo had always achieved success in his class work since he stepped onto the NC State campus way back in the spring of 2003.
“I’ve always taken pride in my schoolwork,” said Ojo. “I think throughout both high school and college I’ve paid more attention to my work in the classroom than athletics. For me and my family, education was the key to success at NC State.”
Ojo will be one of 13 members of this year’s Wolfpack squad to receive their diploma from NC State this December. Ojo will get his degree in industrial engineering, and he said the main reason he has worked so hard over the last few years at school was to make his mother proud. He mother in fact, is the person that wanted to give him that unique Nigerian name.
“She is really happy to see me graduating,” said Ojo. “I take a lot of pride in getting this whole college experience done, and I know that she is proud of me for what I have accomplished.”
Although graduating from high school early and starting in the spring semester has become more routine over the years in college football, Ojo was one of the first players to experience the trend back in 2003. Because he was a top student in high school, and the way his school’s curriculum was set up, Ojo was able to enroll at NC State in the spring of 2003 when he would have been a high school senior.
“It was basically only like a two-week decision for myself,” said Ojo. “I just sort of got introduced to it, but it fit with my high school curriculum and was just something that was easy for me to do. I thought it was a good idea, so I just went for it.”
Although one might think it would be a hard decision to give up those senior year activities in high school, neither Ojo nor his mother thought twice about doing it.
“My mom was fine with that choice, because she knew it was something that I wanted to do,” said Ojo. “I went back for graduation and prom, so in the end I really don’t feel I missed out on anything on the high school side of things.”
Ojo is more than happy that he decided to get that early advantage at college life, and sees it as a reason he was able to adjust during his freshman season when school and football consumed all of his time.
“It let me get a good head start on the whole college situation,” said Ojo. “It let me get use to college without being in-season. The spring semester is a whole lot different than when we are playing in the fall.”
Originally born in New York, Ojo moved to Raleigh when he was around 11 years old. He eventually attended local Southeast High School, and had NC State as a prime college location located just a few miles down the road.
“When I was younger I went to a bunch of programs at NC State,” said Ojo. “I participated in science and math programs for African-Americans that were held on Centennial Campus. So to me, NC State was an easy selection as the college I wanted to go to.”
Even with an increase in playing time over the last few games on the offensive line for the Pack, Ojo is looking forward to the new adventures that graduation will provide him.
“I would like to get into manufacturing,” said Ojo. “I really don’t have that great of an idea of specifics, I’m pretty much open to anything related to that field. I would love to try to stay in Raleigh. Obviously living down here for about 10 years, I’m just really comfortable.”
This past summer, as Ojo was preparing for his final season with the Wolfpack, he got to get a taste of what being in the real-world will be like working a full-time job.
“I had an internship over the summer at a manufacturing company which mainly deals with trucks,” said Ojo. “I worked a lot with their final assembly, and I worked with their shipping and receiving parts section. They got me introduced to the processes that goes on in real-life applications.
“I went into it just trying to see what was out there and I wanted just to get some experience. I could see myself working in that exact same job. It will be a challenge to move out of this college life and into the real world, but I know I will enjoy it.”
Although a job looms in the near future, Ojo is still enjoying playing for the Wolfpack. It is something he has been doing since he enrolled early at NC State way back in 2003, and is sure to be something he will miss.
“I know I will miss football a lot once it’s all over here,” said Ojo. “I think it has helped me with my time management, it helped me get and stay focused. Since we don’t have a lot of free time, I was really able to concentrate and try to do well in school.
“Running out onto the home field that final time come November will certainly be an emotional day for me. It will be something different not to be part of this whole football experience that I have been going through in college.”
While Ojo takes much pride in talking about his family and the support they have given him over the years, he along with many other NC State football players will always hold a special place in their hearts for the many people they have met while playing for the Wolfpack.
“Playing for NC State has meant a lot,” said Ojo. “It gives you a certain feel of another family, bringing lots of stability to your life. I have come across so many people over the years here that have not only made my college experience better, but I’m sure I will be remembering for many years to come.
“It (football) gives you another aspect of your life to focus on, maybe if other things are going on you can escape and have football as a main focus. And school was the same way for me, if things weren’t going well with football, I could always focus on my studies and kind of escape.”
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