New Offensive Assistant?

[MadBird]

Welcome, but, where does he fit? Not OC I wouldn't think, pretty green.

Illinois State: Wyoming offensive graduate assistant Sam Ojuri is joining the staff as an assistant coach. Ojuri worked with the tight ends and fullbacks on Craig Bohl’s staff.

The Scoop - Tuesday December 22, 2020 (footballscoop.com).

Forgot he was a Bison. Nice playing resume. Illinois kid.

Sam Ojuri is entering his first season as a member of the Cowboy Football coaching staff in 2019. Prior to coming to Wyoming, he coached at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he spent time coaching the wide receivers and running backs. He will be serving as the Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach with the Wyoming tight ends and fullbacks.

Prior to coaching, Ojuri experienced great success as a player. After graduating from Barrington High School in Barrington, Ill., in 2009, he was recruited to play at North Dakota State as a running back. Ojuri was the leading rusher for the Bison on three consecutive National Championship Teams (2011, 2012 and 2013). He currently sits as the fourth leading rusher in school history.

In 2014, Ojuri played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) and played in the 101st Grey Cup. He also spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the British Columbia Lions.

In 2013, Ojuri was selected Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference and was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll. Ojuri graduated with a degree is sports management from NDSU. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in education.

Ojuri and his fiancée, Danielle, have one daughter, Aliyah.

Duh - I see it is now on the ISU website.

 

[Total Red]

Welcome to Ojuri. If a new assistant is coming in it usually means one is leaving because this would be an odd time to expand the coaching staff. Ojuri is working with the RB's. There's no mention in the GoRedbirds article of him working alongside Khenon Hall. Hall is currently listed as the RB's coach.
Maybe Hall will focus on his other duties as Asst. Head Coach Player Personnel and recruiting or maybe he'll coach another position. It appears Sam Ojuri is just the first half of an equation with the other side yet to be filled in.

Ojuri Named New Redbird Football Running Backs Coach - Illinois State University Athletics (goredbirds.com)

 

[cpacmel]

Hall is rumored gone. Which is a big loss in my eyes

 

[Total Red]

Hall is rumored gone. Which is a big loss in my eyes

Watch now: Sam Ojuri named new Illinois State running backs coach | Illinois State | pantagraph.com

 

[ISUBU]

Watch now: Sam Ojuri named new Illinois State running backs coach | Illinois State | pantagraph.com

Hall seemed to have close relationships with players and is a former Redbird player himself. I hope he lands well.

 

[REALBird]

Hall seemed to have close relationships with players and is a former Redbird player himself. I hope he lands well.

Not only did he have a close relationship with the players, but word around the program is that he and other former REDBIRDS on the staff felt overlooked when it came to promotions, such as when “All Lives Matter” Beathard took his leave. The kids in the program supported Hall, and wanted him to move up....but....Spack was not in alignment with his players or coaches and did his own thing. His perogative, but for guys like that 1000 yard rusher in Jacksonville who credit Hall with a lot of his success, Spack’s decision hasn’t gone over well with a lot of the football alums. Just what I’m hearing.

I can’t say the climate around ISU football is a positive one between players and staff from what I’ve heard. The whole BLM thing and Beathard was a tipping point, with white and black players in the program not happy with how things were handled with Beathard or Hall.
Not issuing a statement is BS, we got a nice replacement in Ojuri but he’s an NDSU guy, and will likely jump to coach at his Alma Mater first chance he gets. Whereas we just cut loose one of our own. Doesn’t look good to me.

 

[Total Red]

His perogative, but for guys like that 1000 yard rusher in Jacksonville who credit Hall with a lot of his success,

I've heard just the opposite.

 

[crazzymark]

Not only did he have a close relationship with the players, but word around the program is that he and other former REDBIRDS on the staff felt overlooked when it came to promotions, such as when “All Lives Matter” Beathard took his leave. The kids in the program supported Hall, and wanted him to move up....but....Spack was not in alignment with his players or coaches and did his own thing. His perogative, but for guys like that 1000 yard rusher in Jacksonville who credit Hall with a lot of his success, Spack’s decision hasn’t gone over well with a lot of the football alums. Just what I’m hearing.

I can’t say the climate around ISU football is a positive one between players and staff from what I’ve heard. The whole BLM thing and Beathard was a tipping point, with white and black players in the program not happy with how things were handled with Beathard or Hall.
Not issuing a statement is BS, we got a nice replacement in Ojuri but he’s an NDSU guy, and will likely jump to coach at his Alma Mater first chance he gets. Whereas we just cut loose one of our own. Doesn’t look good to me.you are full of

 

[crazzymark]

Huh?

 

[Virginia Redbird]

Not only did he have a close relationship with the players, but word around the program is that he and other former REDBIRDS on the staff felt overlooked when it came to promotions, such as when “All Lives Matter” Beathard took his leave. The kids in the program supported Hall, and wanted him to move up....but....Spack was not in alignment with his players or coaches and did his own thing. His perogative, but for guys like that 1000 yard rusher in Jacksonville who credit Hall with a lot of his success, Spack’s decision hasn’t gone over well with a lot of the football alums. Just what I’m hearing.

I can’t say the climate around ISU football is a positive one between players and staff from what I’ve heard. The whole BLM thing and Beathard was a tipping point, with white and black players in the program not happy with how things were handled with Beathard or Hall.
Not issuing a statement is BS, we got a nice replacement in Ojuri but he’s an NDSU guy, and will likely jump to coach at his Alma Mater first chance he gets. Whereas we just cut loose one of our own. Doesn’t look good to me.

I personally have no information on what went into these decisions. I would say any coach that makes personnel decisions based on his player's desire or feelings (knowing these players will be gone in a year or two or three) will not be very successful long term. I understand the feeling for some school loyalty when the coach is an alum but frankly, there is zero loyalty in most professions. Ojuri looks to have a solid resume and none of us know what his plans are for the future. He probably does not know that himself very specifically. Football coaches, like most coaches, spend a few years at a program and then take the next step, either to a bigger program or higher position like Offensive Coordinator. The nature of the beast. If he does well here at ISU then maybe he is offered an OC position at NDSU or some other school. Maybe he eventually wants to be a Head Coach. Assistants that perform well are usually marketable and sought after by other staff. I think it speaks well of a Head Coach when his/her assistants are routinely poached. By the same token, I wonder at times about assistants that remain for years and years and years with no mobility. Maybe a relationship with the Head Coach but I think it can lead to complacency and stagnation. I will give Coach Spack the benefit of the doubt that he knows his players and coaches better than us and is making decisions that are in the best interests of a winning program.

 

[Birdswin]

Coach Spack has proven he is a Football guy - make not mistake about that. I trust his decisions. He does not make changes just for the sake of making changes. There is no need to speculate. It is Coach Spack's decision - end of story. As my Dad often told me - "You are not on the Rules Committee. My house, my rules." I would say it is a similar situation with Coach Spack.

 

[Bird Friend]

Coach Spack has proven he is a Football guy - make not mistake about that. I trust his decisions. He does not make changes just for the sake of making changes. There is no need to speculate. It is Coach Spack's decision - end of story. As my Dad often told me - "You are not on the Rules Committee. My house, my rules." I would say it is a similar situation with Coach Spack.

Or as I used to say to my kids, "My house. Your mom's rules."

 

[Total Red]

Or as I used to say to my kids, "The house belongs to the bank, we're underwater on the loan, get your camping gear together."