Deserves his own thread...
09.13.2019 | Football
Longhorn Profiles: Joseph Ossai
A look at how Ossai, a native Nigerian, made his way to the Forty Acres.
When selecting a college to attend following high school, student-athletes often have several boxes they like to check off to determine where the best fit may be.
For Longhorns sophomore linebacker Joseph Ossai, the computer science program at The University of Texas was an easy box to check as he approached graduation at Conroe Oak Ridge High School.
"I took a computer science precursor class my junior year of high school and just stumbled upon it as a STEM requirement. The concept of computer programming, the whole idea of how you can create something, was just awesome," Ossai said. "The computer science program at UT was ranked in the top 10, and I looked at everything when I was deciding which school I wanted to go to, and that definitely played a role."
A two-time academic all-district honoree for the War Eagles, Ossai sought out colleges where he could be challenged both academically and athletically. An opportunity to participate in a computer science program currently ranked 10th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report while playing football for the Longhorns met that criteria.
"There are a lot of tough, challenging courses; I love being in those classes," Ossai said. "It's definitely teaching me how to manage my time. I need to focus a lot of time on those classes, as well as on football, so it's teaching me how to prioritize my time for both."
Ossai understands what it takes to overcome challenges. A native of Nigeria, Ossai arrived in the United States when he was 10 years old after his mother, Emmanuela, applied for and was selected in the Diversity Immigrant Visa lottery program. The family moved to Houston in December 2008, where a distant cousin of Ossai's father, Vitus, lived.
The transition was hectic and the culture shock intense, but among the more challenging aspects of the move was learning a new language. With a thick accent and distinct dialect, Ossai had difficulty communicating with his classmates.
"With kids, if there's something they don't understand, they question and sometimes bully, so I got bullied a lot," Ossai said. "I had to go through that, but I overcame it and I would say I really started to overcome it and find my voice when started playing football in the seventh grade."
Ossai grew up playing soccer in Nigeria. His daily after school routine was dropping off his bag and heading outside to the field where entire neighborhood would play. He quickly fell in love with football in the United States, which he thought looked a lot like rugby. He would watch games with his uncle, who would teach and explain to Ossai the basic rules of the game.
"It was all new to me and I learned the rules of football as I played," Ossai said. "Over the years of playing, whenever someone would do something and the ref would throw a flag and I'd say, 'You can't do that? I didn't know you couldn't do that," and that's how I've learned."
In spite of the steep learning curve, Ossai quickly flourished as a youngster, largely due to his strong work ethic.
That drive and determination is paying dividends for Ossai at Texas where as a Longhorn starter he has eight tackles (seven solo), a sack, two tackles for loss and two interceptions through two games this season. He entered 2019 fresh off a big finish to his true freshman campaign, starting and posting a team-high eight tackles in the Longhorns thrilling 28-21 victory over No. 6 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He had 20 tackles (13 solo), a sack and a forced fumble in 2018.
Senior defensive lineman Malcolm Roach is among the Longhorns who have taken notice of Ossai's dedication and willingness to not only prepare physically, but mentally as well.
"There were a lot of things he had to learn when he first came on campus, but the way he goes about doing things, he's getting better each day," Roach said. "Watching film with him, he asks questions and I talk about how I see the game and discuss tips he could use for formations. He's one of the hardest workers on the team and he's getting better and better every game."
This work ethic is evident both on the field and in the classroom, as Ossai was named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll this past spring. He plans on utilizing the skills he learns at Texas to work in app design.
"I'm looking to major in Arts and Entertainment Technology with a minor in Computer Science," Ossai said. "AET comes into play with app design and maybe some video game designing. There are a lot of options and I'm really enjoying it. With a background in computer science and programming, I can really take it wherever I want."
https://texassports.com/news/2019/9/13/football-longhorn-profiles-joseph-ossai.aspx