‘Mentality of domination’: Boise grad steps into illustrious role for Boise State football
One of the biggest unknowns this season for college football teams is how many players will be available on game day and how many will be out because they tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to someone who was.
Because the starting lineup is even more likely to change from week to week than in a traditional season, Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said every player on the roster has to be ready to take advantage of his opportunity the way offensive lineman John Ojukwu did in 2018.
Ojukwu, then a redshirt freshman, replaced senior Andres Preciado at right tackle late in the second quarter of a 31-27 win at Nevada.
“He got in there and, from that point on, he never left,” Harsin told reporters last month before turning his attention back to the opportunity in front of his players this season. “This is your chance to go out there and make an impact.”
Ojukwu went on to start the final seven games of the 2018 season, and he started 11 last season at right tackle.
With the Broncos losing four starters on the offensive line, the junior from Boise has quickly become the veteran of the unit. And this season, he’s switching sides to protect quarterback Hank Bachmeier’s blind side at left tackle — a position manned the past three seasons by Ezra Cleveland, who was a second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in April.
“Left seems like the more stressful position, and there’s a lot more responsibility,” Ojukwu told reporters.
In terms of technique, Ojuwku said there isn’t much difference between playing right and left tackle, but offensive line coach Brad Bedell said the left side comes with the responsibility of being a vocal leader, which doesn’t come natural to the Boise High graduate.
“John is at a point now where I think he can step up as a vocal leader,” Bedell said. “That’s one thing we’re going to work on to get him out of his comfort zone.”
Ojukwu is soft spoken, and he hasn’t had to step into a leadership role the past couple of seasons while lining up next to multi-year starters John Molchon and Eric Quevedo, both of whom primarily played guard, and former center Garrett Larson. His teammates say that has changed this offseason.
“I think he’s really embracing that role,” said graduate transfer Uzo Usoji, who is competing to replace Ojuwku at right tackle. “He’s vocal at practice, and he doesn’t mind getting on guys and keeping them on track in the weight room.”
Ojukwu attributes much of his growth to lessons learned from the veterans he spent the past two years starting next to.
“It was a mentality of domination,” Ojuwku said. “You can’t let up. You have to attack.”
Cleveland, who left for the NFL Draft last spring as a redshirt junior, taught Ojuwku the importance of perfecting the minute details of the position — all the way down to how pre-snap hand position affects an offensive lineman’s punch, which is critical for throwing off a pass rusher’s timing and balance.
“With Ezra, it was about getting better every day by working on small details you don’t think about,” said Ojuwku, who weighed just 200 pounds heading into his senior year at Boise High and now checks in at 6-foot-6 and 301 pounds. “He would see things I missed on film, and I learned a lot from him.”
Ojukwu is next in line at one of the highest-profile positions in recent Boise State history. His predecessors include Cleveland, Charles Leno Jr., Nate Potter, Ryan Clady and Daryn Colledge.
“It’s a new start, but like every year, we’re competing to fill spots and looking for the best guys to play,” Ojukwu said.
Boise State is scheduled to open the season Oct. 24 at home against Utah State.
