Ogumoro driven by love of football, helping DeBron

Elgin’s football program is built around family and that is clearly evident after games when the security guards open the gates and family members and friends crowd the field to greet the players and coaches.

After the alma mater and comments from Coach Chalmer Wyatt, players head off to see their families often intertwined with families of teammates.

For offensive tackle Antoni Ogumoro, he makes a beeline toward the visitors section where his family is waiting, especially 9-year-old DeBron, his cousin according to official documents but for all intents and purposes they are brothers.

DeBron has autism and is non-verbal and one of the things that affects him the most are loud noises, and anyone who has been seated in the Owls Nest home bleachers knows the sound can be deafening with the cheering and milk jugs filled with rocks.

“Our bond is immense,” Ant as he’s known around Elgin High School said. “The noise is something we have to watch. We can sense when it is starting to bother him and we take him out of the area.

“He is non-verbal but when we say words to him he can repeat them. We also can sense when he wants something to eat. He does know some sign language.”

Antoni says that each day he is motivated by DeBron.

“Coach Wyatt was able to get our family a spot on the visitors side where it is not a loud,” Ant said. “He will be over there clapping and most times he’s just happy being out of the house. I get over there after the games and sometimes he just wants to know if I was playing.”

It didn’t take the world of college football long to find out about the 6-6, 315-pound offensive tackle. He only began playing football three years ago but even though he was playing for a small Class 3A school in North Carolina, he was quickly being recruited by all the NCAA Division I powers, more than 100 schools in total.

“It got really crazy there for a time,” he said. “I took an unofficial visit to Tennessee and they treated our whole family really well. The student body, the dorms, the coaches; everything just seemed it was the best place for me. It was an amazing atmosphere and a good fit.”

The scary thing for the SEC is that Ogumoro is still learning the game.

“I was really focused on basketball at first but then moved over to football,” he said. “I think basketball taught me a good deal about footwork and technique and those things carried over to football.”

Then he was able to start learning from Elgin offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Adam Castro.

“Coach Castro teaches me something new every practice,” he said. “He can look at video and tell me where I can do this better the next time. He has really taught me a great deal about technique and how to learn the entire concept of offensive football. I still need to get better like on pass protection. That is what I’ve been doing this season.”

While football is helping Ant to a better life, it was the military that opened the doors for the family.

“My dad (Ambrose) joined the Army to open the door to a new life,” Ant said. “In Saipan there are few opportunities and that’s how he changed his life. He’s been in the Army for 19 years.”

The Micronesian people have brought many elements of their lives with them. Ant loves mom Mayumi’s cooking, most notably the dessert called Lantiya with sponge cake, vanilla custard, plus any of her fish and rice dishes, a staple in the islands.

However, he still loves “lineman’s night” where the offensive linemen gather at someone’s home for a cookout or they just head to one of Elgin’s rapidly-expanding eateries.

“It’s a great way to bond with each other and just talk about our next game,” he said. “In a way it’s a chance to get away from football for a time but we still wind up talking about our team and what we want to accomplish.”

The thing that is somewhat amazing about the Elgin offensive line is that Ogumoro is one of three new members of that unit as Hudson Begley and Jaxon Deel were not starters until this fall.

“Jace (Williams) and Shay were here but I had to learn along with the other two new lineman; it’s really been a work in progress. “he said. “We are still learning and trying to peak for the playoffs.”

While offense is his specialty, there is also a defensive set that is called “Tank” but with the Owls’ defense seldom getting into short yardage situations, he may not get his big opportunity on that side of the ball.

There seems to be plenty of work left on the football field but he is also catching up on classroom work.

“I had some classes from North Carolina that didn’t count in Oklahoma, so I’m having to take classes to help me graduate early,” he said. “My goal is to get a degree in special needs where I can use my personal knowledge to help kids like DeBron who need somebody who they can relate too.”

With his size, quickness and strength, the time to use that degree might be well down the line but one thing is certain, Ant won’t ever forget Elgin and he will always take care of DeBron.

“That is my goal, to be able to provide a better life for DeBron,” Ant said. “Football is giving me that opportunity and I want to make the most of it for him and my family.”