Ekwonike a quick study for Chants

Coastal Carolina guard Sam Ekwonike stands tall with a 6-foot-3, 350-pound frame, many describing the senior as a “gentle giant.”

But his counterparts on the football field may be reluctant to say the same.

Named a STATS FCS preseason third-team All-America lineman earlier this month, Ekwonike has been an effective guard and special teams player for the Chanticleers in the past three seasons, and graduated this summer with a degree in public health as he hopes to one day enter the medical field. But he’s still focused on his dreams of becoming a professional football player.

“Right now I’m taking (prerequisite classes) to get into nursing. Coming from Nigeria, which has a very low medical field that just motivates me, and I love kids. I’m trying to get into the pediatrics (branch),” Ekwonike said. “My parents have always wanted me to get into the medical field, and I think (studying) nursing will get me a step closer to that. … But for everybody out here on the field, it’s their dream to get to the next level and be like your heroes out on the field. So the goal is to make it to the next level and see what I can do there.”

Ekwonike does have a real shot to play beyond the college level – especially if he keeps up his torrid pace. And his future appears bright whether he decides to pursue the workforce or further opportunities in football.

Senior running back DeAngelo Henderson – whom Ekwonike has helped protect as he started all 26 games at right guard in the past two seasons – sure thinks so.

“Sam probably has the most potential out of anybody on this team to get to the next level just based off his size, his athleticism, his strength and his knowledge for the game is still growing,” said Henderson, who was also named a STATS FCS preseason All-American (second team). “He has a lot of potential and a good chance to get to the next level. I’m rooting for him; I’m in his corner.”

Ekwonike has not missed a game in his three seasons with the Chants, playing in all 41 of the team’s contests in the past three seasons. He mainly saw action on the PAT/FG unit his freshman season before being named a starter prior to his sophomore year.

Ekwonike was the top graded lineman five times in 12 games last season, and also graded out at 90 percent or better eight times – tied for best on the team. He was second on the team with 28 knockdown blocks as well, and allowed just one sack in 698 plays.

“I think the first thing is his size; you notice it quickly. He also has a good mind for the game and he’s a good athlete for his size and strength,” Coastal Carolina head coach Joe Moglia said. “You expect somebody of his size to have strength, but you might not expect someone of his size to have the foot agility of his game.”

While Moglia praises Ekwonike’s footwork, the senior believes there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

“Right now I’m trying to work on that and speed that up a little bit,” he said. “I’m just listening to coach Moglia and (offensive line coach Patrick) Covington as much as possible and I show you’re never too old or too young to learn something. Every day I’m always trying to improve on something and trying to be the best I can be out there on game day.”

The majority of college football players have been playing the game for more than half their lives. One of the more impressive aspects of Ekwonike’s rise is that the Cinnaminson, N.J., native only played football for four years as a starter at Cinnaminson High School before his tenure at Coastal Carolina.

“I played four years of football (in high school), but my freshman year – I didn’t know anything on the football field. They stuck me at (defensive tackle) and said ‘Go,’ ” Ekwonike recalled. “Going from there, I had a great coach that was very influential and slowly started teaching me. When I came here, I had a problem with learning plays and all that. College is different and trying to piece it all together was the hard part.”

Ekwonike eventually figured it out, and has come a long way from struggling to learn plays to becoming a first-team All-Big South lineman last season and being named a preseason All-American this year.

“Sam has done a phenomenal job since he got here, since his freshman year – just buying into everything we were telling him to do,” Covington said. “A lot of it was new for him, and he was doing a lot of things for the first time, but he worked and worked and worked at it – whether it was in the classroom or in the weight room or on the field. He finally got to a point where he was gonna be one of the guys, one of the starters and has made the most of it.”

He certainly has.

Since bursting onto the scene with the Chants, Ekwonike has helped protect former quarterback Alex Ross – who shattered several program and Big South Conference records to become one of the most decorated Chanticleers of all time – and Henderson, who also holds multiple program and conference rushing records.

“That was his first time playing football [in high school], then he got here and it was like a new learning curve,” Henderson said of Ekwonike. “So his growth, just playing the game and learning everything on the go – the fundamentals. … That’s what I love about him. Besides the fact he’s a huge human being and opens up the holes for me. But just his smarts and his intelligence about the game has just grown so much. It’s beautiful, we love that type of stuff.”

Ekwonike and the Chants finished 9-3 last season, losing to The Citadel 41-38 in the first round of the FCS playoffs, their last postseason appearance at the Division I-AA level as Coastal Carolina makes its transition to the FBS level and the Sun Belt Conference in 2017.

While the Chants are unable to make a postseason appearance or earn conference honors this year as they complete the NCAA’s mandated two-year transition period before being eligible for the postseason, Ekwonike has set the bar high for his final season at Coastal Carolina.

“Being my senior year it’s my last hurrah, my last chance to show what I got and help my team be the best it can be,” he said. “This year, we’re aiming for an undefeated season. Every little bit counts, and I try to make the best of it.”

This story was originally published August 18, 2016 at 9:38 PM with the headline "Ekwonike a quick study for Chants."