Remi Ayodele Pursues Own Identity

NORMAN, Okla. -- Remi Ayodele has always wanted to follow in his brother's footsteps. After graduating from high school, Ayodele began pursuit of his dream to follow big brother, Akin, literally and figuratively.

However, a move down the defensive line a few slots would send Ayodele on the pursuit of his own identity, a step outside the shadow of his brother.

After a stellar high school career in Grand Prairie, Texas, Ayodele signed with the Purdue Boilermakers, the same school Akin had played for as a collegiate athlete.

A defensive end in high school, Remi felt Purdue was a natural fit not only because of his older brother's legacy, but also because of the school's history of producing outstanding defensive ends and a position coach considered among the best in the country.

He soon found that Lafayette, Ind., would not be his home for long. His dream of wearing the same black and gold number his brother wore as a Boilermaker was outweighed by his desire to remain a defensive end.

Ayodele Bio, Stats & Photos | Sooner Gameday Central - Tulsa

The position switch at Purdue, coupled with long talks with Akin about finding another school to play for, landed Ayodele at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College.

His next stop was Norman and a Sooner program laden with a rich tradition of its own at defensive end, a big factor in his decision to come to OU. Among those who sold him on the Sooners was defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp, as well as a former Sooner (Tommie Harris), who is now in the NFL and a second poised for a banner senior season.

“I saw how much success Dusty (Dvoracek) and Tommie had with coach Shipp. That was one of the major reasons I decided to come here,” Ayodele said.

Another factor in the decision to come to Oklahoma was its proximity to his hometown. The final factor, a familiar one for Remi in choosing a gridiron home, was his brother, Akin.

“This is Oklahoma. My bother really wanted me to go here, and it's a top school,” Remi said.

Akin Ayodele, now a linebacker with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, is pleased his younger brother has found in Norman a permanent college address and a chance to forge his own identity.

“I wanted Remi to be able to go to school and do his own thing,” Akin said. “I did not want him to have to live in my shadow and not be able to produce his own legacy.”

In addition to finding a football home, Ayodele has also added to the list of people who have had a profound impact on his on-the-field development.

“My brother and coach Shipp have taught me a lot,” Ayodele said. “Coach Shipp has taught me a lot of new stuff that I probably would have not learned at those other schools.”

Among the things he has learned at Oklahoma is that competition at a top program means more than being big, strong and fast.

“At the other schools I just used to play with my strength at everything. When I got to OU, it was about technique,” Ayodele explained.

Entering his senior season with Oklahoma, Ayodele knows that his decision was a good one.

“I have been happy with my decision to come to Oklahoma and have enjoyed every moment of my time here,” Ayodele said

Things don't always turn out as planned, but for Ayodele, things could not have turned out any better.

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Sooner Feature by Matt Montgomery
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