13 catches land Ayala WR Oregon State offer
After visiting the school over the weekend, Ayala High School wide receiver Obum Gwacham was offered a scholarship to Oregon State on Tuesday and immediately committed to the Beavers.
Gwacham had just 13 receptions for 262 yards and two touchdowns this season, but Oregon State was undoubtedly attracted to the freakish athletic ability of the 6-foot-6, 205-pound senior. Gwacham, the son of Nigerian parents who moved to the states when he was 7-years old, was the state's fifth-best high jumper last year, topping out at 6-foot-10 in his second consecutive trip to the state meet.
Gwacham also had offers from Idaho State, Sacramento State and Montana State. Prior to this season USC and Oregon coaches, among others, visited Ayala to express interest in Gwacham but communication dwindled during the season with not only those two schools, but Boise State and UNLV too.
Oregon State assistant coach Joe Seumalo, who told Gwacham the Beavers had an offer for him while he was in Corvallis, Ore., over the weekend, made the offer official on Tuesday. It was a relief for the soft-spoken Gwacham, who thought his pedestrian statistics scared off recruiters.
"I'm sure they did," he said. "But Oregon State stuck by me. They knew about my athletic ability. They knew I could make the big play. Coach Seumalo saw something special in me."
Gwacham missed his entire junior season with an injury, giving him just 13 receptions in his varsity career, but Ayala head coach Tom Inglima believes his raw talent could carry him a long way.
"We could be looking at an NFL player here," Inglima said. "He has been under the radar but he's really a special athlete."
Gwacham's 13 receptions may be deceiving in that Ayala only completed 62 passes all season in a ground-oriented wing-T offense. A perfect indication of the drop off in Ayala's pass offense is New Mexico State-bound receiver David Quiroga, who was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2007 but only compiled 470 yards on 36 catches in 2008.
Nevertheless, Gwacham is headed to the Pac-10 next season.
"I've been so happy this whole day," Gwacham said. "I can't wait to get up there. I think it's a great program that still has a lot of young guys. A year or two from now, it could be even better."
Comments
Clay
If your not busy on Wed. for signing day.You may want to call Roddy Layton at Diamond Ranch.I heard they are going to have a big signing day with four or five D-1 players and two other players signing D-2 as well.Clay give Roddy a call I'm sure he would love to have you at Diamond Ranch on Wed.
Posted by: sgvfootballfan | February 1, 2009 8:31 PM