By Eric Poe/sports editor
SE student Tobi Adalumo will transfer to Texas State to play football in the fall and expects to make an instant impact.
“I expect domination,” he said. “That’s my word. Domination.”
Adalumo, who plays outside linebacker, will play for the Bobcats this upcoming season and said he wants to stand out on the field.
“I want to be playing a big team and they say, ‘Who is this guy?’” he said. “My goal is to punish every D-1 [Division I]school that comes around. What’s the point of trying so hard if I don’t?”
David Reid/The Collegian
The Nigerian-born Adalumo, who graduated from Mansfield High School in 2010, did not have many options once he graduated because of his school’s poor record his senior season. Only one player in Adalumo’s class received a football scholarship that year.
“That season was terrible,” he said. “We had a 1-9 season. Everyone was affected with recruiting.”
Adalumo did receive an offer to play at Blinn Junior College, but his parents vetoed the move to a small college.
“Africans are so strict,” he said. “They wanted me to go to a big college. They said, ‘Why go to a small school when you can go to a big school?’”
That big school came in the form of the University of Mississippi, whose coaches watched and talked briefly with Adalumo his senior year.
The courtship from Ole Miss did not last long, however, as the attention fizzled out. This rejection fueled Adalumo after the fact.
“Ole Miss was talking to me for a while, but I never heard from them again,” he said. “I have that big chip on my shoulder. That’s motivation right there.”
Texas State came into the picture for Adalumo in 2010 after he went with a friend who took a campus tour to pursue a football scholarship. Coaches met and talked to Adalumo for the first time during the visit. They had never seen him play before but were interested. He kept in contact with the coaches in the following year.
“They said they wanted to see me play because of my physique,” he said. “I should’ve gone last year to play, but I didn’t want to redshirt.”
Redshirting would have resulted in Adalumo sitting out one season to acclimate himself to the school and the football program. He didn’t want to sit on the bench and said he wants to hit the ground running when he steps on campus.
“First day: impact,” he said. “I should be on the first team right now. That’s how dedicated I am. You got to move every second. You can’t slack off any minute or I’ll take your spot from you.”
SE student Anthony Sasser played football with Adalumo during flag football season.
“He’s so driven and strong,” he said. “He’s always ready to play. He’s really competitive with a great attitude. I think he’ll succeed there [Texas State].”
Adalumo’s goal is to make it to the NFL despite Texas State being a small school footballwise.
“Me and my friend have this bet that we are going to be first-round draft picks,” he said. “But if I do great in college and I still don’t get much respect, I will work my butt off from the last game to when the combine starts.”
If the NFL dream does not work out, Adalumo has his studies to fall back on and is pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
“I want to be an FBI agent, or I might just go do pre-law studies,” he said. “That’s the second reason I’m going there.”
Adalumo is confident in making it to the big leagues, however, and says he keeps an NFL mindset.
“If you work out like an NFL player, act like an NFL player, you’ll be built like one and you’ll walk like one,” he said. “When you raise that bar for yourself, there’s no way they can stop you.”
Adalumo says he watches the way San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis carries himself for inspiration. He also watches Davis’ highlights and does any workout he sees Davis doing. Adalumo said Davis is his main motivation to work harder.
One other thing Adalumo does to stay motivated is play semi-pro football for the Arlington Bulldogs. He said his coaches help him with his mechanics. Adalumo stresses that working out by itself is not enough. He also must play to be ready for the fall.
Fellow Bulldog Caleb Achiri said Adalumo has a big impact on the team.
“He brings hype,” he said. “He energizes the team. He makes plays to keep us energized, and his work ethic is off the charts.”
Achiri thinks Adalumo will be a big success in San Marcos.
“Honestly, I think he’s going to do great,” he said. “Speed, body mass, he’s got it all.”
As a linebacker, Adalumo says his greatest attribute on the field is his ability to get into the backfield and his intensity. He said he treats every game the same, whether it is a preseason or playoff game.
“I destruct the play every time,” he said. “I make sure I win my one-on-one battle with the tackle or the guard. I’m so physical, and I will get back there.”
With Texas State’s first two games in the upcoming season being against the University of Houston and Texas Tech, Adalumo is relishing the opportunity to play against proven football teams on the big stage.
“That’s a big deal,” he said. “You’re playing a big school and you have a chance to be big on TV. [Former Houston quarterback] Case Keenum, he’s lucky he’s not there. I’m going after those QBs. One by one, I’m going to dominate those big-time QBs.”
