From the pressbox: From IU to the Super Bowl: Ogunleye appreciates trip

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February 3, 2007

Todd Golden The Tribune Star Sat Feb 03, 2007, 01:09 AM EST

Miami — Going into the 1999 season, then-Indiana University senior defensive end Adewale Ogunleye had the world at his feet.

Next to dazzling quarterback Antwaan Randle El, Ogunleye was clearly the Hoosiers’ best hope to play on Sundays at the time. He was All-Big Ten his sophomore season in 1997, and was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 1998. He was already IU’s career leader in sacks (26 1/2) and tackles for loss (53) with a season to boost his records and his already lofty NFL draft status.

It was questionable whether he’d even come back to Bloomington for his senior season, announcing right before the deadline to declare for the draft that he’d be back in a Hoosier uniform.

“After my junior year, I was rated higher on [ESPN analyst] Mel Kiper’s draft board than Courtney Brown, who was eventually the first pick in the draft,” said Ogunleye from the Chicago Bears Super Bowl XLI headquarters.

It all ended in a monsoon on Oct. 9, 1999 against Northwestern at IU’s Memorial Stadium. On a muddy field, Ogunleye tore the ACL in his left knee.

At the time, Ogunleye was fifth on the Big Ten’s all-time sack list with 34 career sacks. But the heavy rain drops were symbolic of a fall to come, as his IU career was over and so were his NFL Draft prospects.

Given where he had to start over from, Ogunleye’s journey to Super Bowl XLI is one he doesn’t take for granted.

“I appreciate this journey more than the next guy because I really had to work hard and nothing was given to me,” Ogunleye said. “Everyone dreams about the Super Bowl, but to play against an Indiana team with the Colts and to play in Dolphin Stadium, where I started my pro career? No I never thought that would happen.”

Neither did most NFL experts.

Ogunleye had to rehabilitate his left knee, a process made even more difficult when he suffered an infection during surgery. He attended the National Football Scouting Combine in 2000, a shadow of the Ogunleye scouts had drooled over only a year before.

“I had just recovered from a torn ACL, I was down to 220 pounds, I was still re-habbing on my knee, which got infected during surgery, all I was able to do was bench-press and do interviews,” said Ogunleye, who arrived at the combine on crutches. “The combine showed me the fall from grace. It showed me that this is a business, that we are in a meat market.”

After thinking he was a sure draft pick, Ogunleye wasn’t picked at all. The best deal he could find was to sign with the Miami Dolphins in 2000.

“I chose Miami because a lot of guys were reaching the end of their contract situations and I thought it was the best place for me to be at. They gave me a guarantee that they would give me a year, because with the re-hab on my knee, they knew I wouldn’t be ready,” Ogunleye said.

That’s when fortune began to smile on the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Staten Island, N.Y., native.

After sitting out 2000, Ogunleye played seven games in 2001, but really sprung to life in 2002. Playing opposite current NFL Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor, Ogunleye had 91/2 sacks. The following season was even better, Ogunleye notched 15 sacks and earned his first Pro Bowl selection.

Ogunleye was acquired by the Bears in a trade just before the start of the 2004 season. He slumped to five sacks in 2004, but had 10 in 2005 and 61/2 in an injury-shortened 2006.

Ogunleye now has an established NFL career. All week, he had the demeanor of someone who was satisfied, who had the perspective of knowing the Super Bowl was his reward for sticking with it.

“My parents always taught me about how hard work pays off. All parents say that, but to actually go through it and see the benefits of hard work and to know that nothing came easy for me? That’s the thing that I love most about [being in the Super Bowl],” Ogunleye said.

Not that Ogunleye is satisfied yet.

“I have so many things to remind me in this game of what got me here. It makes me remember how hungry I am, how motivated I still need to be,” he said.

Motivation? That’s the least of the Bears worries on Sunday.

Todd Golden is the Tribune-Star’s sports editor. He can be reached via email at todd.golden@tribstar.com.

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From the pressbox: From IU to the Super Bowl: Ogunleye appreciates trip

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