Like all first-year college students, Haloti Ngata has had to make adjustments.
For the first time in his life, Ngata (pronounced NAH-ta) is away from his family, his friends, his home. He’s had to meet new people, clash with tougher offensive lineman and attend overcrowded lecture classes for the first time. He’s learning to wear a rain coat, and make do with the tight quarters of a residence hall room.
Moving away from his mother was perhaps the toughest part of his transition from high school in Salt Lake City. But because his mom works for Southwest Airlines, his family is able to visit every weekend to attend the football games.
“I’m kind of a momma’s boy,” Ngata said. “Without her, I’d feel homesick. But she’s here every weekend.”
Ngata is still a big man — 6-foot-4, 340 pounds to be exact — but he’s no longer the biggest. As he said, everyone on the football field is “big and fast” like him.
“I’m really overwhelmed. I didn’t think it would be this hard,” said the freshman defensive tackle, who has been called the best recruit to ever sign with Oregon. “With school starting, it’s made it more overwhelming. There’s all this stuff stuffed into your schedule.”
Of all the adjustments Ngata’s had to make in college, the one he hasn’t had to make is perhaps the most aggravating.
“I hate double teams. I hate them the most,” Ngata said.
Even as a true freshman playing in his first game, Ngata lined up against two offensive lineman, a sign of true respect from an opponent.
“I guess that leaves someone else open,” he said.
But it’s hard to take solace in letting someone else make a tackle, especially for such a highly-touted prep player who was wanted by nearly all of the top Division I college football teams.
Ngata, it seems, committed to many of those schools at some point during the recruiting process last winter before finally settling on Oregon on signing day in February.
Initially, he verbally committed to Nebraska. But, he said, the cornfields were too far from home for his mom to handle. Then he went for Brigham Young.
“I committed to BYU, but the only reason I did that was because my mom wanted me to stay close to her,” Ngata said. “I didn’t really want to go there because I never really liked it there.”
Enter the Ducks. Ngata and his father made a late visit to Eugene, and his decision was made.
The only problem was convincing his mom.
“My mom didn’t really want me to come here,” he said. “But she came here one weekend, and she loved it.”
Ngata’s main attraction to Oregon?
For one, he likes the gray weather.
“For some reason, I like rain,” he said. “I hate snow.”
For another, he said he felt comfortable with the family-like feeling of the team.
“I liked the football players. I knew they would take me under their wings,” he said.
And they have. Teammates have dubbed Ngata “the franchise,” despite the fact that he’s played in just three games.
“He’s definitely lived up to his accolades coming in,” said defensive line coach Steve Greatwood. “I’m very impressed with his athleticism, and his ability to learn the system, which is usually a challenge to young guys.”
Ngata saw limited action in August practices because of a sore back, which also caused him to miss the first game of the season against Mississippi State. He
made his debut in Week 2 against Fresno State, and has made 10 tackles since.
“Haloti is getting better on a daily basis,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “He plays 40-50 plays now. For a true freshman who missed most of fall camp, I think that’s a fairly amazing stat.
“Eventually, he may be a starter, but I don’t think anyone worries about if he starts or not because he plays so much.”
Apparently, not enough.
“I want more,” Ngata said, adding that he’d like to get in on about 60 plays a game. “Everybody wants to start. Right now, I’m just out of high school and I shouldn’t rush things. But when I’m there, I think I should start.”
If Ngata doesn’t start later this season, it could be another two years before he makes his starting debut. He said he may go on a
two-year Mormon mission after this season.
“That’s kind of up in the air right now,” he said. “I’m playing a lot right now. I may want to just stay here and finish. After the season, I’ll decide if I’m going to go or not.”
Regardless of his decision, Greatwood said he would be disappointed if Ngata was not one of the top defensive linemen in the country by the end of his collegiate career.
Ngata said he is more concerned with the team’s success.
“I want to win more Pac-10 championships and a national title,” he said.
First, the soft-spoken Ngata will have to play in his first Pacific-10 Conference game, slated for Saturday at Arizona.
But he has little to worry about in Arizona. His mom will be there, too.
Related Links
Haloti Ngata Player Bio
Shocker: Haloti Ngata Signs With Oregon
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