Ifo Ekpre-Olomu held a press conference Monday night to discuss why he chose to stay for his senior year at the University of Oregon. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback was projected by many to go in the first round of the NFL draft, but chose not to join teammate Terrance Mitchell and go pro.
Ekpre-Olumu discussed his reasoning behind the decision, citing influences from family and the chance of receiving a degree.
How close were you to declaring for the NFL draft?
“I felt like I was pretty close. It really came down to what I wanted to do. You know a lot of people are supporting you and they are telling you one thing or they are going with what you agree on, so I mean I was pretty close, but at the same time I knew I wanted to come back.”
What was the main factor for you staying?
“I think just growing as a person and a player. I feel like I am in a situation where I am at a great place and a great time in my life and have a great opportunity to do great things here. Being able to be here for another year is only going to make it better for me and I think in the long run I will be a better player too.”
Did you speak with your family about the decision?
“Yeah of course. That was the only people that I took judgment or anything they had to say. My family supported me 100 percent with whatever I wanted to do and that was really all I could ask from them.”
Did any players have an influence on your decision?
“They really said it came down to doing what you want to do. There are going to be a lot of people in your life that want you to do something else, but they said to me that it really goes down to doing what you want to do at the end of the day.”
Will you look back on this decision somewhere down the road?
“I don’t think I am going to look back and say I should’ve done this. I made the decision to stay and I’m moving on from that. I think at the same time in this next year I can become a better player. The NFL is here and I know it isn’t here for everyone, but I feel that I have another year to stay here and I will be fine.”
What are your goals heading into next season?
“Making sure I improve. There are a lot of players that get to a point and are satisfied with where they are at, but I feel I want to improve on everything I have done.”
How big of a role did academics play with your decision?
“It plays a huge role. In the NFL you might play there for seven years, but you have to think what’re you going to do when you’re 28 and you’re out of the NFL and have to do something else for the rest of your life. I mean you don’t want to think that this part of your life is going to be your entire life.”
What will it be like next year without Nick Aliotti as your defensive coordinator?
“I think it will be different but at the same time it might be for the best. Coach Aliotti was a great coach, but we have a lot of coaches here that are just as good and I think they have learned a lot from him.”
Did his departure play any role in your decision?
“I don’t think so. Having Coach Neal here is pretty much the main reason for me. If it was something like him leaving then it might be different, but having him here is the main reason.”
Does the fact that Marcus Mariota and Hroniss Grasu are coming back give you some excitement about next season?
“Yeah of course. Since I’ve been here I think every year we have been improving, especially physically and athletically. I think our team has only gotten better since I have gotten here, so I think there is going to be a lot of competition this year and it will bring out the best in our entire team.”
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JWISE25