Ojuri likes look of North Dakota State

Sam Ojuri figured it would be pretty far-fetched to spend his college days in Fargo, N.D.

Then the Barrington senior and Daily Herald All-Area running back made a visit to North Dakota State University.

On Monday night, Ojuri decided to spend his college career there when he made a verbal commitment to play for the Bison. He can sign his letter of intent next Wednesday.

"They weren't in the picutre at all and then I visited there and was like, 'Wow,'" Ojuri said. "People think that's crazy but it's one of those places you have to see."

Ojuri rushed for 1,428 yards and had 1,852 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns as the Broncos went 9-3 and lost in the Class 8A quarterfinals to state champion Maine South.

A lot of things happened to Ojuri to lead him to North Dakota State. He originally wanted to go to New Mexico but that changed when head coach Rocky Long resigned in November and was replaced by Illinois assistant Mike Locksley.

Wyoming, Buffalo and Akron gave scholarships to other players and Ojuri said Western Michigan wanted him to play receiver. He went with North Dakota State after visiting Eastern Michigan and Western Illinois.

"A lot of stuff didn't go the way I wanted to," Ojuri said. "I felt the most comfortable with (North Dakota State). They have unbelievable facilities.

"It's pretty diverse and I just thought that's where I fit in well out of the visits I had taken."

North Dakota State just went through a five-year "reclassification" process from Division II to what is now called the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).

The Bison went 6-5 in the first year they were eligible for the FCS playoffs and played in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which was formerly called the Gateway Conference.

They play to nearly full houses in the Fargodome, which seats nearly 19,000.

"A I-AA wasn't that high on my radar," said Ojuri, who plans to study general business. "They have better facilities than most of the I-A schools I visited this year."

Seeing them made Ojuri a believer in North Dakota State.