It was not the freshman season that Samson Okunlola anticipated, nor the Miami coaches for that matter. The consensus five-star offensive lineman from the Hurricanes’ 2023 class played in just three games before sustaining a torn MCL that would knock him out the rest of the season.
But Okunlola didn’t use his time off to just sit back and watch his teammates on the field. The 6-6 offensive lineman has added muscle to his frame, going from 300 pounds in the fall to 327 pounds in the spring, while trimming fat.
“I feel like I’ve filled out a little bit more [and] toned up,” Okunolola said in the spring. “Being injured [and] benching a lot when I couldn’t walk has been great to me.”
“Every day I’m looking to get better. Everyday I’m looking for the opportunity to get better,” Okunlola said Tuesday. “My focus is not on starting or anything like that. My focus is on getting better today, getting better tomorrow and getting better the next day.”
Okunlola came into the Hurricanes program likely expecting to play a tackle position, but with offensive line coach Alex Mirabal’s philosophy to train his group to play different positions, he has also been slotting in at guard as well.
“I see him playing tackle, but he has the versatility to be able to play guard. Everyone talks about five-star stuff. He’s got a five-star work ethic,” Mirabal said in the spring. “He’s been the best example of how someone should deal with it when they’re coming back from being injured.”
Okunlola has been part of the left guard rotation along with fellow 2023 five-star prospect Francis Mauigoa, Matt McCoy and Ryan Rodriguez. But when Mauigoa takes reps at left guard, Okunlola slides in to fill the right tackle spot. During spring practice, Okunlola was the Hurricanes’ primary right tackle when Mauigoa was recovering from shoulder surgery on both of his shoulders.
Miami returns three starters on the offensive line in Anez Cooper, Jaelan Rivers and Mauigoa. That experience is helping Okunlola come along in fall camp.
“They’ve helped me grow in terms of technique. [Especially] using my hands better in the pass game [and] knowing the whole technique and scheme in the run so I can use techniques in multiple ways,” Okunlola said. “Just raising my IQ when it comes to football.”
Right now it appears that Okunlola will likely be the starter at left guard when the Hurricanes head to the Swamp on Aug. 31 to take on Florida. But in the meantime, it will still be important for Okunlola to earn Mirabal’s unconditional trust for the rest of fall camp so he can play the season without looking behind his back.
“Trust is a big thing. The five offensive lineman who play have to be trusted, and trusted among themselves. The way you [earn that] is knowing your playbook,” Okunlola said. “The film never lies. So what you do on the film is gonna tell the truth.”
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