Despite impaired vision, Opara eyes the NFL

By Austin Kleber

Kingsley Opara had to ask fellow defensive lineman Roman Braglio for the play call multiple times during a downpour in the Terps' Calendar week two matchup against Florida International. Opara had trouble seeing the signal caller, fifty-fifty though he was standing on the sideline in a bright-colored shirt.

When he's not playing football, Opara wears spectacles. During games and practices, he ditches the glasses and chooses not to wear contacts.

"I get out there blind," Opara said. "I just feel like [contacts are] going to autumn out and I'll be like, 'Oh my

Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics

God, where is it!'"

The junior's eyesight poses only a pocket-size issue on the defensive line considering  plays unfold right under his olfactory organ.

"If I played quarterback, I'd probably look like Jameis Winston with how he squints," Opara said. "Thank God I play D-line."

Despite his occasional troubles seeing the play signals, the coaches don't force Opara to habiliment contacts.

"They just let me do me," Opara said. "I see [everything] for the virtually part, just usually I'll merely enquire for signals."

The coaches encourage the players to exist themselves and show their personality on and off the field. Opara has taken full advantage of the opportunity.

"I feel similar I'm an energy guy," Opara said. "I'thousand kind of a grapheme on the team, like the funny guy, so the coaches allow me be me."

There'due south a proverb around the team for Opara and his antics. The phrase is 'Kingsley existence Kingsley.'

"He's e'er joking around and cracking jokes in exercise and squad meetings," linebacker Shane Cockerille said. "Kingsley's Kingsley. He'southward just an overall funny dude."

Opara's presence is felt in more than merely the locker room. The nose tackle has emerged as a difference-maker on the Terps' defense this season after getting piffling playing time under former head autobus Randy Edsall.

With only a bowl game remaining, he is second on the team with eleven tackles for a loss.

"He gets off the ball pretty well," defensive coordinator Andy Buh said. "He'due south probably one of the better pass rushers that we have inside."

Buh called Opara a consummate player and someone the Terps can trust for all four downs regardless of the game state of affairs.

"We can keep him in during laissez passer rush situations as a big guy and not miss a vanquish there," Buh said. "Other guys in that position, not so much."

Opara took pride in that compliment from Buh because existence versatile is something he spends much of his time working on.

"I know I'm a big guy so I'thou always going to exist sturdy against the run. I know laissez passer rushing is the matter I always need to work on," Opara said. "Whatever I need to do to stay on the field, that's what I try to do."

Cockerille said that Opara does more than what shows up on the stat sheet.

"He'south a big, stiff, able-bodied guy that often times requires two or more blockers, which frees up me and Jermaine [Carter] in the back," Cockerille said. "There'south nobody to block us and then nosotros can just make plays off them."

The Jacksonville, Florida, native said his dream is to make it to the NFL. For now, he'due south merely trying to do whatever he tin can to help the team.

"Yous've got to be as versatile as possible, then whatever coach Buh, coach Durkin need me to play to help the team win, I'll do information technology," Opara said. "If they want me to play quarterback, I'll do it."

howardmiturnenings.blogspot.com

Source: http://wmucsports.net/despite-impaired-vision-opara-eyes-the-nfl/

Share this post