Training camp is more than two weeks old, and there are just about two weeks left before the Rutgers football team takes on Temple on Sept. 2.
One player battling it out for a starting spot at defensive tackle is junior Mayan Ahanotu. Ahanotu has enjoyed camp so far and has been putting in the work.
“It’s been great. Just getting out here every day, taking what we learned from the classroom out to the field and trying to execute as best as we can,” Ahanotu said. “It's definitely great to just get out on the field and just get ready for the season.
“I think it's great just to have another year under our belt. More experience is great for our team. So it's just great to take that whole past year and just keep building off of it.”
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In his first year with the Scarlet Knights a year ago, the Minnesota transfer played in all nine games with one start. He made 12 tackles including 1.5 for a loss and a sack. He also had four games with multiple stops.
In 2021, Ahanotu is looking for added production.
“I'm definitely more of a disrupter and great at executing my job now,” the junior said. “That's the main thing I was focused on, just being a disrupter and executing my job as best as I can.”
Last fall, Ahanotu played at 275. He mentioned he put on 10 pounds of good weight and is at about 285 to go along with his 6-foot-4 frame. Ahanotu believes the added pounds will be an asset in the trenches in the Big Ten Conference.
“That's a credit to coach (Jay Butler) and his staff. I just chopped my job the best I can. The extra weight makes a hell of a difference, I think,” Ahanotu said. “I could feel it on the field. It just improves my confidence, my ability to do my job, and everything. I just feel more stout and stronger than ever.”
Practice is fast-paced, but Ahanotu has been able to keep up and play well throughout the duration of the sessions.
“That's just conditioning,” he said. “We're just working out as hard as we can pushing ourselves to the brink just to condition for the game. When we get to the game it gets easy out there.”
Ahanotu played behind Michael Dwumfour a year ago. Dwumfour was most recently with the New York Jets and he played well in the first preseason game despite being cut afterwards. Ahanotu gained knowledge from the former Michigan transfer and New Jersey native. He’s battling for the starting vacancy that Dwumfour left.
“That's the whole thing about Rutgers football. Somebody goes and it's next man up,” Ahanotu said. “I just learned from Mike and we just all feed off each other. All the guys. It's just next man up and we have to do our job as best as we can.”
Now a full year since he came on board to Piscataway, the Tampa Fl. native is glad he made the move to become a Scarlet Knight.
“I love playing for Rutgers. Got a great staff here, great teammates. I'm just happy to come out here every day and practice and play with my guys,” Ahanotu said. “I'm definitely way more comfortable. Coming in as a transfer, it can be scary at times. But they accepted me with open arms.”
Ahanotu signed with Minnesota coming out of high school in 2018. His position coach now at Rutgers, Jim Panagos, was there at the time as was defensive coordinator Robb Smith.
“I love coach Panagos. That's my guy,” Ahanotu said. “It's great to be out here on the field with him and work together as a family to execute the job.”
Ahanotu said Panagos brings the fire in practice and is always coming up with quotes.
“Everything is about the details. He has great lines. He says like 'everything is a major in the minors, and minor in the majors. Make sure you stay on the little thing and keep the details as correct as they can and then you'll be great'. Something comes up every day.”
Ahanotu is one of four players on the team who hail from Berkeley Prep. He’s joined by receiver/returner Joshua Youngblood, linebacker Austin Dean, and quarterback Gavin Rupp.
“It's awesome. I'm the oldest guy from the Berkeley era. It's great,” Ahanotu said. “I treat them like my little brothers. I feel like I got to take care of them and watch over them and mentor them just because I have more years of experience in college. It's just great to be having my high school family come in and be with my college family. It's awesome.”
Head coach Greg Schiano was a volunteer at Berkeley Prep while Ahanotu was there. Schiano’s three sons, Joey, Matt, and John were on the team.
“He's the same guy he is now,” Ahanotu said of Schiano. “It's just great to continue on from where we came from and just keep growing from there.”
Ahanotu’s father, Chidi, played college football at California before playing 12 years at defensive end in the NFL with five teams, totaling 436 tackles, 46.5 sacks, and seven fumble recoveries. Ahanoyu said his dad watches his game film and provides tips.
“He helps me a lot. Last season, he would record all the games, watch all the plays, and then he would call me up and we would just talk ball and see where I can grow,” Ahanotu said.
With just about two weeks left to go, Ahanotu can’t wait to put his helmets and pads on and hit somebody else.
“I've been practicing my butt off. I'm just excited to get to the season and see all of our guys playing at the best of their ability and chopping every game,” Ahanotu said. “My only goal is just to chop my job as best as I can and chop one day at a time.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
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