One member of the Michigan football team has a decidedly good reason for not partaking in the resumption of workouts.
David Ojabo is a redshirt freshman defensive end for the Wolverines. Born in Nigeria, Ojabo and his family moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, in 2007. Ojabo, though, attended high school in New Jersey before signing with Michigan football in 2019. When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, Ojabo returned to his family in Scotland.
The problem? Because of the travel ban, Ojabo has not been able to fly back to the United State and rejoin the Wolverines for voluntary on-campus workouts. Expected to be gone for just a couple of weeks, Ojabo has now been stuck in neutral for nearly four months.
“You would think I’m lying, but I’m living out of my suitcase,” Ojabo told the Detroit News. “If they say, ‘Come on,’ I wash whatever I need and literally just zip it up. I haven’t unpacked to this day. That’s how we’ve really been waiting. It’s no joke.
“I thought I was only going to be home for two or three weeks. Then quickly weeks turned into a month, turned to two months, turned to three months. This whole time, I’m thinking, ‘Maybe I could catch a break, catch a flight.’ Nothing. I’ve done it this way for my mental state. The second I unpack and get comfortable – this is me trying to not get too attached to being home.”
At this point, it’s unclear when he’ll be permitted to return. According to Ojabo, one of his options is to fly to Australia, self-quarantine for 14 days, then fly to the United States. For the moment, the lineman is eschewing that option.
Ojabo was a three-star 2019 signee. He did not play as a true freshman and took a redshirt.
If/when he does return and play in 2020, it will be a conference-only schedule for all Big Ten schools. Provided there is a season, of course.