Obum Gwacham

Position:
Defensive End
Height:
6-5
Weight:
236
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Chino Hills, Calif.
High School:
Ayala HS

OREGON STATE – CAREER: Obum Gwacham (pronounced oh-BOOM GWAH-chem) made a phenomenal transition from wide receiver to defensive end ahead of his senior season … a fantastic all-around student-athlete, he was nominated for the 2014 American Football Coaches Association “Good Works” team … participated in OSU’s Beavers Without Borders mission trip to the Dominican Republic in June 2014. 2014: Showed he could have an immediate impace on defense registering one of two quarterback sacks in OSU’s spring game … registered 27 tackles as a top reserve at defensive end … tied for third on the team with 4.0 sacks, including two at Hawai’i … forced a fumble at USC … played on most of OSU’s special teams units … earned Pac-12 All-Academic First Team … high jumped 7-0.25 in his only track performance of the season at the UW Preview (indoor). 2013: Obum battled for the starting spot at split end during fall camp … made one catch on the season … played in all 13 games, mostly on special teams … recorded six special teams tackles, tying for fourth on the team … named Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention … following the season received OSU’s Leadership Institute’s Outstanding Football Player Engagement Award at the team’s season-end banquet. 2012: Was expected to battle for the starting spot at slot back during fall camp but a nagging ankle injury essentially kept him out of the competition … played a key role on special teams … played in 12 of the team’s 13 games … won the Oregon Preview track meet in the high jump March 18 at 6-11 … jumped 7-1.5 to finish sixth at the Pac-12 Championships, it was the 11th-best mark in the west region and tied for 30th in the nation … Pac-12 Academic Honorable Mention. 2011: Played in all 12 games … caught eight receptions for 147 yards for the season … made a 58-yard catch and run to set up a fourth quarter touchdown in a win over Washington … also played on special teams … participated in the high jump and triple jump during winter and late spring seasons, and won the high jump at a February indoor meet at Washington – 6-9.75” … won the Oregon Twilight in May with a leap of 6-11.75 … also performed in the triple jump setting a season-best of 48-7.25. 2010: Participated in his first spring practice after enrolling at OSU during winter term of 2010 … redshirted … joined Jordan Bishop, James Rodgers, Rashaad Reynolds and Keynan Parker at the Feb. 13, 2010 Husky Indoor Classic track meet marking the first time male student-athletes have represented OSU in track since 1988 – Gwacham participated in the high jump where he leaped 6-10.75 taking runner-up to Bishop (7-0.25) … on March 13 he won the Oregon Preview outdoor meet at Hayward Field in Eugene with a jump of 7-1.75 and on May 8 won the Oregon Twilight at 6-11.75 … finished fourth in the high jump at the Pac-10 Championships at 7-1.5.

AYALA: Obum earned two letters at wide receiver and four in track and field … second team All-Sierra League honoree after the 2008 season … rated one of the top receivers in the area prior to the ’08 season by the Los Angeles Times … chosen as Ayala’s Male Athlete of the Year … standout in track where he was among California’s best in the high jump, triple jump and long jump … cleared 6-10 in the high jump and 48 feet in the triple jump during the 2008 track season … missed the 2007 football season with a broken collarbone … captain of football and track teams … did not start playing football until his freshman year.

PERSONAL: Born in March 20, 1991 in Onitsha, Nigeria … his name in Nigerian means “Son of God” … son of Edwin and Caroline Gwacham … has one brother, Nnamdi, and three sisters, Adaobi, Chiko and Ifu … Nnamdi was a four-year letterman receiver at Utah State, completing his eligibility in 2009 … moved to the U.S. when he was seven … received the Foothill Citrus Athletic Director Association’s Scholar-Athlete Award … chose Oregon State because he “loved spending time with the people I met with in Corvallis, the great campus and I love the weather” … majoring in marketing with an option in entrepreneurship.