page_title: Obi Ezeh
section_title: Michigan
hierarchical_section_title: Obi Ezeh / Michigan
caption_attribution_description: English: w:Obi Ezeh lines up w:Theo Riddick
context_page_description: Obi Pius Ezeh is a former American football linebacker. He was included on both the 2009 mid-season and the 2009 preseason watchlist for the Butkus Award. He was the active Michigan Wolverines football career leader in tackles.
  In high school, he played running back on offense more regularly than linebacker on defense. He shared running duties as a sophomore and junior before becoming the starter as a senior at Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He established his school career rushing record of nearly 3,000 yards. As a senior, he scored a two-point conversion to give his school a one-point victory and a berth in the 2005 Michigan High School Athletic Association state championship game at Ford Field. He was also a member of a three-time state champion high school rugby team and was invited to try out with the United States national rugby union team.
  At Michigan, he redshirted as a true freshman. Then, as a redshirt freshman for the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team, he battled for the starting middle linebacker position and appeared to have lost the position early in the season. However, after an injury he became a regular starter.
context_section_description: As expected, Ezeh, who had suffered a shoulder injury, redshirted his freshman year. Prior to his redshirt freshman season, he changed jersey numbers from 44 to 45 as he converted from fullback to linebacker. On May 22, 2007, he was charged with suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated for an incident when his vehicle struck a utility pole on the same street on which he lives while his blood-alcohol content was 0.11% (the legal limit in Michigan is 0.08%). Ezeh pleaded not guilty, and the trial was scheduled for September 19 in the 15th District Court. The time of the accident was outside the permissible times for Ezeh's restricted driving license that resulted from a prior non-alcohol-related accident. On the football field, redshirt freshman Ezeh entered the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season for the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team in a three-way battle to replace NFL-bound David Harris at middle linebacker with redshirt junior John Thompson and junior college transfer Austin Panter, who had been named national junior college defensive player of the year. Harris also hailed from Grand Rapids and had worn the number 45. The week before the season opener, The Detroit News declared Ezeh the starter, however, the Ann Arbor News and Ezeh's hometown The Grand Rapids Press both stated that the race between Ezeh and Thompson was undecided heading into the game. In the aftermath of the September 1, opening game loss to two-time defending FCS champion Appalachian State Mountaineers, more was made of the fact that both players had trouble playing the position than who had started the game. Ezeh started the first game, but lost his spot to Thompson in the next two. After three weeks of play, Thompson, who had been voted the hardest hitter on the team the previous two seasons, had established himself as the starter by ranking second on the team in tackles. However, although Thompson had stepped up to the role he was notable for having trouble with pass coverage. Ezeh accumulated no statistics in the third and fourth game, but recorded his first interception in the fifth game on September 29 against Northwestern on a deflected pass. Ezeh started that game because of an injury. The following week, he again started in place of the injured Thompson and recorded nine tackles against Eastern Michigan. He also forced a fumble and fielded one kickoff return. Even though Thompson recovered from his ankle injury after four weeks, Ezeh retained the starting job the remainder of the season for a total of ten starts. Thompson only recorded four tackles the rest of the year. On November 1, his lawyer stated that on August 29 Ezeh had pleaded guilty to an operating while visibly intoxicated charge, which is a serious misdemeanor but a lesser charge than the original operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and had sought alcohol counseling prior to his sentence. The plea resulted in a year's probation, three days in a work release program, a substantial payment covering fines, court costs and restitution. He committed to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving class. In the November 3 Paul Bunyan Trophy victory against Michigan State he recorded a season-high 13 tackles and two sacks. One of the sacks occurred on Michigan State's final series of downs in Michigan territory to help secure the 28–24 win. Ezeh recorded 12 tackles in the Michigan – Ohio State rivalry game against Ohio State on November 17 to end the regular season.
  After the graduation of Shawn Crable and Chris Graham there was again a notable battle for linebacker positions entering the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season for the 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team. Ezeh who had posted 68 tackles in 2007 was the leading returning tackler. As the only returning starting linebacker, Ezeh assumed the role of mentor. Ezeh won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award on September 1, 2008 for a game against the Utah Utes where he recorded 15 tackles and an interception. He also earned an ABC Player of the Game recognition. Ezeh also posted fifteen tackles
caption: Ezeh lines up Theo Riddick during 2009 Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry game.
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