NORMAN — Coming out of Coppell High School (TX), offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu held a single Division I offer.
Instead of heading north to play for Illinois State, an FCS program, the Dallas-area product chose to stay home and walk-on at North Texas, who was led by then-head coach Seth Littrell.
After redshirting during his first year in Denton, Nwaiwu quickly showcased his talent to the Mean Green coaching staff, earning a scholarship ahead of the 2022 season.
In the season that followed, Nwaiwu made 12 starts for UNT, earning Conference USA All-Freshman honors and being named third-team All-Conference USA by Pro Football Focus. After the 2022 season, Littrell left North Texas and was hired as an offensive analyst at Oklahoma.
Nwaiwu, however, spent his redshirt sophomore year in Denton, where he played 713 snaps and earned a 70.4 overall offensive grade and a 75.5 run blocking grade from PFF. After the 2023 season, the standout interior offensive lineman entered the transfer portal, where he reunited with his former head coach after Littrell was elevated to offensive coordinator in Norman.
“You know, Seth Littrell he’s a great coach, (we are) very close,” Nwaiwu said in March. “He was my coach at UNT, my first two years over there. Just having him over here helped the transition even more because I had somebody that could be a friend on the coaching staff already. … Choosing OU, it was the people here, the coaching staff, I just felt really in tune with them. Their morals and their goals are the same as my goals.”
WATCH: Oklahoma OL Febechi Nwaiwu Interview
Going through his first spring at Oklahoma, Nwaiwu has been taking reps with the first-team offense, blocking for former 5-star quarterback Jackson Arnold. With a completely new offensive line set to take over for the Sooners after losing all five starters from the 2023 campaign, Nwaiwu’s experience will be crucial for OU as it heads into the SEC.
Being one of the only guards one the roster with more than a few starts at the collegiate level, the former Mean Green standout should be earn a starting spot when the fall rolls around, especially if he continues to perform well in spring practices.
Players within the program have already taken note of Nwaiwu’s mentality and toughness, which are both key traits to have along the o-line.
“Febechi… The aggressiveness. He got that dog in him,” junior defensive lineman Gracen Halton said after practice in late March.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 326 pounds, Nwaiwu also has the size to be a solid offensive lineman in the SEC. Former Oklahoma All-American center Gabe Ikard has even said on “The Oklahoma Breakdown” podcast that Nwaiwu has looked like one of the Sooners’ best offensive lineman through the spring.
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Despite observers being concerned about Oklahoma’s offensive line with a brand new group, Nwaiwu is confident that he will give enough effort to help the team be successful this season
“OU fans are going to get a player that’s going to play 100 percent every snap,” Nwaiwu said. “He’s going to play for his teammates, he’s going to play for the people, for the fans out there, to make sure that we have the best season that we can. … My expectation for myself is to do the very best I can, every play, every rep. Hustle, run to the ball, just the key things that make you a fierce offensive lineman.”
If Nwaiwu is able to continue his success against SEC competition, the Sooners will have at least one hole filled in their front five. With renowned o-line coach Bill Bedenbaugh now working with the former All-Conference honoree, there is a good chance Nwaiwu’s play will improve from where he was in 2023.
Despite being one of four transfers along the offensive line, Nwaiwu said that the transition from UNT to OU wasn’t difficult, crediting the culture in Norman and the people within the Sooners’ program for helping him with any challenges he faced.
“Honestly I thought (the transition from UNT to OU) was going to be hard, but the people here made it very easy,” Nwaiwu said. “They’re very welcoming, any problem that I had they could help me. Any questions, they helped me.”
Oklahoma’s spring game is just one week away, so the former North Texas offensive lineman will experience his first live action at Owen Field, with plenty of fans in attendance eager to see how Nwaiwu performs in Crimson and Cream.
With 19 starts over the past two seasons, a good track record of production and leadership skills as well as a solid relationship with Littrell, the path looks clear for Nwaiwu to have a big impact on the Sooners’ offensive during his first year at OU.
