Izzy, Not Iffy : USC Opponents Are Finding Out How Fast Nigerian-Born Ifeanyi Is Learning Football

USC Coach John Robinson used hand and arm gestures to simulate a locomotive rolling on its tracks, then made the locomotive take off, like an airplane.

He was talking about the difference between good football players and great ones, those who aren’t content with life on the tracks. They fly.

“Izzy is starting to do that now too, “ Robinson said, swooping with his right hand.

He was talking about senior Israel (Izzy) Ifeanyi, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end from Nigeria who never even saw a football game until he was 14.

Until 1992, when he enrolled at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, he had never been in a football uniform or tackled anyone. He thought a sack was something used by Americans to carry cheeseburgers.

Fast forward to last Saturday night at Arizona Stadium. Ifeanyi (pronounced Iffey-awny) was in on six tackles and had two sacks of Arizona quarterback Dan White in USC’s 31-10 victory.

He ran around blockers, sometimes charged through them and even leaped over them to disrupt Arizona’s passing game.

To defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, Ifeanyi’s lack of experience is offset by greater gifts.

“He may not have played much, but he has great instincts, a feel for the game,” Marinelli said.

“His desire, his attitude about getting to the quarterback, is tremendous. He never quits, not even when two guys are blocking him. His motor’s always running.

“His athletic gifts are explosiveness, his speed and quickness at the snap. He’s got a great change of direction, and he’s developed a couple of outstanding pass rush moves.”

Anthony Ifeanyi might not understand any of that.

Israel Ifeanyi’s father has never seen a football game.

“My Dad promised he’ll come to see one of our games this year, but I don’t know which one yet,” said Ifeanyi, who was raised in Lagos, where his father imports U.S.-made computers.

“He travels to New York a lot. He tried to come out last season but couldn’t. My dad doesn’t understand what I’m doing. He’s worried about me. He doesn’t understand how football can help me become a better person. To him, American football is just grown men running into each other.

“And people my age [24] in Nigeria usually have degrees and jobs.”

Anthony Ifeanyi has only himself to blame. From a New York trip, he once brought home a video of a Miami-Cincinnati NFL game, and his young son was hooked.

“I watched it over and over,” he said. “I didn’t even know the names of the positions, but I couldn’t wait then to learn how to play.”

Ifeanyi came to the United States in 1990, first staying with friends in Windsor, Conn. He was advised to go to California, enroll in a junior college and learn to play football.

He then walked into the Orange Coast office of assistant football coach Mike Taylor and introduced himself.

Recalled Taylor: “He didn’t know anything about football, but he had a great football body and ran a 4.6 40. He went from no experience at all to an all-conference player in two seasons. He’ll be a pro someday.”

Indeed, Ifeanyi is a focal point for NFL scouts at USC practices.

One, who asked not to be identified, said this week: “Fifty-five’s [his uniform number] coming up very fast in everyone’s evaluation. He’s an outstanding player right now, but everyone’s intrigued that he’s still learning how to play.”

That includes Keith Burns, USC’s defensive coordinator.

“If I wasn’t coaching here, had never heard of Izzy, and someone showed me the film of the game he played at Arizona and then told me this was only his fourth season of football . . . that would be a stretch, I would find that hard to believe,” he said.

“I mean, it’s possible to be a good college player with no experience, but to be playing at that level, it’s amazing, what he’s done.”

Yet Ifeanyi, who leads the Trojans with four sacks, talks like a player the coaches are getting ready to cut.

“That was the best game I’ve played for SC,” he said of the Arizona game.

“But to me it wasn’t a great game because I missed so many plays I should have made. I should have had more sacks.

“I know I’ve improved. Last year, I was trying to compete with my teammates. I wasn’t really learning a lot. I feel I’m established now, and I’m trying to learn more than I did last year.”

Ifeanyi plays in a new defensive scheme, on a 5-2 front that attacks on every play. Last year, USC played a read-and-react style defense.

“I like this much better,” he said. “It’s more aggressive, yet more simple. And the best change of all is that the coaches are stressing the mental part of the game--things like game preparation, of studying our opponents.”

Although known now primarily as a pass rusher, he was known last season as a big-play special teams player.

Against Oregon State, he blocked a conversion kick that safety Micah Phillips returned for a two-point defensive extra point. Against Notre Dame, Ifeanyi blocked a late field-goal attempt that Sammy Knight returned 56 yards to set up USC’s tying touchdown.

His athleticism, Marinelli suggests, would have allowed him to achieve as much in any sport.

“He has great gifts--he can turn the corner on a quarterback at full speed, and that’s hard to do,” he said.

“So he’s got all this ability, and he also has great work habits. He’s very eager to learn, but I don’t want to give him too much. I try to condense a lot of stuff for him.”