BU’s loss is big gain for UMaine > Nigerian Pela at home in Orono

ORONO – Four years ago, Ufuoma Pela never could have imagined himself playing football at the University of Maine.

But if there’s one thing Pela has learned how to handle, it’s a change of scenery.

Pela, a senior defensive tackle for coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears, is among the leaders on the UMaine defense which takes on rival New Hampshire in today’s noon Atlantic 10 game at Alfond Stadium.

Pela has done his share of moving during his life. He spent the first 10 years of his life in his native Lagos, Nigeria. From there it was on to Texas, then Cherry Hill, N.J., where he earned a football scholarship to attend Boston University.

In 1997, midway through his freshman season at BU, the school announced it was dropping its football program. Pela, who was rushed into the lineup in Game 5 as the Terriers tried to stay competitive, had to make some choices.

The first was to continue playing. Pela had played in only one game when BU went public about disbanding the program. Had he chosen not to continue, Pela could have been redshirted without losing any athletic eligibility.

Against the advice of his parents, and under pressure from BU coaches who threatened not to assist him and his teammates in finding football scholarships elsewhere, Pela opted to keep playing for the Terriers.

This year, UMaine is filing a petition with the NCAA on behalf of Pela, who is requesting an additional season of eligibility because of the BU situation.

“I hope I can win this appeal, then come back next year, have a healthy offseason and then play better to my potential,” Pela said.

Pela and three BU teammates, including wide receiver Phil McGeoghan, ultimately decided to attend UMaine.

“They convinced me that it would be better for us to stick together transferring-wise, that it would be an easier transition,” Pela said. “It has worked out fine for me. I wish I could have come here out of high school.”

In his three seasons at UMaine, Pela has been a consistent contributor. This fall, he ranks ninth on the team and second among defensive linemen with 41 tackles, nine for negative yardage. He also boasts seven quarterback hurries and two sacks.

“He’s really played his best football the last three or four weeks for us,” Cosgrove said of Pela, who has been plagued by injuries. “He’s been good at both run-stopping and as a pass-rush guy.”

Pela, a 6-foot-2, 280-pounder, enjoys the challenge of playing on the defensive line. It has been a strength for the Bears in recent years.

“We pretty much set the tone for the whole team,” said Pela, who has seen a young defensive unit make huge strides this season. “The faster you can get off the ball, the harder it is for the offensive guy to block you.”

While Pela considers himself a “city person and never would have chosen UMaine initially, he has learned to appreciate the school and the lifestyle it provides.

“It changed me in the sense that when I do have kids, I want them to grow up in a place like this, a quiet place where they can concentrate more on their education rather than a big city where it’s hectic and there’s too much stuff going around,” Pela said.

Pela hopes to play football at the professional level, then run his own business.