Merrill: Gado grabs attention

tk13 · 06-23-2005, 01:21 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11961341.htm

Gado grabs attention
Chiefs like what they see in rookie back

By ELIZABETH MERRILL
Kansas City Star

The video was sitting somewhere in a pile, lost in the shuffle of the 2005 draft. Truth is, there was nothing remarkable about it. Sam Gado is running. He looks strong and fast. He’s the third-string running back at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

The story could end there, with the video filed in a circular basket, only Gado’s coach is former NFL quarterback Ken Karcher. He’s an old friend of Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders. He’s persistent. In the last phone call, Karcher says something that sticks in Saunders’ head.

“I guarantee you that Sam Gado will bless your life as well as the lives of others in that organization,” he says.

There are nearly 20 rookies in Kansas City for a final week of workouts, but coach Dick Vermeil knows which one is Gado. He’s the one standing outside, in 90-degree heat, smiling.

The undrafted rookie didn’t just make it out of the video scrap heap. Both Vermeil and Saunders say Gado was so impressive during offseason workouts that he has a shot of sticking around past training camp.

“He has exceeded our expectations in every area,” Saunders says.

“He’s just a ball of energy.”

He’s 210 pounds of pep, he’s an honors student who wants to go back to his home in Nigeria and someday be a doctor, but Samkon Gado wants you to know one thing — he wasn’t always this sky-high. Gado never dominated in college. He was supposed to redshirt in 2004 before Liberty’s top two running backs got hurt.

But college production doesn’t always translate to NFL potential, and Karcher says Gado’s best days are still ahead of him. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash for the Patriots, and is deceptively strong. The Chiefs list him at 5 foot 11 and 210 pounds. Karcher says Gado actually weighs 225.

Gado was nicknamed “The Nigerian Nightmare” in high school after his boyhood idol, Christian Okoye. Karcher says Gado reminds him of a faster, smaller Okoye. But all the praise couldn’t help Gado’s jitters when he packed for Kansas City. He played football at a small high school, then was relegated to backup duty at a Division I-AA college. And now he was going to Kansas City to work out with a team that had Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson.

“That was in the back of my mind,” Gado says. “I mean, if I couldn’t start at Liberty …

“I think the best advice I got was from Coach Karcher. He told me the fact that I came down here, that they expressed interest, means I belong. It would not be in my best interest to go in thinking, ‘Wow, that’s Priest Holmes.’ Don’t get me wrong, the first day I couldn’t believe it that there was Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez and Trent Green, people I grew up watching and admiring. But then I had to get over that quickly. Within a matter of minutes.”

Liberty, Gado says, is a Christian school where a football player has three objectives — glorifying God, becoming the best student in the classroom, and, last in the order, excelling at football. He ran for 901 yards and 11 touchdowns on 138 carries as a senior. He also averaged 26.9 yards a kickoff return.

He didn’t always want to play football. Soccer was the sport of choice in Nigeria, and Gado was a midfielder before he moved to the United States at age 9. His buddies played football in the United States, so Gado had to try. He spent a couple of years convincing his dad he would hold up OK despite the physicality of the sport.

In the nights after a long practice, Gado will call Karcher, who’s an expert on hope and longshots. Karcher played behind John Elway in Denver. He says Gado’s in a perfect spot because there’s no pressure on him. He can learn from Holmes and Johnson. He can go to NFL Europe, if necessary, and earn experience.

But Karcher, who recently came to Kansas City to watch Gado work out, knows his pupil will make it in the NFL. He almost guarantees it.

“I’ve played with guys who weren’t as good as him,” he says.

It’s obvious Saunders has a soft spot for Gado. He spent nearly 10 minutes talking about the rookie Wednesday, and at one point said the Chiefs are better off with Gado around this summer.

He isn’t going anywhere. Today marks the last rookie workout, but Gado will stay until just before training camp, when the players are no longer permitted at the practice facility. He doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. He says it’s a win-win situation, but admits he’ll be very disappointed if he doesn’t make it.

“Honestly, wouldn’t you smile if you were here?” he says. “I mean, you get to play football for an occupation. That’s almost ridiculous.”

Pants · 06-23-2005, 01:32 AM

Wow. Jonathan Smith has some competition.

DaWolf · 06-23-2005, 02:07 AM

Very nice story. I like guys who are athletes and have his attitude. Hope he turns into a good player...

JimNasium · 06-23-2005, 07:01 AM

Jessie Haynes?

AirForceChief · 06-23-2005, 07:13 AM

I thought Brian Shay was the next big thing from a small school?

donkhater · 06-23-2005, 07:17 AM

Why not? He wouldn't be the first undrafted free agent from a small school to make it in the NFL.

KC needs a third RB. I imagine it will depend on his ability to play special teams.

If there is one thing that I trust this coaching staff to do, it is to pick a RB that is right for this system. If they say he has the goods and makes the team, then he has the goods.

Coach · 06-23-2005, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metrolike

Wow. Jonathan Smith has some competition.

I would say so.

I did a little math, and 901 yards, divide by 138 carries = 6.5 Yards Per Carry.

That's pretty good.

StcChief · 06-23-2005, 07:38 AM

Sounds good to me. Small school good number though.

Competition is a good thing for all involved.

**RealSNR** · 06-23-2005, 07:39 AM

So I guess now Gado is the new 3-legged puppy at training camp that everyone roots for

KChiefs1 · 06-23-2005, 07:43 AM

Looks like Rich Scanlon was some competition!

htismaqe · 06-23-2005, 08:15 AM

Samkon Gado? Is he a hobbit?

shaneo69 · 06-23-2005, 08:25 AM

Quote: "It’s obvious Saunders has a soft spot for Gado. He spent nearly 10 minutes talking about the rookie Wednesday, and at one point said the Chiefs are better off with Gado around this summer."

Looks like Saunders has found his new Blaylock. Hey LJ, you're back at 3rd string, buddy.

C-Mac · 06-23-2005, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donkhater

Why not? He wouldn't be the first undrafted free agent from a small school to make it in the NFL.

You can imagine that Priest Holmes is quite the inspiration for many like him.

htismaqe · 06-23-2005, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

Quote: "It’s obvious Saunders has a soft spot for Gado. He spent nearly 10 minutes talking about the rookie Wednesday, and at one point said the Chiefs are better off with Gado around this summer."

Looks like Saunders has found his new Blaylock. Hey LJ, you're back at 3rd string, buddy.

Great. Yet another reason for our coaches to choose sentiment over production.

C-Mac · 06-23-2005, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Great. Yet another reason for our coaches to choose sentiment over production.

Interesting, the offense has been the most productive in the NFL the last 3 years.

06-23-2005, 01:21 AM
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1667500	Merrill: Gado grabs attention http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11961341.htm Gado grabs attention Chiefs like what they see in rookie back By ELIZABETH MERRILL Kansas City Star The video was sitting somewhere in a pile, lost in the shuffle of the 2005 draft. Truth is, there was nothing remarkable about it. Sam Gado is running. He looks strong and fast. He’s the third-string running back at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. The story could end there, with the video filed in a circular basket, only Gado’s coach is former NFL quarterback Ken Karcher. He’s an old friend of Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders. He’s persistent. In the last phone call, Karcher says something that sticks in Saunders’ head. “I guarantee you that Sam Gado will bless your life as well as the lives of others in that organization,” he says. There are nearly 20 rookies in Kansas City for a final week of workouts, but coach Dick Vermeil knows which one is Gado. He’s the one standing outside, in 90-degree heat, smiling. The undrafted rookie didn’t just make it out of the video scrap heap. Both Vermeil and Saunders say Gado was so impressive during offseason workouts that he has a shot of sticking around past training camp. “He has exceeded our expectations in every area,” Saunders says. “He’s just a ball of energy.” He’s 210 pounds of pep, he’s an honors student who wants to go back to his home in Nigeria and someday be a doctor, but Samkon Gado wants you to know one thing — he wasn’t always this sky-high. Gado never dominated in college. He was supposed to redshirt in 2004 before Liberty’s top two running backs got hurt. But college production doesn’t always translate to NFL potential, and Karcher says Gado’s best days are still ahead of him. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash for the Patriots, and is deceptively strong. The Chiefs list him at 5 foot 11 and 210 pounds. Karcher says Gado actually weighs 225. Gado was nicknamed “The Nigerian Nightmare” in high school after his boyhood idol, Christian Okoye. Karcher says Gado reminds him of a faster, smaller Okoye. But all the praise couldn’t help Gado’s jitters when he packed for Kansas City. He played football at a small high school, then was relegated to backup duty at a Division I-AA college. And now he was going to Kansas City to work out with a team that had Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson. “That was in the back of my mind,” Gado says. “I mean, if I couldn’t start at Liberty … “I think the best advice I got was from Coach Karcher. He told me the fact that I came down here, that they expressed interest, means I belong. It would not be in my best interest to go in thinking, ‘Wow, that’s Priest Holmes.’ Don’t get me wrong, the first day I couldn’t believe it that there was Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez and Trent Green, people I grew up watching and admiring. But then I had to get over that quickly. Within a matter of minutes.” Liberty, Gado says, is a Christian school where a football player has three objectives — glorifying God, becoming the best student in the classroom, and, last in the order, excelling at football. He ran for 901 yards and 11 touchdowns on 138 carries as a senior. He also averaged 26.9 yards a kickoff return. He didn’t always want to play football. Soccer was the sport of choice in Nigeria, and Gado was a midfielder before he moved to the United States at age 9. His buddies played football in the United States, so Gado had to try. He spent a couple of years convincing his dad he would hold up OK despite the physicality of the sport. In the nights after a long practice, Gado will call Karcher, who’s an expert on hope and longshots. Karcher played behind John Elway in Denver. He says Gado’s in a perfect spot because there’s no pressure on him. He can learn from Holmes and Johnson. He can go to NFL Europe, if necessary, and earn experience. But Karcher, who recently came to Kansas City to watch Gado work out, knows his pupil will make it in the NFL. He almost guarantees it. “I’ve played with guys who weren’t as good as him,” he says. It’s obvious Saunders has a soft spot for Gado. He spent nearly 10 minutes talking about the rookie Wednesday, and at one point said the Chiefs are better off with Gado around this summer. He isn’t going anywhere. Today marks the last rookie workout, but Gado will stay until just before training camp, when the players are no longer permitted at the practice facility. He doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. He says it’s a win-win situation, but admits he’ll be very disappointed if he doesn’t make it. “Honestly, wouldn’t you smile if you were here?” he says. “I mean, you get to play football for an occupation. That’s almost ridiculous.”
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06-23-2005, 01:32 AM	#2
Pants Time Keeps On Slipping Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $3639900	Wow. Jonathan Smith has some competition. __________________ "Turn the channel to 26!"
Posts: 27,411

06-23-2005, 02:07 AM	#3
DaWolf Cry havoc... Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10007725	Very nice story. I like guys who are athletes and have his attitude. Hope he turns into a good player...
Posts: 6,798

06-23-2005, 07:01 AM	#4
JimNasium Voodoo Chile Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: At the crossroad Casino cash: $-753143	Jessie Haynes? __________________ World class speed!
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06-23-2005, 07:13 AM	#5
AirForceChief Thread Killer Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Monument, Co Casino cash: $10004930	I thought Brian Shay was the next big thing from a small school? __________________ John Stuart Mill: "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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06-23-2005, 07:17 AM	#6
donkhater Brilliant!! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Indiana, USA Casino cash: $10014051	Why not? He wouldn't be the first undrafted free agent from a small school to make it in the NFL. KC needs a third RB. I imagine it will depend on his ability to play special teams. If there is one thing that I trust this coaching staff to do, it is to pick a RB that is right for this system. If they say he has the goods and makes the team, then he has the goods. __________________ The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants
Posts: 3,994

06-23-2005, 07:38 AM	#8
StcChief Playing for #1 Draft Pick Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Just West of Lambs land Casino cash: $10004900	Sounds good to me. Small school good number though. Competition is a good thing for all involved. __________________ sig test for this screwy schema
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06-23-2005, 07:43 AM	#10
KChiefs1 I’m a Mahomo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mid-Missouri Casino cash: $6771021	Looks like Rich Scanlon was some competition! __________________
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06-23-2005, 08:15 AM	#11
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $8179900	Samkon Gado? Is he a hobbit?
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06-23-2005, 08:25 AM	#12
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	Quote: "It’s obvious Saunders has a soft spot for Gado. He spent nearly 10 minutes talking about the rookie Wednesday, and at one point said the Chiefs are better off with Gado around this summer." Looks like Saunders has found his new Blaylock. Hey LJ, you're back at 3rd string, buddy. __________________ "I like Chiefs president Carl Peterson. I respect his business savvy. I envy his management skills and his penchant never to be driven by the whims of popularity. I admire his willingness to take responsibility for decisions that don’t work out the way he would have wanted." - Rufus, from KCChiefs.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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