Moving around is nothing new for Rashad Ajayi. The redshirt-senior, from Atlanta moved around his entire childhood. Now, as he moves from Colorado State to West Virginia, he is prepared to make the most of this final shuffle.
From 2018-2021, Ajayi has stayed in Fort Collins, Colorado — home to Colorado State University. Ajayi says it was difficult to leave the place he called home for so long.
“It was very difficult to leave. I’d built a lot of trust and a lot of friendships out there with my teammates and coaches out there. They had a new coach in there and they felt like they needed to part ways, find a new guy to do that job that I was there to do,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi said hitting the portal was challenging. Having only one year of eligibility, he said it was hard to find a place that wanted him on a short-term basis.
“I entered the portal around May of this year and Coach ShaDon (Brown) gave me a call probably the same day I entered,” Ajayi said. “I came here and I went to Cal.”
As far as picking West Virginia, Ajayi said it was co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach ShaDon Brown who helped land Ajayi.
“Coach ShaDon, he seemed very genuine over the phone. So, I wanted to come out and see how it was in person,” Ajayi said. “It was a quick turnaround. I entered the portal the last week of May, and I wanted to be somewhere before summer started.”
As for on the field, Ajayi said he is open to helping the defense anyway he can.
“Right now, I’m strictly playing corner, but I’m always open to play any position they need me to play,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi added that he knows week one is a big rivalry game in the Backyard Brawl. Coming from Colorado State, Ajayi said he had rivalries with Colorado University as well as Wyoming.
“I’m just anticipating the fans how they will be when I get there,” Ajayi said of the Backyard Brawl. “My past rivalry school we played Colorado in the CU/CSU game. It was very big.”
Ajayi said he knows it means a lot to the people in the state, and he’s ready to get going.
“It means a lot to the people here of course at West Virginia, so I’m just ready to play honestly,” Ajayi said. “I’m just going into it as a game I need to play so I’m not caught up in everything else.”
As far as this season is concerned, Ajayi is happy his journey has put him at West Virginia. From watching Tavon Austin play growing up, to being in contact with coaches from WVU during high school, Ajayi said he is right where he belongs.
“I always seen myself playing at a power five school,” Ajayi said. “Growing up watching Tavon Austin play, he was just crazy. Watching him thinking like what it would be like to play at that school or even at that level.”
