Overview:
Roman “RJ” Oben Jr., a Cameroonian and Haitian American defensive lineman, has been instrumental in Notre Dame’s run to the School Soccer Playoff. Because the workforce prepares for the Orange Bowl semifinal towards Penn State, Oben and the Preventing Irish are simply two wins away from a nationwide championship. Regardless of current challenges, together with a terrorist assault earlier than the Sugar Bowl, Oben’s efficiency and management stay essential to the workforce’s success.
On Thursday evening, the College of Notre Dame’s Preventing Irish will face off towards the Penn State Nittany Lions within the Capital One Orange Bowl at Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The sport, a semifinal matchup for the 2025 Nationwide School Soccer Championship, will characteristic standout defensive lineman Roman “RJ” Oben Jr., No. 9, of Haitian and Cameroonian heritage as a key participant to observe for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame enters the sport with much less relaxation than their opponents, following a harrowing incident on New 12 months’s Day in New Orleans. A terrorist assault involving a pickup truck ramming right into a crowded space on Bourbon Road left 15 lifeless, inflicting heightened safety considerations for the Sugar Bowl, the place Notre Dame was set to play the Georgia Bulldogs on the Superdome.
The tragedy compelled the Sugar Bowl to be postponed by 24 hours, however regardless of the unsettling circumstances, Oben delivered a powerful efficiency. He recorded his first sack of the season, serving to the Preventing Irish safe a victory over Georgia and advance to the Orange Bowl.
Roman “RJ” Oben Jr., a standout defensive lineman from Montclair, New Jersey, has been pivotal to the College of Notre Dame Preventing Irish’s success this season. After starting his collegiate profession at Duke College, the place he excelled as a relentless move rusher, Oben transferred to Notre Dame as a graduate pupil.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 262 kilos, Oben has introduced his physicality and soccer IQ to the Preventing Irish, beginning all 12 video games within the 2024 season and recording 16 tackles, together with 9 solo tackles, together with a sack and a compelled fumble.
The son of Roman Oben Sr., a former NFL left deal with and the league’s vice chairman of soccer growth, RJ has soccer in his blood and has made his personal mark in school soccer. His journey, from his roots at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey Metropolis to competing for a nationwide title, underscores his dedication and adaptableness as he builds on his household’s soccer legacy.
There are solely 4 groups disregarded of the over 100 groups within the NCAA Division that might be competing for the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship title with solely two Bowl video games left going down on Jan. 9 and Jan 10, 2025 with one workforce making it to the championship recreation on Jan. 20.On Thursday evening, the College of Notre Dame’s Preventing Irish will face off towards the Penn State Nittany Lions within the Capital One Orange Bowl at Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The sport, a semifinal matchup for the 2025 Nationwide School Soccer Championship, will characteristic standout defensive lineman Roman “RJ” Oben Jr., No. 9, of Haitian and Cameroonian heritage as a key participant to observe for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame enters the sport with much less relaxation than their opponents, following a harrowing incident on New 12 months’s Day in New Orleans. A terrorist assault involving a pickup truck ramming right into a crowded space on Bourbon Road left 15 lifeless, inflicting heightened safety considerations for the Sugar Bowl, the place Notre Dame was set to play the Georgia Bulldogs on the Superdome.
The tragedy compelled the Sugar Bowl to be postponed by 24 hours, however regardless of the unsettling circumstances, Oben delivered a powerful efficiency. He recorded his first sack of the season, serving to the Preventing Irish safe a victory over Georgia and advance to the Orange Bowl.
Roman “RJ” Oben Jr., a standout defensive lineman from Montclair, New Jersey, has been pivotal to the College of Notre Dame Preventing Irish’s success this season. After starting his collegiate profession at Duke College, the place he excelled as a relentless move rusher, Oben transferred to Notre Dame as a graduate pupil.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 262 kilos, Oben has introduced his physicality and soccer IQ to the Preventing Irish, beginning all 12 video games within the 2024 season and recording 16 tackles, together with 9 solo tackles, together with a sack and a compelled fumble.
The son of Roman Oben Sr., a former NFL left deal with and the league’s vice chairman of soccer growth, RJ has soccer in his blood and has made his personal mark in school soccer. His journey, from his roots at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey Metropolis to competing for a nationwide title, underscores his dedication and adaptableness as he builds on his household’s soccer legacy.
There are solely 4 groups disregarded of the over 100 groups within the NCAA Division that might be competing for the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship title with solely two Bowl video games left going down on Jan. 9 and Jan 10, 2025 with one workforce making it to the championship recreation on Jan. 20.
“You need to be keen to adapt primarily based off the unpredictable that may occur. That’s what now we have been in a position to do. I really feel like our guys might be bodily able to roll.” mentioned Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman at a joint press convention forward of the semi last recreation on Wednesday, Jan 8.
On the opposite aspect of the sector, Penn State defensive finish Abdul Carter, No. 11, suffered an upper-body damage in the course of the second quarter of the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Projected as a high NFL draft choose within the first spherical this April, Carter’s availability for Thursday’s semifinal recreation stays unsure, leaving many to take a position whether or not he might be able to take the sector.
Carter has been posting cryptic messages utilizing clips from Star Wars and Darth vader on his instagram and X web page leaving many to marvel if he’s alluding to his return.
“We anticipate Abdul taking part in; he’s doing every little thing he presumably can to play. His method has been superior. He has lived within the coaching room. Will probably be a recreation time choice,” mentioned James Franklin, the pinnacle coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions since 2014.
The profitable workforce will compete towards Friday’s Cotton Bowl Traditional champion going down in Arlington, Texas the place Ohio State College Buckeyes and the College of Texas Longhorns battle it out.
Catch the Capital One Orange Bowl recreation at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday on ESPN.