Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
How Ore Adeyi Refuses to Let Setbacks Define Him
10/15/2025 11:53:00 PM | Football
As graduate student defensive back Ore Adeyi trotted onto the turf at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Sept. 5, he was overcome with emotion.
Adeyi hadn't suited up for a college football game in over 20 months after missing the entirety of the 2024 season, as well as Week 1 of the 2025 season. He was finally back, ready to take on Western Illinois.
"I went out there during warmups, and I was fighting back tears because I haven't been here," Adeyi said. "I love this sport. I love playing with a bunch of guys on the team. I see these guys as brothers. When I wasn't out there last year, I felt down a lot of times because I love these guys. I wanted to be out there. I just felt happy."
Five weeks later, Adeyi would play a critical role in Northwestern's 22-21 victory over Penn State, recording his first career interception and making multiple impact plays as the Wildcats recorded their first win over the Nittany Lions in a decade.
The ability he showcased in front of over 100,000 fans was the same form he exemplified over a year earlier during the team's 2024 fall camp. Making play after play, Cornerbacks Coach LaMarcus Hicks saw Adeyi approach each day with a determined look in his eye as he dominated practice and played at what Hicks called an All-Big Ten level.
However, amidst a fall practice before what appeared to be an inevitable breakout season, Adeyi suffered a non-contact upper-leg injury. Thereafter, doctors informed him he would miss the entire season.
As a result, Adeyi's focus quickly shifted from his on-field play to regaining his strength and returning to a high level of performance. He began his rehab at 6 a.m. most days, and wouldn't stop until around 1 p.m.
"I felt like if I can't play, I'm gonna attack something," Adeyi said. "Most people look at rehab as a negative thing, but I looked at it as a positive thing. I can go in, and if I attack everything, I'll come back stronger."
Those around him, from fellow players to coaches, took notice of Adeyi's relentless drive to return to the football field.
"There are a lot of guys who would never find a way to get back on the football field after something like that," Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun said. "His attitude from day one was like, 'I'll be back, Coach. I'll be back better than ever.' That attitude fueled him throughout this entire process."
As he went through the rehab process, Adeyi remained a presence in the Northwestern locker room by helping coach up younger cornerbacks and sitting in on game-plan meetings.
By the time the 2025 fall camp came around, Adeyi was back. He was starting to regain his rhythm until he suffered yet another injury, fracturing his wrist. But given what he had been through in just the prior year, adversity was nothing new.
"I was devastated because at first, I thought I would be out for a few games. Then, I got news that I could be back in a month, so I would only miss one game," Adeyi said. "I just attacked rehab again. I've been in that spot, and I've seen worse."
Adeyi's return in Week 2 wasn't just emotional for himself. The same people who had watched his hard work over the past year finally got to see it pay off, as the cornerback played his first snaps since the 2023 season.
"I was just happy to see him out there again," Hicks said. "It was heartbreaking to see when he went down, but to see him out there and playing, it was like, 'Okay, Ore's back.' It felt good to see him out there."
Although Adeyi saw limited reps in his first game, he was soon thrust into a larger role. With redshirt sophomore Josh Fussell going down to injury in the ensuing contest against Oregon, Adeyi was forced to step up into a starting role.
Being back on the field didn't mean Adeyi was immediately playing to the best of his ability. After Adeyi's first three games, Braun said that he felt the veteran was still "knocking a little bit of rust off" here and there."
"I was still gaining confidence back, gaining a feel of football back," Adeyi said. "I didn't play for a full year, so I didn't have full confidence in what I was doing out there."
Last Saturday, Adeyi asserted that he was back to full form.
On Penn State's first drive of the game, Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar tested Adeyi in the end zone. Adeyi said he knew his opponent's tendency to take shot plays at the end zone and expected a back-shoulder fade.
He picked the ball off in the end zone for his first career interception, returning it to the 33-yard line. For Adeyi, the moment was unforgettable.
"I can't even explain it — it felt amazing," he said. "I caught the ball, and I kind of looked at it for a while because I couldn't fathom that. I really caught a pick in a great environment like that."
Braun and Hicks lauded Adeyi for the play, saying it changed the trajectory of the game by giving the Wildcats major momentum.
Later in the game, Adeyi chased down a Nittany Lion wide receiver after a 67-yard gain to prevent a score–a play Braun said defines who Adeyi is as a player.
Game by game, Adeyi has felt better and better. His play has consistently improved, culminating in one of his best performances to date. He'll have the opportunity to continue that progress this Saturday when Northwestern takes on Purdue at 2 p.m. CT.
"You can just see the confidence building," Braun said. "Sometimes, that rust is more just playing football and getting back into a rhythm than anything else. … That dude is so excited to be back at it, and it's been really neat to see the progression [over] the last couple weeks. He's back to himself."
Adeyi hadn't suited up for a college football game in over 20 months after missing the entirety of the 2024 season, as well as Week 1 of the 2025 season. He was finally back, ready to take on Western Illinois.
"I went out there during warmups, and I was fighting back tears because I haven't been here," Adeyi said. "I love this sport. I love playing with a bunch of guys on the team. I see these guys as brothers. When I wasn't out there last year, I felt down a lot of times because I love these guys. I wanted to be out there. I just felt happy."
Five weeks later, Adeyi would play a critical role in Northwestern's 22-21 victory over Penn State, recording his first career interception and making multiple impact plays as the Wildcats recorded their first win over the Nittany Lions in a decade.
The ability he showcased in front of over 100,000 fans was the same form he exemplified over a year earlier during the team's 2024 fall camp. Making play after play, Cornerbacks Coach LaMarcus Hicks saw Adeyi approach each day with a determined look in his eye as he dominated practice and played at what Hicks called an All-Big Ten level.
However, amidst a fall practice before what appeared to be an inevitable breakout season, Adeyi suffered a non-contact upper-leg injury. Thereafter, doctors informed him he would miss the entire season.
As a result, Adeyi's focus quickly shifted from his on-field play to regaining his strength and returning to a high level of performance. He began his rehab at 6 a.m. most days, and wouldn't stop until around 1 p.m.
"I felt like if I can't play, I'm gonna attack something," Adeyi said. "Most people look at rehab as a negative thing, but I looked at it as a positive thing. I can go in, and if I attack everything, I'll come back stronger."
Those around him, from fellow players to coaches, took notice of Adeyi's relentless drive to return to the football field.
"There are a lot of guys who would never find a way to get back on the football field after something like that," Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun said. "His attitude from day one was like, 'I'll be back, Coach. I'll be back better than ever.' That attitude fueled him throughout this entire process."
As he went through the rehab process, Adeyi remained a presence in the Northwestern locker room by helping coach up younger cornerbacks and sitting in on game-plan meetings.
By the time the 2025 fall camp came around, Adeyi was back. He was starting to regain his rhythm until he suffered yet another injury, fracturing his wrist. But given what he had been through in just the prior year, adversity was nothing new.
"I was devastated because at first, I thought I would be out for a few games. Then, I got news that I could be back in a month, so I would only miss one game," Adeyi said. "I just attacked rehab again. I've been in that spot, and I've seen worse."
Adeyi's return in Week 2 wasn't just emotional for himself. The same people who had watched his hard work over the past year finally got to see it pay off, as the cornerback played his first snaps since the 2023 season.
"I was just happy to see him out there again," Hicks said. "It was heartbreaking to see when he went down, but to see him out there and playing, it was like, 'Okay, Ore's back.' It felt good to see him out there."
Although Adeyi saw limited reps in his first game, he was soon thrust into a larger role. With redshirt sophomore Josh Fussell going down to injury in the ensuing contest against Oregon, Adeyi was forced to step up into a starting role.
Being back on the field didn't mean Adeyi was immediately playing to the best of his ability. After Adeyi's first three games, Braun said that he felt the veteran was still "knocking a little bit of rust off" here and there."
"I was still gaining confidence back, gaining a feel of football back," Adeyi said. "I didn't play for a full year, so I didn't have full confidence in what I was doing out there."
Last Saturday, Adeyi asserted that he was back to full form.
On Penn State's first drive of the game, Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar tested Adeyi in the end zone. Adeyi said he knew his opponent's tendency to take shot plays at the end zone and expected a back-shoulder fade.
He picked the ball off in the end zone for his first career interception, returning it to the 33-yard line. For Adeyi, the moment was unforgettable.
"I can't even explain it — it felt amazing," he said. "I caught the ball, and I kind of looked at it for a while because I couldn't fathom that. I really caught a pick in a great environment like that."
Braun and Hicks lauded Adeyi for the play, saying it changed the trajectory of the game by giving the Wildcats major momentum.
First Career INT for @ore_adeyi ?? pic.twitter.com/rYV5vtPs7B
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) October 11, 2025
Later in the game, Adeyi chased down a Nittany Lion wide receiver after a 67-yard gain to prevent a score–a play Braun said defines who Adeyi is as a player.
Game by game, Adeyi has felt better and better. His play has consistently improved, culminating in one of his best performances to date. He'll have the opportunity to continue that progress this Saturday when Northwestern takes on Purdue at 2 p.m. CT.
"You can just see the confidence building," Braun said. "Sometimes, that rust is more just playing football and getting back into a rhythm than anything else. … That dude is so excited to be back at it, and it's been really neat to see the progression [over] the last couple weeks. He's back to himself."
Players Mentioned
DB
/ FootballFootball - David Braun Joins B1G Today (10/17/25)
Friday, October 17
Football - Purdue Game Week Press Conference (10/13/25)
Monday, October 13
Football - Penn State Postgame Press Conference (10/11/25)
Saturday, October 11
Football - Northwestern Stuns Penn State on the Road, 22-21 (10/11/25)
Saturday, October 11
