Just as University of Toledo senior offensive lineman Yazeed Atariwa was beginning to settle into a starting role at left guard for the Rockets, he had a major career setback.
In Toledo's game at Miami (Fla.) in 2017, Atariwa suffered a broken ankle.
“Mentally, I took a huge blow at first,” Atariwa said. “I was coming on the rise and I felt really good. I finally cemented a position, and then just boom it all ended. At first it was hard on me. Just coming in every day and seeing my teammates, I knew I had to keep going and keep pushing and keep grinding.