Spring Break
The Daily OrangeOher emerges from chaotic childhood
By Didier Morais
Posted: 9/18/08, 1:27 AM EST Section: Sports
Several weeks after his enrollment at Briarcrest, word of Oher's background rapidly spread around the campus. After hearing his story, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, a couple with a daughter at the school, immediately took interest in Oher's case. They invited Oher to move in with them, connected him with a personal tutor and eventually adopted him.
Under the Tuohys' custody, Oher gradually improved academically. Prior to his junior year, school officials finally permitted Oher to play on the Briarcrest football team.
But tragedy struck during the season. Oher received word that his biological father was murdered. The news affected Oher to a degree, but since his father wasn't a part of his life, it didn't distract from his obligations on the field.
Keeping his focus on football, Oher developed into a premier left tackle and garnered the attention of collegiate scouts. Throughout his senior year, he became one of the highest-rated offensive line prospects in the nation. He received numerous scholarship offers, but ultimately chose to attend Sean Touhy's alma mater, Ole Miss.
Oher made an immediate impact on the collegiate level, earning first-team All-American honors as a freshman and second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in his first two years. Last season, he started all 12 games for the Rebels, and became a consensus first-team All-SEC selection.
"He's a phenomenal athlete," said graduate assistant coach for the Rebels' offense Alan Hensell. "He can really do anything we ask from him, whether in the run game or the pass game. It's really tough for a defensive end to get an edge on him."
Following his memorable junior year, Oher declared that he was to enter the 2008 NFL Draft. But two days later, he withdrew his name from draft consideration, noticing there was room for improvement.
"I felt like I had things to work on to get a lot better," Oher said. "I also wanted spend my last year with my teammates and get one last shot at the collegiate experience because the NFL will always be there."
Under the Tuohys' custody, Oher gradually improved academically. Prior to his junior year, school officials finally permitted Oher to play on the Briarcrest football team.
But tragedy struck during the season. Oher received word that his biological father was murdered. The news affected Oher to a degree, but since his father wasn't a part of his life, it didn't distract from his obligations on the field.
Keeping his focus on football, Oher developed into a premier left tackle and garnered the attention of collegiate scouts. Throughout his senior year, he became one of the highest-rated offensive line prospects in the nation. He received numerous scholarship offers, but ultimately chose to attend Sean Touhy's alma mater, Ole Miss.
Oher made an immediate impact on the collegiate level, earning first-team All-American honors as a freshman and second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in his first two years. Last season, he started all 12 games for the Rebels, and became a consensus first-team All-SEC selection.
"He's a phenomenal athlete," said graduate assistant coach for the Rebels' offense Alan Hensell. "He can really do anything we ask from him, whether in the run game or the pass game. It's really tough for a defensive end to get an edge on him."
Following his memorable junior year, Oher declared that he was to enter the 2008 NFL Draft. But two days later, he withdrew his name from draft consideration, noticing there was room for improvement.
"I felt like I had things to work on to get a lot better," Oher said. "I also wanted spend my last year with my teammates and get one last shot at the collegiate experience because the NFL will always be there."
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