The Colby Echo

Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Courtesy of Bill Sodoma

Daniel Oliphant '06, in his four years at Colby, was well known as a starting football player in his sophomore and junior years before being named a captain of the squad in his senior year, in addition to claiming the 2006 Mr. Colby title.
Oliphant is again making Colby history as the first ever Colby graduate to sign with an NFL team. Last week, he agreed to a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

On Mar. 9, Oliphant will head to Tampa, Florida, where he will begin workouts with the coaches of the six NFL Europa teams. After a week, he will be drafted to one of those teams- either Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Rhein, Cologne, Hamburg or Berlin-and spend the next week practicing with his assigned team. In April and May, Oliphant will travel to Europe to compete in the NFL Europa league. If all goes well, upon his return he will be invited to the Ravens' preseason training camp. Colby football Head Coach Ed Mestieri noted that even if Oliphant does not make the Ravens, it is realistic to think that he could be picked for another NFL team.

Oliphant was honored numerous times throughout his Colby football career. He was a two-time first team all-conference selection at offensive line in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. He was also an Ellsworth Millett Award recipient, which honors individuals who have contributed the most to Colby athletics in their four years.

According to Oliphant, playing football professionally had not been a lifelong dream of his; he merely wanted to excel at the sport while he was here at Colby. "Continuing my football career was never really the goal. I did want to be the best offensive lineman in our league and strived towards that goal, but all I ever wanted was to be respected by my coaches and teammates and have a highly successful college football experience."

However, the possibility of playing professional football became a reality during his time at Colby. "I have the size to play at the next level (a characteristic that is God given) and determination and people-specifically my parents, friends and the Colby football program-that have allowed me to chase this dream with their full support."

Over the past year, Oliphant has volunteered as an assistant coach to the Colby football team, which has benefited those players who strive to reach his level of success and has also given him the opportunity to focus on his own training. Mestieri noted how important this past year has been for Oliphant's training. "The hope we had all along was that Dan would just get a legitimate shot-and through hard work he has that now. He has NFL size, he's determined; as much as we had hoped for this opportunity last spring, he is much better prepared physically than he was a year ago."

Mestieri has nothing to offer but praise of Oliphant, and the entire Colby football program is hopeful that Oliphant will be successful in his upcoming endeavors. He said that "We [the Colby football program] are extremely proud of Dan and genuinely happy for him-he is such a humble, fine young man."

Oliphant is equally appreciative of his former coach. Neither coach nor athlete is willing to take the credit for Oliphant's success. Oliphant said, "Coach Mestieri is the greatest coach I have ever had. He fostered through his own passion a love for the sport of football in me that inspired me to chase this dream. Without him this could not and would not happen."

Mestieri concluded, "I'm just pleased that Dan has discovered through his participation in our football program that he was capable of doing something like this."

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