Seppo Evwaraye

Last updated

Seppo Evwaraye
Position:Offensive guard
Personal information
Born: (1982-06-01) June 1, 1982 (age 39)
Vaasa, Finland
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:320 lb (145 kg)
Career information
College: Nebraska
Undrafted: 2006
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
As an executive:
Career highlights and awards
As a player
  • 2x Maple Bowl champion (2009, 2010)

As a head coach:

  • Iron Bowl (Finland) champion (2013)
  • 2× Spaghetti Bowl champion (2014, 2015)
Head coaching record
Regular season:31–14 (.689)
Postseason:4–3 (.571)
Career:35–17 (.673)

Seppo Evwaraye (born June 1, 1982) is a Finnish former offensive guard in American football and former general manager and interim head coach of Finnish team Wasa Royals of Maple league. Seppo was first signed by Carolina Panthers as a free agent in 2006, [1] and also played for Minnesota Vikings as an international practice squad member. [2]

Contents

Career

Playing career

Evwaraye started playing football in his home city of Vaasa, Finland. During his year as an exchange student in Nebraska, Evwaraye received an offer to play for University of Nebraska. He redshirted as a freshman. Evwaraye played as a defensive tackle during his freshman and sophomore year, but turned to right tackle as a junior. [3]

Evwaraye had been signed by the Carolina Panthers as a free agent in 2006, however he was unable to make the team due to problems with his work permit. [4] Evwaraye played during the 2007 spring in NFL Europa for Cologne Centurions as a guard. After the season, he joined the Vikings as an International Practice Squad Program member. [5]

Evwaraye retired in September 2010 after winning his second consecutive Finnish Championship with the Porvoo Butchers. [6]

Coaching career

Evwaraye has been the head coach and general manager of Finnish team Wasa Royals since 2013 season. In his first season as head coach Royals achieved promotion to Finnish first division. In his second season, Royals won the Finnish first division championship, Spaghetti Bowl. In 2015 Royals again won the Spaghetti Bowl and achieved promotion to Finland's top tier, Vaahteraliiga. Royals finished fourth in the regular season with a record of 6–6 and were defeated by Seinäjoki Crocodiles in the semi-finals.

At the end of 2016 season Evwaraye left his position as head coach and became a full-time general manager of the team.

Evwaraye is currently the head coach and offensive line coach of Finland's under-15's national team. [7]

Evwaraye took over as interim head coach of Royals when the team fired Dan Grass after week one of 2018 Maple league. [8]

Personal life

Evwaraye's mother is Finnish and father Nigerian. [9] He has two football playing brothers, Ari and Efe, who both are Finnish champions and Finnish National Team players.[ citation needed ] All three brothers joined forces for the 2009 season and played for Porvoo Butchers championship winning team.

Seppo was inducted to the Finnish American Football Hall of Fame in 2016. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ Steven M. Sipple (April 29, 2006). "Ross, Evwaraye sign free-agent deals". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
  2. ↑ Kevin Brown (July 9, 2007). "Scout's Notebook: OG Seppo Evwaraye" . Retrieved December 27, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Bio" . Retrieved December 27, 2010.
  4. ↑ Steven M. Sipple (June 28, 2006). "Paperwork snafu derails Seppo's dream". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
  5. ↑ Seppo Evwaraye. Retrieved December 27, 2010
  6. ↑ "Butchers go for six in a row in Finland". European Federation of American Football. September 2, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
  7. ↑ "U15 kehitysjoukkue - pojat - Suomen Amerikkalaisen Jalkapallon Liitto ry". www.sajl.fi. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Wasa Royals | HC Dan Grass on vapautettu tehtävistään".
  9. ↑ Iso koko ja amerikkalainen jalkapallo ovat tasoittaneet Seppo Evwarayen tietä (in Finnish) Yle
  10. ↑ "SAJL Hall of Fame -jäsen 25 - Suomen Amerikkalaisen Jalkapallon Liitto ry". www.sajl.fi. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016.
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