Minneapolis to Moorhead to college star: Otis Weah makes mark at North Dakota

Minneapolis native Otis Weah was arguably the country's biggest breakout star at the Football Championship Series (FCS) level last season, emerging for North Dakota as the leading rusher in the Missouri Valley Conference.

When the 5-9, 215-pound bundle of electricity wasn't making defenders miss with dazzling moves, he was breaking away in the open field for long touchdowns.

Weah, who played high school football for Moorhead, makes the constant stream of highlights seem routine, but he was a first-time starting tailback last season. UND's opponents have to be cringing, thinking about how much better he could be this year.

"I learned a lot of things," Weah said. "You've got to take advantage of every opportunity you get."

In a shortened season last year during the pandemic, the Fighting Hawks finished 5-2, which included opening the season 4-0 behind Weah's big-play ability. He had a career-high 163 yards against South Dakota. He also rushed for 129 yards, including a 74-yard TD vs. rival North Dakota State. UND made it to the FCS quarterfinals before losing to No. 1 James Madison.

"We're excited to have Otis in our program," North Dakota coach Bubba Schweigert told reporters during preseason. "He creates energy and big plays … Once he has the ball in his hands, he creates things and is hard to tackle."

Success came quickly once Weah was given the opportunity to be the Fighting Hawks' bell cow as a redshirt sophomore. He won that job after earning back the trust of his coaches and teammates to be a part of the team.

In 2019, Weah and Gophers transfer Dominik London both had to leave the team after being ruled academically ineligible. London eventually transferred to Winona State. Weah remained in school and made sure he handled his responsibilities off the field.

"I was facing a ton of adversity my redshirt freshman year," Weah said. "It was tough. It took a lot of work to get to this point. I'm just trying to continue to do what I need to do just so I can play football."

Despite his recent stardom — he was named to several preseason FCS All-America first teams — Weah's family keeps him grounded. His younger brother, Jamal, is a standout cornerback at for Moorhead High School who is one of the players committed to UND's 2022 class. Otis Weah doesn't take it for granted that they're privileged to be getting scholarships to play college football.

Weah's mother, who is from Liberia, told him years ago about how she fled her country's civil war as a teenager and gave birth to him at a refugee camp in Ghana. His grandmother came to the U.S. first, but his mom soon followed to settle in Minneapolis in 2001.

Weah loved football from an early age but moving to Moorhead with his mom as a freshman in high school gave him a vision of the future. His coach, Kevin Feeney, provided the guidance and direction he needed to blossom into a star.

"Moving to Moorhead was really different than growing up in the city," Weah said. "But Coach Feeney asked me a question my first day out there, if I wanted to play Division I football. He said, 'I'll help you on that journey.' ... He's still a big part of my life."

Nothing surprises friends and family now about what Weah is accomplishing. His talent was apparent since his days playing youth football growing up in north Minneapolis.

"It's something I used to talk about when I was younger," Weah said. "It's just the hard work paying off. But it's been crazy from then to where I am now."