Daniel Okpoko Season 2023

Pronounced OH-poke-oh ...  Athletic, lanky lineman, who will look for playing time now in his sixth season with the program ... Enters the weekend as a projected starting defensive end.

^ SENIOR SEASON (2023)
Started all 12 games ... Recorded 23 tackles (nine solo) including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks ... Also had three pass breakups and five quarterback hurries ... Earned his first career start against Ohio on Aug. 26, making one solo stop, and adding a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries in 40 snaps ... Started for the second straight game against Idaho State on Sept. 2, recording a solo tackle and a pass breakup in 34 snaps ... Got the start against UCLA on Sept. 9, logging 41 snaps ... Recorded his first two tackles for loss of the season, a total of three yards ... One of his TFL was a two yard sack, his first of the season and second of his career ...Overall, had three tackles (one solo) on the night ... Started on the defensive line at No. 16/17 Oregon State on Sept. 16 ... Assisted on three tackles, matching his career high in tackles set the previous week against UCLA ... Added his fourth quarterback hurry of the year ... Got the start in the conference opener against Boise State on Sept. 22 ... Recorded a then career-high four tackles ... Played 38 defensive snaps ... Logged 36 snaps at Air Force on Sept. 30 ... His lone tackle was an assisted tackle for loss ... The TFL came on Air Force’s first drive of the game as part of three consecutive Aztec TFLs ... Played 33 defensive snaps in a start at Hawai’i on Oct. 14 ... Made just one tackle, but it was a three-yard sack (and TFL) in the second quarter ... Also recorded a pair of pass breakups, the first multi-PBU game of his career ... Added his fifth quarterback hurry ... Recorded three tackles (all solo) against Utah State on Nov. 4 ... Also had a tackle for loss, a one-yard sack in the first quarter ... Made a career-high five tackles (two solo) at Colorado State on Nov. 11 ... Had back-to-back tackles on CSU’s first fourth quarter drive ... Had one assisted tackle at San Jose State on Nov. 18 ... Started the season finale against Fresno State on Nov. 25, but did not record a stat.

SENIOR SEASON (2022)
Appeared in 12 of the team’s 13 games in a reserve role, playing 120 snaps overall ... Registered nine tackles (four solo), including 1.5 tackles for loss and a 6-yard sack ... Opened with three tackles (one solo) in 19 snaps against Arizona on Sept. 3 ... Logged two tackles with a 6-yard sack and a quarterback hurry in 20 snaps vs. Idaho State on Sept. 10 ... Did not find the stat sheet in games at No. 14/15 Utah on Sept. 17 (12 snaps), vs. Toledo (three snaps) on Sept. 24 or at Boise State on Sept. 30 (15 snaps) ... Did not play vs. Hawai‘i on Oct. 8 ... Came up with two assisted tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss at Nevada on Oct. 22 in four snaps ... Made a solo stop in 11 snaps at Fresno State on Oct. 29 ... Had an assisted tackle against UNLV on Nov. 5 in 13 snaps ... Did not record a stat the rest of the season in games vs. San Jose State on Nov. 12 (six snaps), at New Mexico on Nov. 18 (seven snaps), vs. Air Force on Nov. 26 (four snaps) and against Middle Tennessee on Dec. 24 (six snaps) in the EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl.

JUNIOR SEASON (2021)
Played in the team’s final 11 games of the season, registering three tackles and a pass breakup ... Played 33 snaps overall on defense ... Did not record a stat in three snaps against Towson on Sept. 25 ... Logged an assisted tackle in four snaps late vs. New Mexico on Oct. 9 ... Did not record a stat in special teams at San Jose State (Oct. 15) and at Air Force (Oct. 23) ... Had another assisted tackle in four snaps vs. Fresno State on Oct. 30 ... Did not find the stat sheet in two snaps vs. Hawai’i on Nov. 6, on special teams vs. Nevada on Nov. 13, in four snaps at UNLV on Nov. 19 or in three snaps against Boise State on Nov. 26 ... Came up with one assisted tackle and a pass breakup in eight snaps against Utah State in the Mountain West Championship game on Dec. 4 ... Played five statless snaps vs. No. 24/25 UTSA in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 21.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2020)
Was on the travel squad for all eight games on the season, but only played the second game at Utah State on Oct. 31 ... Did not record a stat in the game.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2019)
Played in one game on the season without recording a stat ... Made his collegiate debut late against Central Michigan in the New Mexico Bowl without finding the stat sheet ... Was on the travel squad for 10 of the final 11 games (did not travel to San José State)

REDSHIRT SEASON (2018)
Utilized his redshirt season in his first year at San Diego State.

HIGH SCHOOL
Played at St. Joseph's High School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada ... A member of the Football Canada U18 National team ... Had 8.5 sacks during the 2016 season at St. Joseph's HS ... Also played basketball and competed on the track & field team at St. Joseph's HS ... Was a scholar-athlete.

PERSONAL
Daniel Okpoko was born May 25, 2000, in Lagos, Nigeria ... Son of Miwe Okpoko ... Picked San Diego State over North Dakota and Fresno State ... Is majoring in interdisciplinary studies.

SINGLE-GAME BESTS
Tackles: 5 at Colorado State (11/11/23)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0 vs. UCLA (9/9/23)
Sacks: 1.0 at Hawai'i (10/14/23), vs. UCLA (9/9/23), vs. Idaho State (9/10/22)
Pass Breakups: 2 at Hawai'i (10/14/23)