How Austin Ekeler went from virtually unknown to Chargers star
LA TimesAlways viewed as undersized and underestimated, Austin Ekeler went from hidden star at a Division II Colorado school to a growing star with the Chargers. “All the stuff everyone’s seeing him do today,” said Jas Bains, Ekeler’s coach at Division II Western State, “he’s been doing since high school.” The Chargers’ Austin Ekeler, known for his physical running, drags Tennessee defenders as he gains extra yardage. “It’s nowhere near anywhere,” said Tom McConnaughey, a former Chargers scout who was among the first to discover Ekeler. McConnaughey: “I’d never seen a kid do that” — the session including everything from Ekeler asking questions about the NFL to detailing his post-football plans of working in energy management. None of this stopped Ekeler from returning to school after his rookie season to complete his degree, a very real way for a “squared-away guy” to acknowledge football can’t last forever.