With the Goodman Stadium grass beneath his bare feet, senior linebacker Tyler Ochojski takes a moment to walk on Lehigh’s home field every game day before anyone else arrives to appreciate the opportunities he has before him. 

Ochojski, who led the Lehigh football team last year with seven quarterback hurries, recently collected Patriot League defensive player of the week after the Mountain Hawks defeated Duquesne University 35-21. 

But for Ochojski, he said his story isn’t about titles and stats — it’s about his journey into football, his drive and his leadership.

Originally a basketball player, Ochojski said he was touring Freehold Boro High School with his prospective basketball coach when the school’s football coach spotted him. 

Impressed by his size, the football coach asked how old he was. When Ochojski said he was a first-year, the coach didn’t believe him.

Ochojski said his mom never wanted him to play football due to the potential of injuries, but the football coach’s persistence eventually convinced her otherwise. 

“My head high school football coach, Dave Ellis, called my mom about three days straight every morning, trying to get me to come practice, and my mom finally caved and said yes,” Ochojski said. “It was the perfect number of days before I was allowed to play in the first scrimmage that Freehold Boro High School had, so it was kind of funny how it all worked.” 

Known for his physical style on the basketball court, Ochojski said people often told him he played the game like a linebacker. 

Now actually suited up as a linebacker for the Mountain Hawks, Ochojski said he has translated his strategy of seeing the whole basketball court to the football field. 

“Being a leader is what you do day in and day out, especially what you do when nobody’s watching,” Ochojski said.

Senior defensive lineman TJ Burke said he appreciates what Ochojski brings to the team’s dynamic. He said Ochojski’s mentality with how he approaches the game makes a positive impact.

“He’s always very supportive to his teammates, and he doesn’t really change his shade based on a good or bad situation,” Burke said.  

As roommates, Burke said he knows Ochojski well outside of football and that his work ethic has been inspirational to him during tough times. 

Last season, Ochojski was stretchered off the field in a game against the University of Richmond due to a concussion. 

He said when he got taken out of that game, everything flashed before him, realizing how his teammates and the Lehigh football staff have his back.

“That is where a lot of my mindset comes from — taking each day for what it is, because you never know when your last snap will be because it’s not guaranteed, especially in the game we play,” Ochojski said. “It’s barbaric, which is what makes it such a beautiful game.”

Senior linebacker Brycen Edwards said he believes Ochojski is remarkable and that not enough people know how special he is. He said he’s inspired by how Ochojski holds himself to high standards in football and in his everyday routines.

“I still remember one time we went out to eat, and there were two older ladies sitting at a table next to us, and he ended up paying for their meal just because,” Edwards said. “It’s just little things like that (that) just kind of define the character and the man he is today.”

Edwards said Ochojski’s habits, from small gestures off the field to quiet moments of reflection before games, speak to the discipline and maturity he has built over his career. 

Those same qualities, along with his playmaking abilities, have fueled recent conversations about Ochojski’s hopes to enter the NFL draft. 

While Ochojski said he will not be going to the NFL combine in the spring, he said his mindset is to take each day for what it is and work as hard as he can while he pursues his goals.

“Everyone’s dream is to be able to play at the highest level, and I am just so grateful to have the opportunity to pursue that dream,” Ochojski said. “Wherever the chips fall at the end of my career, if I have an opportunity then I’m going to take it and run with it, and if I don’t, then I’m gonna be able to lay my head on the pillow at night knowing I did everything I can.” 

Ochojski currently leads the team in sacks with 3.0. and is second in tackles for loss with four. Edwards said Ochojski has a high chance of being drafted due to his exceptional work ethic and talent. 

He also said he believes Ochojski could achieve anything he puts his mind to. 

Edwards said whether his teammate’s future includes a shot at the NFL or not, he has already built a legacy at Lehigh that goes beyond the game.

“He’s just the nicest guy in the world,” Edwards said. “He’ll do anything for any single one of us. That, I feel, is really special, and it’s hard to find in a person.”

For the rest of this season, Ochojski said he hopes to set an example for his teammates and continue to raise the standards of Lehigh football. 

“If all I’m remembered for is being a good football player, then I haven’t done things the right way,” Ochojski said. “I want to be a good man (and) a good student first. If I could walk around Lehigh’s campus and people can say ‘what’s up’ to me and see me as somebody other than a football player, that’s what’s going to be most important for me.”