Copyright 247sports
OAKDALE, Conn. — There was the death of a parent, a move across an ocean and change in sport, then a trip back across another continent. During all of it, Alhassan Iddrissu was unable to get home. The four-star defensive lineman at St. Thomas More is committed to UCF, and his journey to Big 12 football is a testament to what he will do to make a better life for his family. It was not an easy path to his mid-June commitment, and it is not easy now as he sits out his senior season with a patellar tendon injury. He has friends, coaches and trainers here, but he has not been back to Kumasi, Ghana, since 2020. "It's pretty tough," the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Iddrissu said. "At first, I didn't care. I wanted to leave. After I left, I didn't care too much. But now I'm far from home, my parents not being able to see what I am doing right now in real life, it started to hit me. I also started to miss my siblings and my family. I just miss them." Iddrissu has a younger brother and sister. His father died in January. There are the other things he misses as well, including Jollof rice, which includes spicy chicken and beef, but nothing comes close to wanting to see his family again. "It's pretty tough, but I am starting to get used to it," Iddrissu said. "I am thinking about when I get (to UCF), any little opportunity I get, I am going to try and see if I can go back." Iddrissu's family cannot afford to travel to the United States to see him, and the funds to get back home are not there. Revenue sharing/NIL can help with such a trip when he gets to UCF. His love for football grew from nothing to a passion. "It allows you to get a free education and have a better future for yourself and your family," he said. "That also made me fall in love with it; to be able to change my family's life."
