Esef is a rising star on the UCLA offensive line, and he is easyto-
Ask for a new red shirt and his simple needs reflect one of the eight children he grew up at the Potville farm in southern Fresno.
But during his recruitment trip to Westwood last spring, Efseaff put forward a request to flustered Brunn's coach in all directions.
He wants something to eat.
While that doesn't sound complicated, Efseaff is a Russian Molokan who only eats Jewish food.
On Friday night, he came to the campus, and all the places that served Jewish food on the Jewish Sabbath were closed.
In the evening, when the coaches frantically operated their mobile phones, Efseaff's stomach began to complain.
Finally, they found some pre-packaged meals at the school's medical center.
"This is an important moment," Efseaff said. "The way the coach handles things . " His full name is pronounced YO-seff EFF-seff.
"I had a problem and they solved it.
They really care.
I remember sitting in the car with the coach. Mark]
Webb found out for the first time that everything was closed.
He didn't know what to do, but he started calling people to try and fix the problem. It was neat.
"It not only sold him to UCLA, but also won the support of his father Esi, who was never keen to send his son to college.
"It took me a year and a half to convince him to accept the idea," Efseaff said, starting with the left-back in spring training.
"Basically, he cares about food.
He doesn't know if they can accommodate me.
The trip convinced them that they could solve the food problem.
There is also a church, not far from home.
"Esi has eight children aged 14 to 24 and he is very proud of Eyoseph.
But he was a little worried about him.
"We don't want him to leave where he's never going home again," he said . ".
"We are very nervous about our religion, our people.
We want him to marry in his own faith.
[Very diverse] there. at UCLA].
We were very cautious, very cautious at every step, and carried out a lot of prayers.
"This is clear: Eyoseph will not be hungry at 6 feet 3,295 pounds.
He has become one of the bright young men on the line and is likely to start four years of work.
Anyway, he has no intention of playing professional football. Molokans--
Christians who left the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1600 s-
Sunday is their day of rest.
"I'm restricted to playing in the NFL, but it doesn't matter because I'm having enough fun here," he said . ".
"This is something I know I won't regret.
This is how I see it: I have four years left here and I will do everything I can to get everything out.
My friends would say, if?
But I can accept that.
I am very happy to be here.
"On August, when he closed 311, he knocked down his coach and teammates during the first day of training --
Ken Cocher in protectionthe-
Passengers drill and then body-
When the primary defensive tackle hit a punch, Kutcher was surprised.
Efseaff was once a wrest man in monacchi's high school, and his helmet was torn off.
Randy Taylor, the recruitment coordinator at the University of California, Los Angeles, said: "Most children will not participate in such a battle . ".
"They don't have to back down, but they really don't want to go.
But that's what Eyoseph did.
"In the end, Efseaff became a new folk hero.
He shared an uneasy truce with Cocher, who is still considered one of the team's toughest players.
"We are cool," says Efseaff . ".
"But I wouldn't accept it if he did anything.
"Webb, who guided the UCLA offensive line, said he noticed the unusual energy of Efseaff from the beginning.
"He's always moving at a million miles per hour," Webb said . "
"When he came to the camp, he ran up when I called these guys to a place.
On my face.
This obviously caught my attention.
"To have that discipline in his mental life and diet, it will tell you something about this person.
He's a very different young man.
His business is very good and he is very nervous. this is the way he plays.
"Efseaff went out of his way to plan his meal.
On Monday, he ordered all the Jewish food from off-site for a week. campus service.
He kept the meal in the small fridge in the dormitory and he shared it with his freshman colleague, Paul Mokel, and then kept heating it in a microwave.
"It's a lot of work," he said . " Before the meeting in the afternoon, he opened a container of spaghetti and meatballs to eat.
The Brunn people prepared special food and after-game snacks for him on the way.
During the solar bowl cycle, the team hotel airlifted Jewish food to El Paso.
He basically eats the same food as his teammates. -
Everything except pork and shellfish. -
But the difference is preparation.
Meat must be prepared and cooked in some way.
He carried paper plates and plastic utensils with him while traveling.
Her mother and father are great.
Grandparents immigrated from Russia and plan to study the language at the University of California, Los Angeles.
He learned a little when he was a child, but he has forgotten a lot.
His father traveled 1/2 hours south from Portville twice a month and took his son home on weekends.
There, Eyoseph was reunited with his two brothers and five sisters.
There is no TV at home, and the family sits together for at least two meals a day.
"This is one of the best interactive families around," said Michieal, the brother of 24-year-old Eyoseph, who is married and has a daughter who has moved into his own home.
He ran the floor.
His father began to clean up after giving up agriculture.
As they did last season, Efseaffs will give each child a chance to see at least one home game at UCLA this fall.
"To be honest, I am very happy for this guy," Michieal said of Eyoseph . ".
"It's really cool.
This is his dream.
He does whatever he wants.