EL PASO — Three Pittsburgh Panther football players hitched a ride with the UTEP basketball coach after their flight to El Paso was cancelled.
Pitt quarterback Jake Frantl, defensive end Samuel Okunlola, and defensive back Hudson Primus were stranded at Dallas Love Airport on Sunday night after their flight to El Paso was cancelled. The players are playing in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl where Pittsburgh will play the UCLA Bruins on Friday, December 30.
Pitt Players (Jake Frantl, Samuel Okulola, Hudson Primus) Stranded at Dallas Love Airport (Contributed: Pittsburgh Panthers/ Sun Bowl.org)
The players decided they would drive nine hours from Dallas to El Paso until a couple in front of them overheard they were heading to El Paso. The couple, who were accompanied by their two sons, were also in the same boat as their flight had also been cancelled. The man turned out to be the Head Basketball Coach, at UTEP, Joe Golding.
The coach offered the players a ride if he could rent a vehicle large enough for everyone and ended up being able to rent a Ford Explorer.
After Pitt coach Pat Nadruzzi and the players parents approved of the situation, the group left Dallas at 10:00 p.m. and arrived in El Paso around 6:00 a.m. on Monday. Golding said the group stopped just once in Pecos for energy drinks and coffee. The players made it in time for their 10:30 a.m. practice.
“He seemed like a responsible person and trustworthy person,” Okulola said, “He didn’t have to do that for us so I’m definitely appreciative.”
“Out here in West Texas, that’s what we do,” said Golding, “I didn’t even think twice about it. I would hope someone would do that for Cason and Chase (his sons) if they were stranded on Christmas night and needed a ride home.”
Frantle said, “For someone to offer to take three guys that he’s never met before on a nine-hour trip, that’s not everyone.”
Pitts plays the UCLA Bruins this Friday at Noon in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
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