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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- One of the top offensive linemen in the Ohio Valley Conference during the final half of his four-year career on the Golden Eagle football team, Frank Omiyale was a first-team all-OVC selection, an all-America honoree, and Tennessee Tech’s 2005 Man of the Year. Selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2005 National Football League draft, the soft-spoken Omiyale spent eight seasons in the NFL before retiring prior to the 2013 season.
Those credentials helped land Omiyale in the Class of 2015 of the TTU Sports Hall of Fame.
Omiyale is one of five people who will be inducted at the annual Hall of Fame Dinner, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13, in the Multipurpose Room of the Roaden University Center. The induction dinner is part of Homecoming festivities. Tickets for the dinner, or the Saturday afternoon game against Austin Peay, can be purchased through the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or by calling (931) 372-3940.
During his eight-year professional career, he played in 75 career NFL games with 33 starts. He was the 163rd overall pick by the Falcons in 2005, and appeared in his first game in 2006 in a contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 22.
In 2007, he went to the Carolina Panthers and made his first NFL start on Oct. 5, 2008 in a 34-0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He signed a four-year, $14 million deal with the Chicago Bears in February of 2009. In 2012, he agreed to terms with the Seattle Seahawks and played one season on the west coast before retiring from the NFL.
Never forgetting his alma mater, Omiyale returned to school at Tech following his retirement and received his bachelor’s degree in 2015 in marketing.
A product of Whites Creek High School in Nashville where he was a two-time team Most Valuable Lineman and All-State seldction, Frank was recruited by the Golden Eagles and signed in 2001 to join coach Mike Hennigan’s squad. He began his collegiate career as a true freshman and impressed the coaching staff with his steady and strong play during the early portion of the 2001 season before a knee injury sidelined him for the final eight games.
As a sophomore, Frank was one of only two Golden Eagle offensive linemen to start all 12 games, lining up in six games at left tackle and six games at right tackle. He provided protection for record-setting passer Robert Craft as well as 1,000-yard rusher Jason Ballard.
He continued his stellar play up front as a junior in 2003, starting every game at left tackle and claiming first-team all-OVC honors. A steadying influence with his presence up front, he provided leadership when injuries created havoc along the offensive line. He was one of two players available to start every game, participating in 745 plays. He had 135 key blocks or knockdowns and 16 touchdown blocks, while allowing only three pressures and just one quarterback sack. He graded out at 88.7 percent for the season, with a high-game of 95 percent against UT Chattanooga.
He reached the pinnacle of his collegiate career as a senior in 2004 when he was considered the top offensive tackle in the conference. His post-season honors included a repeat as first-team all-OVC, all-East Region and All-America by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. He participated in 800 plays, producing 150 key blocks/knockdowns with 18 touchdown-resulting block.. More impressive, he did not allow either a quarterback pressure or a sack and graded out at 90.5 percent for the season, with a best of 99 percent at Samford. He ranked first in all of NCAA Division IAA in blocking consistency. He finished with 34 consecutive starts and played in 39 career games.
Frank and his wife, Molly, live in Hendersonville, Tenn., raising daughters Ivory (7) and Laiila (4), and expecting a third in February. He works with the WhoUWith Ministry, and was recently elected vice president of the NFL Alumni Nashville Chapter.