MISSOULA — UC Davis wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr. is one of the most dynamic pass-catchers in the FCS.
But away from the spotlight, he remains soft-spoken and humble.
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1:57“He does not raise his voice. Even when I raise mine, he doesn’t raise his," Aggies coach Tim Plough told Scripps Sports at the Big Sky Kickoff this summer in Spokane, Wash. "It’s just his way."
That quiet demeanor was shaped during Gbatu's childhood in Liberia, where he spent the first 11 years of his life.
“I really got to live out my childhood, and I wouldn’t change anything for the world,” Gbatu said.
He remembers walking 30 minutes to school and fetching generator fuel from a gas station to help power his family’s home. Despite the challenges, Gbatu never viewed those experiences as adversity and looks back fondly on his upbringing.
“I lived with my grandma the whole time," he said. "I saw my mom, she was here and there. But my mom has also been somebody who I look up to a lot. She’s really my motivation, and everything I do, I try to do it for her."
Gbatu moved to Japan while in fourth grade and did not begin playing football until high school. He later moved to California, where he starred in high school before getting his chance to shine at Davis.
“Sam Gbatu is a special person first — what he’s been through in his life and what he’s overcome," Plough said. "… But as a player, he’s become a very dynamic route runner. He’s a great special teams player, and so he has a really bright future of probably playing on Sundays."
Gbatu earned All-America honors last year after totaling 70 receptions for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's been red-hot to begin this season, with 32 catches for 468 yards and two TDs during the Aggies' 3-1 start.
Last week, he set career highs with 10 catches for 172 yards in Davis' 45-7 win over Stetson.
“I’m just competing with myself because, for me, if I can be where my feet are today, it helps me be present in the moment,” Gbatu said.
Now in his final season at Davis, Gbatu has embraced a leadership role with the Aggies. Part of that leadership comes away from the practice field, where he has helped build team chemistry at the bowling alley.
“We joined the school league. It’s like $50 for free bowling all quarter, so that’s been really fun," he said. "We just go sometimes just to play and it gets competitive sometimes."
Maybe that's one place where he finally raises his voice.