Boise State Football: Ahmed Hassanein Embracing Both Egyptian Heritage & Cowboy Toughness

Emily Van Buskirk | 16 Hours Ago

Sep 7, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Boise State Broncos defensive end Ahmed Hassanein (91) celebrates after sacking Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the first half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Boise State defensive end Ahmed Hassanein didn’t wake up one day and choose violence...violence chose him.

It’s reflected in the brutality of his play, and in his quietly lethal conviction. 

That conviction was born out of necessity, navigating turmoil as well as a culture that required brute force to make his presence known. 

It’s what makes him one of the best defensive players in college football, ranking third in the Mountain West with 7.5 sacks and tenth nationally heading into Week 11. Being named Mountain West’s Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year for 2024 doesn’t happen by accident.

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Hassanein was born in the U.S. but moved to the Arab Republic of Egypt with his father when he was young, living in Cairo during the Egyptian Revolution, his English and individuality quickly fading away.

“It was hard growing up in Egypt because you had to fight for everything, fight to make a living,” shared Hassanein. “Fighting in Egypt was a very normal thing, people did it to make their presence known. It was also tough for me growing up with a single parent, going from home to home and stuff like that.”

Hassanein found outlets in sports like wrestling, boxing and Crossfit, where he was ranked No. 1 in the country in his age group. But he struggled as a teenager, at one point even considering a military school in Georgia that his sister’s husband attended because he craved some structure and discipline.

“In Egypt there are so many people, you have to make your presence known or you are going to get bullied - you have to stand your ground,” relayed Hassanein. ”And I was very firm in standing my ground, so I was having a lot of problems.”

A fateful visit from his long-lost brother Cory Besch changed the trajectory of Hassanein’s life forever. With the help of his infamous journalist/activist sister, Gigi Ibrahim, who translated the conversation, Besch was able to convince Hassanein to come back to America with him to teach him football (and English) in the hopes of a better life for his little brother. Ibrahim, who’s face graced the cover of Time magazine in 2011, helped convey Besch’s plan to Hassanein and his father. The vision became clear - they were all in.

Kim Montuoro/G5 Football Daily

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So Hassanein moved to the City of Kindness, enrolled in Anaheim's Loara High School where his brother coached football and taught english. He slowly picked back up the language of his childhood while he learned America’s most violent game. 

After a few years of high school football, he began the next phase of Besch’s plan - find a college football program to call home. His recruitment took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that didn’t stop the determined Hassanein. 

“There was a camp we did, in somebody's garage with our face masks on, throwing people, doing pass rush moves,” explained Hassanein. “So I’m getting that on video and posting that on Twitter. Coach Danielson saw it - he had played football with my brother at Azusa Pacific. He texted me and said he liked my film. I did a virtual visit and committed on the spot.”

Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson was hesitant at first, remembering Besch’s 5'8” frame when they played together as Cougars at AP. But after seeing Hassanein’s film and photos of him next to garage doors for height reference, the former linebacker recognized the potential.

“When he came in here, football was still very new to him,” admitted Danielson. “He had the physical tools but so much of it was just teaching. We went through football school with him, all the football intelligence, we call it FBI, was new for him. But the thing about Ahmed is that he’s just a relentless competitor so he’ll live in the film room because it matters that much to him to be elite. He will put in the time and make sacrifices because this is everything to him - this is his shot.”

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"See ball, get ball" - that was how defense was equated to the Hassanein in the beginning.

Of course, the game is more nuanced than that. But, in his first few high school games, Hassanein admitted there was a lot of unrealized red tape when it came to retrieving the pigskin.

“My brother put me on the D-line and told me to go get the guy who has the ball,” explained Hassanein. “And I was like ‘alright cool, see ball, get ball.’ That’s how they said it to me, see ball, get ball. But how do I get ball? I started grabbing facemasks, I was throwing people on the ground, kicking people, lifting people up and slamming them - I would cost my team so many flags. So my brother taught me, the kids in the room taught me. Because it had to work out - I didn’t want to go back to Egypt.”

Those four words unlocked his journey to becoming one of the best edge players to ever grace the Blue Turf. 

Since his Bronco debut in 2021, Hassanein has played in 40 games, registering 102 total tackles, 22 sacks and three forced fumbles. He has earned academic honors, conference accolades and appeared on countless national watchlists. He has also been labeled as an elite human being.

“One of the reasons he was voted a captain was not just because of his play on the field but because of how much he cares about this team,” shared Danielson. “I joke with people but he will look at me pregame and be like ‘coach I’ll die for you today if I have to.’ He really means it, like he will give everything to his team and that’s very uncommon.”

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Hassanein is believed to be the first FBS Egyptian player, a responsibility he takes very seriously. Fun fact: Samir Yasa was also from Cairo - a soccer player turned kicker for none other than Boise State in 1988, when the Broncos were a 1-AA team in the Big Sky Conference.

“Well I can say I’m the first Egyptian defensive player,” chuckled Hassanein. 

For further reference, in all of NCAA Division I sports, there were only 53 Egyptians participating in intercollegiate athletics during the 2021-22 academic calendar year (the last year of data publicly available). 

While Hassanein cherishes his heritage, even bringing several teammates with him to Cairo one summer, waving Boise State flags in front of the pyramids, he has fully embraced American and Idaho life. He bought his first pair of cowboy boots, he’s dating a barrel racer, he listens to Cody Johnson and he dreams of playing in the NFL.

“I really like the cowboy culture because they have that toughness - I’m the same, I just ride camels instead of horses,” joked Hassanein. “I have so many opportunities here - I can be a firefighter, I can be a police officer, I could work in the real estate business, I can get into coaching, there’s so much out there that I can do but the main goal right now is to play on Sundays. That’s my dream, so I hope that comes true.”

Danielson believes that dream will become an absolute reality, given the fact that Hassanein is a multifaceted player - he plays every technique on the front. He’s so violent and relentless that during Fall camp the offense, had to ask that he be taken out on a certain play so they could see if it would work. With Boise State’s success this season, coupled with the possibility of a spot in the College Football Playoff, Hassanein’s visibility and draft stock just continue to rise. 

“I think he’s going to be a long-time NFL player, I really do,” exclaimed Danielson. “He’s built for it and I just know he will positively impact wherever he goes. Ahmed is very uncommon - who he is as a person, how he is as a football player, those guys aren't out there any more. He’s different.”

Uncommon is one way to describe it. Violent is another. Either way, Hassanein believes the journey the sport has put him on is unfolding exactly as it's supposed to.

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