Ejiasi leaves Iowa

After nearly 15 years with the Iowa football program, as a player and member of support staff, Chic Ejiasi is leaving the Hawkeyes.

Ejiasi, a Cedar Rapids native and graduate of Prairie High School, has been named director of player engagement for the NFL's Tennessee Titans. Ejiasi is the only person to hold the position of director of player development within the Hawkeye program, a position he has held for eight years. He served as an administrative assistant for two years before being promoted to director of player development, where Ejiasi assisted Iowa student-athletes in their transition from high school to being a student-athlete at the college level.

Ejiasi also helped players secure employment opportunities after graduation. In addition to that he did extensive work in organizing community service efforts, as well as acting as a liaison between the UI's Academic Student Services staff and Iowa's football student-athletes.

'Chic has been a valuable member of our staff for the past decade,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said in a statement. 'He has been involved in this position on our staff from the ground floor. Chic has contributed to the development and growing of the position, while becoming a key contributor to our overall success, both on the field and in the community. We wish Chic and Ellie all the best in their move to Tennessee and the NFL.”

Ejiasi, a four-year letterman for the Hawkeyes, was a defensive back during his Hawkeye playing career (2001-04) and was a member of Big Ten championship teams in 2002 and 2004. Ejiasi earned his bachelor's degree in health and sports studies from the University of Iowa in 2005 and earned his master's degree in recreational sports management from Iowa in 2012.

At Prairie, Ejiasi earned second-team all-state honors as a senior and was a first-team all-conference selection as a junior and senior. He was team captain and MVP as a senior, playing both wide receiver and defensive back. He set school records for receiving yards in a game (190 yards) and interceptions in a game (four) and also earned four letters in wrestling and track and field.

Ejiasi returned to the Iowa program after serving as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at North Iowa Area Community College during the 2005 season. In two years as an administrative assistant, Ejiasi assisted the coaching staff in compiling statistical information, gathering information on opponents and recruits, and assisting in the day to day operation of the football office.

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