Shedeur Sanders ain’t the only one who can say, “My father was my first coach and pushed me hard from an early age.” Meet Ryan Pellum, a former Oregon Ducks star who said those words. The CFB star has been making headlines lately, both good and bad. And just like Shedeur, he got his football chops from his old man.

You might be wondering, ‘Who’s this head coach?’ Well, it’s none other than Romeo Pellum, dad to four-star wide receiver Ryan Pellum. Besides coaching his son at Millikan High School, the man has serious football cred. He played for Washington State back in the day and has been grooming young talent for years through programs like EVO Sports Long Beach.

So, Romeo coached his own son while also helping other kids develop. No wonder Ryan Pellum had a scholarship offer from every college under the sun! We’re talkin’ Cincinnati, Arkansas, BYU, Alabama, Ohio State—you name it, they offered. The kid had 36 scholarships in total! That’s insane!

Ryan comes from a football-loving family. His uncle, Don Pellum, was a linebacker at Oregon in 1982-84 and worked as a DC for the Ducks too. At present, he is the UCLA linebackers coach for Chip Kelly. His other uncle, Forrest Pellum, played cornerback for the Oregon State Beavers back in the 80s. So, it’s no surprise that Ryan’s found success as a wide receiver for Oregon. That football blood runs deep!

Despite all of this, Ryan’s mother’s role in his success story cannot be ignored. Ryan acknowledged the role his parents played in supporting him during his commitment to USC. “Big thanks to my brother for sure, my father,” Ryan replied. They helped him stay on track to become one of the country’s best wide receiver recruits. Karla, his mom, likes to stay out of the spotlight. But it’s clear she had a big hand in shaping who he is today. She’s always been a strong influence on him, and she’s been an amazing support system, especially now that he’s a dad to little Kaceyn.

Ryan’s love for football stems from more than just his family’s football heritage and parental support. He gets to reach the sky limit as a result. “I love that. I love the competition,” Ryan remarked. It’s true that iron sharpens iron.

“It has been enormous. It’s a never-ending struggle that has improved with time since I’m a coach and a father, so I’m constantly wondering when I can take a break. Although it has taken a lot of effort, it has been worthwhile,” said Ryan’s father. Well, their bond is pretty special, that’s for sure. But for Romeo, being his son’s football coach was a huge honor, and he’s thrilled to have played such a big role in the WR’s development.

Ryan Pellum’s success in numbers

Ryan Pellum did not perform well in his first season at Oregon. He only appeared in four games and saw 11 snaps overall, eight of which were on special teams. His season took a nosedive after that botched punt return against Michigan. Talk about a nightmare scenario! Well, all that hype and that’s how it ended.

Ryan Pellum was a 4-star prospect and ranked among the nation’s top 100 players before attending Oregon. At Millikan High School in Long Beach, he had a stellar HS career, recording 991 yards and 11 TDs in his final season. No doubt, he did well in high school and had talent, but he found it difficult to contribute at the collegiate level.

After a rough first year at Oregon, Ryan Pellum decided to hit the transfer portal on January 6th. He’s keeping his options open, but it’s worth remembering that he was once a USC Trojan in the making. Remember that viral video where he announced his commitment to USC? He was holding his baby boy, rocking a tiny Trojans onesie—super cute!

But things have taken a serious turn. On January 8th, Pellum was arrested for allegedly being involved in a violent incident on Christmas Day. This legal trouble could seriously impact his future in football. It’s a tough situation, and it remains to be seen where he’ll land next.