Hall of Fame
Oku Satcher first arrived at McKendree University in 1999, just a few years following the revival of the Bearcats’ football program. Over the next three years, Oku put fear in the eyes of many quarterbacks with his pass-rushing abilities and knack for making the big play at a big time. He was the first to rewrite the McKendree football defensive record book and set a standard of excellence along the Bearcats’ defensive line that was unmatched for 15 years.
In that 1999 season, Oku burst onto the scene for McKendree, setting program records with 23 tackles for loss and 14 quarterback sacks from his defensive end position. Thanks in large part to Oku’s play, the Bearcats posted a 9-2 overall record on the way to hosting their first National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) home playoff game. He did not let up the following season, collecting 16 tackles for loss which included 11 sacks on a 2000 McKendree squad that won seven contests.
As a senior in 2001, Oku helped McKendree return to the NAIA playoffs thanks to another stellar year at defensive end. He had 20 tackles for loss and 13 sacks among his 52 total tackles as the Bearcats registered eight wins and earned their second post-season berth in three years.
Oku led McKendree in tackles for loss and quarterback sacks in each of his three seasons while wearing the Purple and White. At the time of his induction, Oku is the only McKendree football player to record double-digit sacks in three different seasons.
When his three-year career was complete at McKendree, Oku reigned as the Bearcats’ all-time leader in tackles for loss (59) and quarterback sacks (39). Both records stood until the 2016 season. Oku was a three-time first-team All-Conference selection in the Mid-States Football Association-Midwest League. In addition, he became the first McKendree football player to garner first-team NAIA All-America accolades twice in a career, achieving the honor in 2000 and 2001.
