(ALIGATOR) – Mohamoud Diabate: More than an athlete.
The linebacker is the only Muslim on the Gators football team. The roar of masked Florida fans drowned out a rather unusual celebration on the sidelines on a late November afternoon.
The Gators were in the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats when Florida linebacker Mohamoud Diabate intercepted the ball and rushed it for 14 yards.
His teammates swarmed him as Diabate darted off the field in celebration.
“Mabrouk!
Mabrouk!”
That’s not a word commonly heard on the gridiron. It’s Arabic for “congratulations,” and ask God to boost the good things in life. But that’s what Diabate’s teammates yelled as his first-ever collegiate interception resulted in a touchdown three plays later and secured the Gators’ game against Kentucky 34-10.
The junior is the only Muslim on the Gators football team.
Throughout his life, he has sought a delicate balance between religion and football in a modern world.
Linebacker Derek Wingo remembers when Diabate sprung up next to the coaches and stood before his teammates at practices.
Like a preacher, he repeated the word and urged them to shout it after good plays.
Mohamoud Diabate: More than an athlete
“Mohamoud is a guy who steps on the field, and you really notice his presence,” Wingo said. “Regardless if he’s the one making the interception, he’s the guy whose influence everyone to be in a positive vibe.”
With every practice and game, the team’s Arabic repertoire increased. It embraced Diabate’s identity and became a team tradition.
“He brings his culture into the team,” Wingo said. “He brings his culture out of the team when we’re off the field. That’s a big part of his life.”
Diabate grew up like any other child in Auburn, Alabama. He played sports, hung out with friends and attended a religious Sunday school.
Except he wasn’t like the others.
His father washed dishes until he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tuskegee University and a Ph.D. from Auburn University.
His home heard a mixture of languages, including English, French, Arabic and Bambara, Mali’s national language.
But Diabate links his success to an epiphany in 10th grade. After he shed 30 pounds in a week-long hospital visit to treat an injury, he questioned why God snagged his sophomore football season.
