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ATHENS, Ohio — It's not uncommon to see O'Shaan Allison and Sieh Bangura chatting with each other on the sidelines or after games. 

The two's bond starts with the fact that they're both from the East Coast. Bangura grew up off the coast of Maryland and Allison is from the southeast corner of Pennsylvania.

"He's from probably two hours and 30 minutes away from me. We talk the same lingo, he's like my brother," Bangura said. 

The brotherly bond between the two started back in 2021 when Bangura joined the Bobcats. They were among several running backs in Ohio's room who split time on the field. They watched a lot of film together and started to develop a friendship. 

Despite sharing playing time, there was never ill will between the two. They constantly rooted for each other and encouraged each other to succeed. If one of them did well, it was a win for the team.

"I want to see him score. He wants to see me score," Allison said. "it's just a good feeling to have somebody that is like really close to you, that is rooting for you to do better. We push each other every day to work harder."

Both found that it was nice to have someone in their corner that understood them on a different level, and it came in handy when Allison and Bangura found themselves on the same path after the 2022 season.. 

Allison never saw the field in 2022 after he sustained a shoulder injury during Fall Camp. With Allison on the sidelines, Bangura found himself with more responsibility than he bargained for. 

However, he took it in stride and soaked up the encouragement he got from his teammates, including Allison. Even though he wasn't physically on the field, Allison still wanted to see his team thrive, and they wanted to see him make a full recovery.   

Allison had a slow start to his rehabilitation. He had to rebuild his trust in his body by working through small movements. Things he'd done before without second thought such as push-ups and falling on his shoulder became difficult. It was tough, and for a while, Allison wasn't sure of himself or the journey ahead. 

He could have never predicted that Bangura would soon join him in the rehab process at the end of the 2022 season.

The two were at different points in their recovery when Bangura started rehabbing his shoulder, however a strong bond became fortified while the two went to treatment every day. 

"He asked me questions about the experience and stuff," Allison said. "I took him under my wing and we just became very close on the field and outside. I look at him as a brother." 

The two continued to study the game of football with the goal of returning for 2023 in the back of their minds. The goal was to return to the field better than before, and to do damage together. 

The wait was worth it as they stepped onto the field at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California for Ohio's first game of the season. All of the prayers they had said and the hours spent getting back into shape were validated as the whistle signified the start of the game.

Now three games in, the two are tearing up the field for the Bobcats. Bangura is averaging 72.3 rushing yards per game and Allison has 44.7 per game, which places them in the Top 20 in the Mid-American Conference. They're a threat to defenses. 

"We both run differently, so defenses seeing two running backs, it's a little hard for them. I'm not going to lie," Bangura said. "I feel really good this year." 

It's been a long road for Bangura and Allison, but nothing is sweeter for the two than getting to trick opponents together.

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