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After showing tremendous promise as a freshman at William Rainey Harper College in 2003, Octavien spent almost as much time in the trainer's room as he did on the football field with a litany of injuries the next three seasons.
He finally was able to return to full health as a senior, showing good power and versatility, as he started eight games -- three at strong-side linebacker and three more on the weak side.
If his dream of playing in the NFL doesn't pan out, Octavien has talked with Husker team chaplain Matt Penland and his Lincoln, Neb., church about a project in South Africa. His own vision is to someday open an orphanage and homeless shelter in Haiti, where his parents were born. "I know they have major problems," Octavien said. "They're the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. My roots are from there, so it's a place I want to help out. "That's something I can't do without money from football. I've just got to use the tools God gave me."
At Lely High School, Octavien started for three seasons, at linebacker as a sophomore, then was a two-way standout each of his final two seasons. He won the state title in the discus in his junior year in 2002 and finished second as a senior. Octavien's personal-best throw of 193-7 was the 10th-best prep mark in the nation in 2003.
Octavien visited Iowa, North Carolina and Central Florida, before signing with Illinois, but then enrolled at Harper College in 2003. That year, he recorded 124 tackles, including 15 for loss, helping coach John Eliasik's team to a 10-1 record. He also had eight sacks, three interceptions, two blocked field goals and a blocked punt.
Rated the fourth-best junior college linebacker in the country by College Football News, he had his 2004 season cut short after four games due to a shoulder injury. In addition to his football talents, Octavien was a track standout for Harper College. He ran the second leg on the school's 2004 national champion 400-meter relay team and won the Division III junior college discus title with a throw of 164-7.
In 2005, Octavien transferred to Nebraska and immediately earned a starting job. But, in the first quarter of the season opener vs. Maine, he suffered a broken leg and was lost for the rest of the season, finishing with four tackles and two stops for losses. He also had surgery to repair shoulder issues.
As a junior, more leg problems, along with hamstring issues limited Octavien to nine games of reserve action. He posted 32 tackles (21 solo) with a sack and four stops behind the line of scrimmage. Finally over his injury woes, he was named honorable mention All-Big Twelve Conference in 2007, producing a career-high 92 tackles (56 solos) while starting eight of 12 games. He added two sacks and 15 stops for losses, as he also generated nine quarterback pressures and broke up three passes.
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