Ify Umodu stood on the sideline of the field at the Walkup Skydome, pads still on after Wednesday's practice with a football in one hand and his helmet in the other.

All he could do was smile when asked which sport he preferred, football or basketball.

"Right now? It's football season, so football," Umodu said. "It'd be a different answer if you asked me during basketball season."

A week and a half of football practice -- and two games -- is all that separates Umodu from the basketball court.

Umodu has the skills to play more than just one sport. When football ends, the NAU sophomore will trade his football jersey for a basketball uniform and be looking to score baskets on the hardwood instead of touchdowns on the field.

While he's still growing into his college basketball career, Umodu excels on the football field. Umodu is the third-leading all-purpose yards producer on the Big Sky Conference's No. 4 offense.

He's one of the hardest-working players on the team, often the last to leave the field after practices as he puts in extra time running once drills are done.

"We're just trying to finish the season strong," Umodu said of his and his football teammates' work. "We had a couple setbacks a few weeks back, and we decided that from now on we're going as hard as we can, all out every week, and hopefully we get another win this weekend."

However, as the Lumberjacks' season is coming to an end, Umodu is barely reaching the halfway point of his athletic year.

And he won't have any time to take a break between seasons.

"It was hard last year, but hopefully the transition will be smoother this year," Umodu said of moving from football to basketball. "It was difficult last year because I didn't know I'd jump into it so fast; I thought I'd have a little time to rest, but I got right in."

Although Umodu saw time in just five games -- he finished with three points on a field goal and one free throw -- he was a freshman on a senior-laden team. He thinks it'll be a lot different on the court this year with nine new players on the roster.

Umodu admitted he didn't know the plays very well, which was possibly the product of missing the first month of basketball practice while football wrapped up.

"Hopefully this year the plays will click with me and I can try to make a quicker impact than I did last year," Umodu said.

Although he might be a step behind his basketball teammates, one advantage he holds is that he should be in better shape as he's been playing football since August.

"This season I'm ready for it," he said about the transition. "I've been working out a lot, running a lot, and I've been trying to not only stay in football shape, but basketball shape."

That means being ready to run and run a lot without many breaks in between.

"There's a big difference," Umodu said. "In basketball the pace is quicker and there's no rest between (plays). In football you have to be ready to sprint at all times, but you get a lot of rest."

Umodu should also have the advantage of his football success on his side as he's been integral to the Jacks' offense.

Umodu is second in receiving with 41 catches for 555 yards -- 13.5 per catch and 61.7 per game -- and three touchdowns. He's behind teammate Khalil Paden's 45 catches for 784 yards and seven scores.

He said the time he and Paden spent during the offseason working with junior quarterback Cary Grossart has been paying off huge in games.

"It's always good to have the ability to look to the future and know that it's all there for you, and that if you keep on working hard for it the best will come out of it," Umodu said of his remaining time with Grossart. "The hard work pays off in the end."

Umodu and Paden are Grossart's favorite targets, and Grossart said that Umodu is a big, tall guy who he's comfortable throwing the ball to.

"I'm going to keep coming to Ify," Grossart said, "because he's able to go up and get the ball."

Paden has come on strong in the second half of the season, but both he and Umodu get their fair share of passes.

"It all depends on what the defense gives us," Grossart said about throwing to either Umodu or Paden. "Sometimes K.P. is open, sometimes it's Ify. They're both great receivers."

Umodu said he also worked out with some of his basketball teammates -- he's roommates with a couple of them -- during the summer.

"My basketball teammates are always trying to dog on me and we always have a lot of fun arguing about who works harder," Umodu said. "During the summer I was working out with them a lot and was keeping up with them."

With the end of football season looming, Umodu admitted he has to really focus on his job as a football player. He also said it's hard to not pick up a basketball more often than he does.

"It's hard to stay focused on football because sometimes I just want to pick up a basketball and start playing, but I have to stay focused on the task at hand," Umodu said. "I have picked up a basketball, but just a little bit on the side."

Bill Harris can be reached at bharris@azdailysun.com or 556-2251.