University of Georgia Athletics
A Quick Chat With ... Isaiah Wynn
September 16, 2015 | Football
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
You don't look at Isaiah Wynn and think: "undersized." But by big-time college football standards, the 6-foot-2, 278-pound sophomore starting left guard for the No. 7-ranked Georgia Bulldogs is just that.
Lining up on his left at tackle is 6-6, 303-pound senior John Theus. On his right at center is junior Brandon Kublanow, who's about Wynn's size at 6-2, 282. Also on the Dogs' line are giant junior Greg Pyke (6-6, 313) and graduate Kolston Houston (6-5, 285).
Wynn, from St. Petersburg, Fla., said he doesn't ever feel small, not in his everyday life and not on the field. He also said, during a quick chat Tuesday, that "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is one of his favorite movies. Here's some more of our conversation, which covered football, music and much more:
Frierson: Who's someone on the team that doesn't get enough credit or attention, whether it's for being really good or funny or whatever?
Wynn: I would say (quarterback Faton Bauta). As for as playbook-wise and just encouraging other players and all that to get the job done, he's great at that.
Frierson: When you think of SEC linemen, you maybe think of guys a bit taller and wider than you are. Do you feel small compared to the guys around you?
Wynn: Not really. (Laughing.) I just go out and play hard.
Frierson: What do you do to get away from football? In the quiet moments of your day, which may be few and far between, how do you spend your time?
Wynn: Mostly, to be honest, I just sleep. When I have my family up here I'll spend time with them, because I'm a big family guy. But any down time I get, I'm usually either sleeping or spending it with my friends and family.
Frierson: Is there a sport or an athlete that you look at, whether it's a teammate or just someone you saw do something on television, where you just stopped and said, "How the heck do they do that?"
Wynn: I'd say gymnastics. It's pretty intriguing that they can bounce like that and flip like that at the drop of a dime.
Frierson: If you could recommend two bands or musicians that you really like but that a lot of folks might not have heard of, who would they be?
Wynn: I listen to Big K.R.I.T. and Lil Phat. Big K.R.I.T. does a lot of, like, little subliminal messages in his music, which I like. And Lil Phat, that's just a pre-game rapper for me.
Frierson: Do you remember when you made your biggest commitment to football, like really decided that it was time to go all in and be the best player you could possibly be?
Wynn: I'd say that time came for me during the spring. That's when it actually started to click and I really, more than ever, worked on my craft to become a better player and contribute to the team.
I spent a lot more time watching film and just asking questions. I spent a lot more time with the OL and getting on the same page with them.
Frierson: Say it's Saturday night after a game and you can pig out on anything you want, what are you ordering?
Wynn: I'd say I'll go back home to St. Petersburg, Fla., and get a meal from Kissin' Cuzzins, a restaurant there. It has a lot of breakfast food, and dinner and lunch. It's just a lot of food.
Frierson: Do you get anything in particular when you go?
Wynn: I usually get the chocolate-chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, cheese grits and the hash-brown casserole.
Frierson: If you could have played any other sport for the Bulldogs, what would it be?
Wynn: I'd say track and field. I'd do the shot put. I've never experienced it, but I think it would be fun.
Frierson: When you think back to your high school days, is there a moment that stands out as just one of those pure, blissful moments that you'll carry with you forever?
Wynn: Just the Friday night atmosphere. Being young and being put on the big stage at a young age, those Friday nights were always good.
John Frierson is a staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. Follow him on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
