University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: John FitzPatrick
August 15, 2019 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
John FitzPatrick folded his 6-foot-6 frame into a chair after practice Tuesday, his face still a bit flushed from that afternoon's efforts and his hair still wet from a quick shower.
A redshirt freshman tight end from Atlanta, FitzPatrick played against Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee last season. But he's still waiting to make his first catch as a Bulldog. And yes, he's thought about it.
During a Quick Chat, FitzPatrick talked about feeding his big body, fantasizing about that first catch, funny teammates and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: Since we're sitting down right after practice and you're probably hungry, what's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
FitzPatrick: Probably my mom or my nan's chicken parmesan. I can't have that here, so something here (in Athens) would be Mexican. When we cater Willy's or something like that, it's always good.
Frierson: When it's late in practice and you've been working really hard, is there something you start craving?
FitzPatrick: (Laughs) I'd say I'm always craving something; eating is one of my favorite things to do.
Frierson: A guy your size, you're probably constantly having to eat and refuel, so do you ever get tired of eating because you have to consume so much?
FitzPatrick: Yeah, my weight shoots up and down at times, which can get frustrating. But it's all part of the process: eating right, eating before practice, eating after practice.
Frierson: What's one thing you deny yourself because you know it's not part of the eating right that you have to do?
FitzPatrick: I was never a big soda drinker; I don't think I drank a soda from age 5 on, I never drank soda. Within my years at Georgia, probably just cutting out fried food. That's been a big thing for me. I don't see any difference (physically), necessarily, but I feel good. Cutting that out has probably been good for me.
Frierson: I saw where you also played soccer and basketball at Marist -- how would you rate your abilities in those sports?
FitzPatrick: I grew up a big soccer player, a family full of soccer players, my four older sisters played soccer; basketball I also played up until sophomore year. I was never the best at basketball — when I went to take a foul shot I was shaking a little bit.
I played club soccer for most of my life and that's what I thought I was going to do, and then I started to shoot up and get taller, up to 6-6, and there's not many 6-6 soccer players.
Frierson: Who is the funniest person on the team?
FitzPatrick: Charlie (Woerner), probably. Yeah, he kills me. It's just his subtle jokes here and there. We have a bunch of inside jokes. Actually, (tight ends coach Todd Hartley) is hilarious, too. I might be a little biased toward the tight end room, but I guess I'm with them all the time.
Coach Hartley, I'll just start laughing at the random stuff he says, and I don't think he even realizes that he's being funny.
Frierson: What was the first thing you were really good at?
FitzPatrick: Probably math; I remember first grade, doing those times tables and I remember I finished them right away.
Frierson: What's the best live performance you've ever seen?
FitzPatrick: I went to Luke Combs recently with my sister, my brother-in-law and my girlfriend, and that was awesome. We had wanted to get to a concert for a while and I think that was my first concert, actually.
Besides that, 2008 I want to say, Falcons versus Giants, and I'm a huge Giants fan; it was at the Georgia Dome and my whole family went — four sisters, mom and dad — and we were in a box and we got to go on the field. It was the coolest thing ever.
Frierson: Have you fantasized about your first catch at Georgia?
FitzPatrick: I have, I'm always thinking about it. I try not to think about it too much sometimes; I try to get it out of my head because it's just another play and I'm going to catch it.
Frierson: What is the fantasy? Is there a perfect scenario?
FitzPatrick: Any catch would be an awesome feat. I'm excited for every game, just taking it game-by-game and see what I can do.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
