University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Azeez Ojulari
September 18, 2019 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
A 6-foot-3 and 250-pound linebacker from Marietta, Ga., Azeez Ojulari seems to have muscles on his muscles. When he sat down for a Quick Chat following Tuesday's practice, he filled the chair in a way I hadn't noticed before in the dozens of times I've done these Q&As with some of Georgia's huge football players in that same Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall office.
It was like if the Hulk plopped down next to you, only Ojulari has a smile as broad as his muscles and he's quick to let out a big laugh. He did that often during our chat, which covered everything from his mom's cooking, his game-day routine, his first dunk and much more.
Here's some of what he had to say:Â
Frierson: What was the best or most interesting part of your summer?
Ojulari: This summer, I didn't really do much this summer. I was just here most of the time working out with the boys. Maybe sometimes on the weekend I got to go home to see my family, my brothers and sisters and all that; you know, when it's time to go back (to school) in the fall, with all the grind, I won't be able to go back home for a while.
Frierson: When you go home, is there a dish or a meal that's waiting for you whenever you walk in the door?
Ojulari: Oh, yeah! My mom, she's a great cook and we've got different types of Nigerian dishes: jollof rice, fried rice, eba, all that — when I go home it's phenomenal. I can't wait to get home and eat that meal.
A homemade meal like that, I hadn't had it in a long time, so it was great.
Frierson: Can you make any of that here?
Ojulari: Aahh, that's beyond me. That's my mom, I can't make anything like that. I can make some rice but it's not going to be as good as my mom's, for sure. [Laughs.] I can't make any food like that.
Frierson: What was your best play in high school?
Ojulari: I would probably say when I had three sacks against Westlake in the playoffs my senior year. It was a great game, we just pinned our ears back and won that game.
Frierson: How would you describe your game on the basketball court?
Ojulari: [Laughs.] As a basketball player I was just the big guy in the paint. I don't shoot, don't count on me to make any shots, but I'll be in the paint boxing people out, dunking on folks — I'm dunking the ball every time I can — and I'm blocking shots. That's what I did, I couldn't do anything else.
Frierson: What do you remember about your first dunk?
Ojulari: My first dunk was in eighth grade, it was at practice. I was like, you know what, let me try this. A guy threw me the ball, I dribbled, one-two, planted with the left leg and dunked it. Everybody went crazy at practice: "Whoa, whoa, do it again, do it again."
I came back and did it again; ever since then I just kept dunking and I got better at it.
Frierson: Who is the funniest guy on Georgia's defense?
Ojulari: Oh, man, I would probably say J.D., Jordan Davis. [Laughs.] Man, he's just funny; he can be so funny at times but when it's time to lock in, he's going to lock in, for sure, and do what he's got to do. Off the field, though, sometimes he's a jokester. You'll see him dancing and you wouldn't think that from him because he's so big, you wouldn't think that he's like that, but he's really cool.
Frierson: Do you have a creative side? Is there anything creative you do or wish you could do?
Ojulari: I wish I could dance. [Laughs.] Yeah, I wish I could dance; growing up, people in my family, they all know how to dance. We grew up with music, dancing, church on Sunday, and I just missed it — I can't dance. I don't have any moves.
Frierson: What was your favorite toy as a kid?
Ojulari: I'd probably say those little Hot Wheels race cars, for sure. I used to always act like I was driving. I always had them with me when I was younger, everywhere I'd go.
Frierson: If you could play with or against anybody in history, who would it be?
Ojulari: I'd probably want to play with Von Miller (Denver's star outside linebacker and former Super Bowl MVP) because I know he could teach me a lot of things and I'd learn so much from him. He's just the best, he's a beast. Just learning from him and being across from him would fun.
Frierson: I've noticed that the Halloween candy is already out at the grocery stores, so do you have a favorite Halloween candy?
Ojulari: I really don't have a favorite Halloween candy but I really like the Trolli gummy worms, their sour gummy worms, that's my favorite candy. You'll usually always see me with a pack of those.
Frierson: I know you guys burn a million calories a day but how much do you have to pay attention to what you're eating and putting into your body?
Ojulari: After practice, for sure, we get the meal. I feel like every time I finish practice I have to get something in my stomach because we lose a lot of calories out there on the practice field. I want to maintain my weight, I don't want to lose weight and gain weight, I want to maintain my 250.
Frierson: Take me through your game day, how much attention do you give to your outfit and how good you look, and do you have any pregame rituals or routines?
Ojulari: I try to switch it up every week, switch up the tie color, shirt color probably, change up the shoes, for sure — I'm a shoe guy.
As for my pregame routine, I'm just listening to music and focusing. That's what gets me going, listening to music, and then the coaches in the locker room get is going. You know it's time when you get out there and you see the fans and everybody, it's time to go.
(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.
