University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Kendall Milton
April 14, 2021 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Kendall Milton knows what he wants to do beyond football. The Georgia sophomore running back from Fresno, Calif., loves cars, everything about them, and one day he hopes to own both dealerships and a custom work shop.
But all of that is in the future. For now, the 6-foot-1 and 220-pound Milton and the Bulldogs are finishing up spring practice and will compete in the G-Day game on Saturday. Milton made the SEC All-Freshman team last season after running well in his limited opportunities, rushing for 195 yards on 35 carries.
During a Quick Chat after practice Tuesday, Milton talked cars, wrestling, his uncle Kevin Hardy (a Butkus Awards winner at Illinois and the No. 2 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft), and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up? What were you good at and what were you maybe not so good at?
Milton: I did wrestling, and I would say I was really good at wrestling. I did baseball, and I thought I was below-average at baseball. I was pretty good at basketball, I was really good at track, and I think that might be it besides football.
Frierson: I've always admired wrestlers because you're all alone on the mat with nowhere to hide if your opponent is a lot better than you. How did you get into wrestling, and has the sport helped you in some ways moving forward in other sports?
Milton: The crazy thing is, I quit wrestling, I think, in eighth grade. In the city I'm from, in Clovis, there are three schools and they're all ranked in the top 10 in the country in wrestling, so they take it super seriously. I was really good, I was ranked in the country and everything, but I just felt like they just took it really seriously for a sport I didn't love, so I felt like it wasn't for me.
In terms of mental strength, and stuff like that, wrestling has really put me in there. It's just you on the mat, hundreds of people watching just you and somebody else, just fighting the whole time. That definitely has helped me with mental strength.
Frierson: Is there a sport you played that you wish you'd been better at or wish you'd given it more of a chance?
Milton: I'd say baseball, baseball for sure. The way that it worked out was, with wrestling that was really an all-year type of thing. It would go through baseball season and in both sports you really have to practice a lot, so I had to choose one. Looking back on it, I wish I would have chosen baseball, but I feel like wrestling probably taught me more than baseball would have.
Frierson: When you think about home, what comes to mind?
Milton: Family. Family. I think about that quality time. We're one of those families, we're going to make fun of each other all the time. When we're all together, it's just laughs and jokes and fun. When I think of my family, no matter where we are, me and my brother, me and my dad, me and my mom, we're going to make a joke or something.
Frierson: When I was walking over here today, I saw a certain car with a distinctive logo and California plates. Did you drive across the country?
Milton: Oh, no. My uncle, he has his own shipping company and those big trucks that fit seven or eight cars on there. I, fortunately, didn't have to make that drive.
Frierson: Are you looking forward to one day having to make that drive? You'll get to see a lot of America that way.
Milton: To be honest with you, since I came out there — a lot of my family is from the South so I actually like the South more than back in California. Hopefully I won't have to drive back and I can find a place out here.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Milton: Fried rice with bacon. Back home in California, we've got a whole bunch of teppanyaki, hibachi type of food. My mom knows that when I come back, and they're actually coming this week, she knows one thing I need them to make is that fried rice. I could eat that any time of the day. At any point. I'll kill it.
Frierson: Can you make it yourself yet?
Milton: I can't make it yet. I want to learn soon, though, so when I want it I can just whip it up real quick.
Frierson: Can you do anything else in the kitchen?
Milton: I can make some really good tacos. That's all I really need, to be honest. I could live off tacos.
Frierson: Do you have a creative side? Is there anything creative you do or wish you could do?
Milton: One thing for me, I have a huge interest in cars. When I'm done with football and everything, I want to get into owning car dealerships and also I want to have a side company that does car customization, where people come in, give the idea, and then you put it together. That's one thing that I really want to do.
I don't know when it started but since I was younger I've had a really strong love for cars. For me, I like exotic cars, so that's probably what I want to get into as far as customization, but on the dealership side I want to do everyday cars.
Frierson: If you could have a mint version of any car in history what would it be?
Milton: A 2020 McLaren 720S, that's my dream car. That's going to take a lot because that price tag's high. It's going to take a lot of work and a lot of being dedicated and realizing that you've got to work for it.
Frierson: I was thinking you might go with something like a Bugatti Veyron.
Milton: Oh, that's too expensive. I love Bugattis but I don't think I could ever get myself to pay that much for a car. I've got my limit, for sure. Even though I like more expensive stuff, I'm a very frugal person and I don't like to spend my money.
Frierson: Your uncle was obviously a great player and the No. 2 draft pick, so has he shaped your career in any way?
Milton: I wouldn't say he shaped my career but he let me know that through my whole career if there's anything I need, any questions, just ask. He's been through everything I'm going through so if I have any questions or need any guidance, he's been that person for me. I feel like that's been really good because he's been through everything that I'm going through and will go through. He knows the situation and he knows how to handle everything.
I would say that's been a very good blessing that I've had, somebody that's gone through the whole process and knows how to navigate through it.
Frierson: He was a defensive superstar in college, so were you ever headed that way? With your size, I'd think you could have been a great linebacker or safety.
Milton: Growing up, I was always a linebacker and safety. I played running back and I was good at it, and I played both sides in middle school and I played both sides in my first two years of high school. Toward the end, you could see which side was starting to pull away from the other side. I saw a bigger future at running back and started focusing on that, and just ran with it.
Frierson: Literally.
Milton: [Laughs] Yes, sir.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Kendall Milton knows what he wants to do beyond football. The Georgia sophomore running back from Fresno, Calif., loves cars, everything about them, and one day he hopes to own both dealerships and a custom work shop.
But all of that is in the future. For now, the 6-foot-1 and 220-pound Milton and the Bulldogs are finishing up spring practice and will compete in the G-Day game on Saturday. Milton made the SEC All-Freshman team last season after running well in his limited opportunities, rushing for 195 yards on 35 carries.
During a Quick Chat after practice Tuesday, Milton talked cars, wrestling, his uncle Kevin Hardy (a Butkus Awards winner at Illinois and the No. 2 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft), and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up? What were you good at and what were you maybe not so good at?
Milton: I did wrestling, and I would say I was really good at wrestling. I did baseball, and I thought I was below-average at baseball. I was pretty good at basketball, I was really good at track, and I think that might be it besides football.
Frierson: I've always admired wrestlers because you're all alone on the mat with nowhere to hide if your opponent is a lot better than you. How did you get into wrestling, and has the sport helped you in some ways moving forward in other sports?
Milton: The crazy thing is, I quit wrestling, I think, in eighth grade. In the city I'm from, in Clovis, there are three schools and they're all ranked in the top 10 in the country in wrestling, so they take it super seriously. I was really good, I was ranked in the country and everything, but I just felt like they just took it really seriously for a sport I didn't love, so I felt like it wasn't for me.
In terms of mental strength, and stuff like that, wrestling has really put me in there. It's just you on the mat, hundreds of people watching just you and somebody else, just fighting the whole time. That definitely has helped me with mental strength.
Frierson: Is there a sport you played that you wish you'd been better at or wish you'd given it more of a chance?
Milton: I'd say baseball, baseball for sure. The way that it worked out was, with wrestling that was really an all-year type of thing. It would go through baseball season and in both sports you really have to practice a lot, so I had to choose one. Looking back on it, I wish I would have chosen baseball, but I feel like wrestling probably taught me more than baseball would have.
Frierson: When you think about home, what comes to mind?
Milton: Family. Family. I think about that quality time. We're one of those families, we're going to make fun of each other all the time. When we're all together, it's just laughs and jokes and fun. When I think of my family, no matter where we are, me and my brother, me and my dad, me and my mom, we're going to make a joke or something.
Frierson: When I was walking over here today, I saw a certain car with a distinctive logo and California plates. Did you drive across the country?
Milton: Oh, no. My uncle, he has his own shipping company and those big trucks that fit seven or eight cars on there. I, fortunately, didn't have to make that drive.
Frierson: Are you looking forward to one day having to make that drive? You'll get to see a lot of America that way.
Milton: To be honest with you, since I came out there — a lot of my family is from the South so I actually like the South more than back in California. Hopefully I won't have to drive back and I can find a place out here.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Milton: Fried rice with bacon. Back home in California, we've got a whole bunch of teppanyaki, hibachi type of food. My mom knows that when I come back, and they're actually coming this week, she knows one thing I need them to make is that fried rice. I could eat that any time of the day. At any point. I'll kill it.
Frierson: Can you make it yourself yet?
Milton: I can't make it yet. I want to learn soon, though, so when I want it I can just whip it up real quick.
Frierson: Can you do anything else in the kitchen?
Milton: I can make some really good tacos. That's all I really need, to be honest. I could live off tacos.
Frierson: Do you have a creative side? Is there anything creative you do or wish you could do?
Milton: One thing for me, I have a huge interest in cars. When I'm done with football and everything, I want to get into owning car dealerships and also I want to have a side company that does car customization, where people come in, give the idea, and then you put it together. That's one thing that I really want to do.
I don't know when it started but since I was younger I've had a really strong love for cars. For me, I like exotic cars, so that's probably what I want to get into as far as customization, but on the dealership side I want to do everyday cars.
Frierson: If you could have a mint version of any car in history what would it be?
Milton: A 2020 McLaren 720S, that's my dream car. That's going to take a lot because that price tag's high. It's going to take a lot of work and a lot of being dedicated and realizing that you've got to work for it.
Frierson: I was thinking you might go with something like a Bugatti Veyron.
Milton: Oh, that's too expensive. I love Bugattis but I don't think I could ever get myself to pay that much for a car. I've got my limit, for sure. Even though I like more expensive stuff, I'm a very frugal person and I don't like to spend my money.
Frierson: Your uncle was obviously a great player and the No. 2 draft pick, so has he shaped your career in any way?
Milton: I wouldn't say he shaped my career but he let me know that through my whole career if there's anything I need, any questions, just ask. He's been through everything I'm going through so if I have any questions or need any guidance, he's been that person for me. I feel like that's been really good because he's been through everything that I'm going through and will go through. He knows the situation and he knows how to handle everything.
I would say that's been a very good blessing that I've had, somebody that's gone through the whole process and knows how to navigate through it.
Frierson: He was a defensive superstar in college, so were you ever headed that way? With your size, I'd think you could have been a great linebacker or safety.
Milton: Growing up, I was always a linebacker and safety. I played running back and I was good at it, and I played both sides in middle school and I played both sides in my first two years of high school. Toward the end, you could see which side was starting to pull away from the other side. I saw a bigger future at running back and started focusing on that, and just ran with it.
Frierson: Literally.
Milton: [Laughs] Yes, sir.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director 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.
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