Quick Chat: Javon Bullard
December 01, 2022 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Here's something you'd probably never expect a hard-working Georgia football player to say: "Me, personally, I'm not a huge eater, man."
Those are the words of sophomore defensive back Javon Bullard, who doesn't need much to make him happy. No fancy steaks or pastas are required for Bullard, just bring on the Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Heading into Saturday's SEC Championship Game against No. 14 LSU, the 5-foot-11 and 180-pound Bullard, from Milledgeville, Ga., is fifth on the No. 1 Bulldogs' stout defense with 36 tackles, including 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Two of those sacks came almost back-to-back, on nickel blitzes late in the game against Tennessee.
During a recent Quick Chat, Bullard talked about where those plays against the then-No. 1 Vols rank in his playing career. He also talked about enjoying cereal day or night, his start in football, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: How old were you when you first started playing football?
Bullard: I was probably five years old. I started off running track, and it was like my pops was like, who's this fast kid in the neighborhood? I started out playing flag-football at the rec center, and he was just like, let me throw you in football and see what you do.
Frierson: Did you play a bunch of different sports when you were younger?
Bullard: I only played two sports: I ran track and I played football. I kind of stuck with the two I had the most success in; I really enjoyed them both and was able to have a lot of success.
Frierson: How much does what you did in track help you on the football field?
Bullard: It helps a tremendous amount — just you being in shape, critiquing your running style and things like that. Conditioning is probably one of the most underestimated parts of the game. You can't really play at a high level if you get tired fast, and I feel like track helped me build up that stamina.
Frierson: Is there one track and field event that makes you think, those folks are kind of crazy?
Bullard: Pole vault [laughs]. I look at those people and I take my hat off to them, because there's no way I'm doing something like that. Those men and women work extremely hard, I see them out there every day, and I take my hat off to them for what they do.
Frierson: I admire the heck of them for what they do, but all I see is a trip to the hospital if I attempted it.
Bullard: [Laughs] It's scary, man. I don't even know how they do it.
Frierson: Let's go back to the Tennessee game, when you had two sacks in three plays, I think. Was that the most fun you've ever had playing football?
Bullard: It's definitely up there. It's, yeah [laughs], it's definitely up there as one of the top moments of my life. As a kid you dream of moments like that, and in that game, that environment, for God to give me the opportunity to do something like that, it was huge.
Frierson: Did you know early in the week that you might be blitzing like you did?
Bullard: Throughout the week, we make these plays and Coach gives us these calls, and I always picture myself making a play. It just so happened that he called that play, and then he called it again, and I just happened to make both of those plays.
Frierson: I'm betting the film session on the Monday after that game was pretty fun for you.
Bullard: [Laughs] Yeah, it definitely was pretty fun. I should have had another one (sack) because he called it again, but that just goes back to conditioning. If I would have had enough juice in the tank, I probably would have had another one.
Frierson: You've been a Bulldog for two seasons and you've only lost once, so is this the greatest run of success you've ever experienced?
Bullard: My high school team was pretty good throughout my years, but we weren't as successful as Georgia. As a kid, you never want to go to a school that's going to suffer defeat a lot, but I feel like it's all on us. It's not inherited — you just don't show up and get it. You have to work for it.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Bullard: Me, personally, I'm not a huge eater, man. I'm a snacker. I can't really eat big meals, but you need that muscle mass and you need to gain that weight. I know when I got here, I definitely needed to gain some weight.
Frierson: What's your go-to snack?
Bullard: I'm a cereal freak, man. I love cereal. I could eat cereal all day long. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I could eat it all day. I'm probably fixing to go get me a bowl of that now, actually [laughs].
Frierson: Cereal for dinner is underrated. I'm 50 years old and I will still thoroughly enjoy some cereal for dinner.
Bullard: [Laughs] You know what I mean? You can never beat cereal for dinner.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Here's something you'd probably never expect a hard-working Georgia football player to say: "Me, personally, I'm not a huge eater, man."
Those are the words of sophomore defensive back Javon Bullard, who doesn't need much to make him happy. No fancy steaks or pastas are required for Bullard, just bring on the Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Heading into Saturday's SEC Championship Game against No. 14 LSU, the 5-foot-11 and 180-pound Bullard, from Milledgeville, Ga., is fifth on the No. 1 Bulldogs' stout defense with 36 tackles, including 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Two of those sacks came almost back-to-back, on nickel blitzes late in the game against Tennessee.
During a recent Quick Chat, Bullard talked about where those plays against the then-No. 1 Vols rank in his playing career. He also talked about enjoying cereal day or night, his start in football, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: How old were you when you first started playing football?
Bullard: I was probably five years old. I started off running track, and it was like my pops was like, who's this fast kid in the neighborhood? I started out playing flag-football at the rec center, and he was just like, let me throw you in football and see what you do.
Frierson: Did you play a bunch of different sports when you were younger?
Bullard: I only played two sports: I ran track and I played football. I kind of stuck with the two I had the most success in; I really enjoyed them both and was able to have a lot of success.
Frierson: How much does what you did in track help you on the football field?
Bullard: It helps a tremendous amount — just you being in shape, critiquing your running style and things like that. Conditioning is probably one of the most underestimated parts of the game. You can't really play at a high level if you get tired fast, and I feel like track helped me build up that stamina.
Frierson: Is there one track and field event that makes you think, those folks are kind of crazy?
Bullard: Pole vault [laughs]. I look at those people and I take my hat off to them, because there's no way I'm doing something like that. Those men and women work extremely hard, I see them out there every day, and I take my hat off to them for what they do.
Frierson: I admire the heck of them for what they do, but all I see is a trip to the hospital if I attempted it.
Bullard: [Laughs] It's scary, man. I don't even know how they do it.
Frierson: Let's go back to the Tennessee game, when you had two sacks in three plays, I think. Was that the most fun you've ever had playing football?
Bullard: It's definitely up there. It's, yeah [laughs], it's definitely up there as one of the top moments of my life. As a kid you dream of moments like that, and in that game, that environment, for God to give me the opportunity to do something like that, it was huge.
Frierson: Did you know early in the week that you might be blitzing like you did?
Bullard: Throughout the week, we make these plays and Coach gives us these calls, and I always picture myself making a play. It just so happened that he called that play, and then he called it again, and I just happened to make both of those plays.
Frierson: I'm betting the film session on the Monday after that game was pretty fun for you.
Bullard: [Laughs] Yeah, it definitely was pretty fun. I should have had another one (sack) because he called it again, but that just goes back to conditioning. If I would have had enough juice in the tank, I probably would have had another one.
Frierson: You've been a Bulldog for two seasons and you've only lost once, so is this the greatest run of success you've ever experienced?
Bullard: My high school team was pretty good throughout my years, but we weren't as successful as Georgia. As a kid, you never want to go to a school that's going to suffer defeat a lot, but I feel like it's all on us. It's not inherited — you just don't show up and get it. You have to work for it.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Bullard: Me, personally, I'm not a huge eater, man. I'm a snacker. I can't really eat big meals, but you need that muscle mass and you need to gain that weight. I know when I got here, I definitely needed to gain some weight.
Frierson: What's your go-to snack?
Bullard: I'm a cereal freak, man. I love cereal. I could eat cereal all day long. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I could eat it all day. I'm probably fixing to go get me a bowl of that now, actually [laughs].
Frierson: Cereal for dinner is underrated. I'm 50 years old and I will still thoroughly enjoy some cereal for dinner.
Bullard: [Laughs] You know what I mean? You can never beat cereal for dinner.
(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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