University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Zion Logue
September 01, 2023 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
As Zion Logue watched the deciding play of Georgia's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Ohio State on New Year's Eve, as he saw Buckeyes kicker Noah Ruggles' 50-yard field-goal attempt sail wide left, allowing the Bulldogs to advance to their second straight College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the Bulldog defensive lineman immediately thought of his second cousin, Dekailus Dillard.
On Logue's cleats he'd written Dillard's name, birthdate and the day he died: Dec. 3, 2022. On the same day the Bulldogs were walloping LSU in the SEC Championship Game, Dillard, a huge Georgia fan long before Logue put on the red and black, passed away. And as Ohio State's attempt at a game-winner missed, Logue thought of Dillard, and thanked him for helping push the kick wide.
"I felt like he was the reason they missed that kick that day," said the 6-foot-5 and 310-pound Logue, a senior from Lebanon, Tenn.
Logue and the top-ranked Bulldogs open their season and begin their quest for a third straight national championship on Saturday against UT Martin at Sanford Stadium. During a Quick Chat after practice Tuesday, Logue talked about becoming a leader, whether he's interested in coaching one day, thinking of his second cousin at the end of the Peach Bowl, and much more.
Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: How was your summer?
Logue: It was great, man. Just trying to really grow into this leadership role, being a vocal guy. I was the guy who sat behind Nolan (Smith) and J.D. (Jordan Davis) and Devonte (Wyatt), and now I'm trying to break out of my shell a little bit and be more vocal. I can be vocal at times, but I'd rather sit back and let my actions show rather than my words.
Frierson: You seem like you'd be a natural at being a leader. You have that air about you.
Logue: It's definitely been tough, but I know God wouldn't put it on my plate if I couldn't handle it. My mom's always telling me that I've been a leader since day one, so I'm just really trying to tap into it and take it to the next level and lead my guys to where I know we want to go.
Frierson: Have you done anything to prepare for this, like talk to coaches, read books or watch videos?
Logue: Two things that really helped: we do this thing called leadership retreat during the middle of the summer, where we take a group of guys to the Anderson, S.C., area, and we get away for about 24 hours with our sports psychologist, Drew Bannon. He really breaks everything down to what a leader is and what a leader's about. Stripping it down and getting a group of guys to echo it when we get back to the team, if that makes sense.
The second thing: I watch a lot of guys who played with LeBron (James), guys like Iman Shumpert, Richard Jefferson, J.R. Smith, those types of guys, and I watched their podcasts and listened to how they speak about LeBron and how he makes the game better for his teammates; how he simplifies the game for his guys, and how he's overall a great person.
I've tried to put different parts of those things into my life and into how I talk to the guys, and I feel like it goes pretty well.
Frierson: Does any of that make you think about coaching one day?
Logue: A little bit. I've always told myself that if I have a great NFL career, I'd get out of that and go back to my high school and coach there. I feel like I have the resources to do something good there. My coach there, Chuck Gentry, he's been there for the past seven or eight years, and he's really turned our program around. After he's done, I'd love to go in and keep it going.
Frierson: What are you doing with all of your championship rings?
Logue: I had a gala back in April, and I wore them to that. Other than that, I really don't wear them much. They're locked away, put away, and I don't really plan on doing much with them right now. I know that they will be something very valuable to me — they're valuable now, but I know that when it sets in probably 10 years from now, I'll be like, Wow, I really accomplished those things.
Frierson: Was there one moment last season that stands out above the rest?
Logue: When we played LSU in the SEC Championship, my second cousin, he had passed away during halftime. I didn't find out until after the game, and I went to the funeral a couple of weeks before the Ohio State game. I put a couple of things in his casket, like a (Georgia) hat, some gloves and things like that, and as the (last-second) kick is happening, I saw it veer off. I got up and looked to the ceiling, and I actually had his name, birthdate and the day he died on my cleats.
I looked down, I pointed up and I cried for a little bit. That was probably the thing that I thought was pretty special. He was a huge Georgia fan, even before I even thought about coming to Georgia. When he found out I was coming here, he was like, "Bro, I've got to come to a game." But he never was able to get here.
I felt like he was the reason they missed that kick that day.
Frierson: You've played with a lot of funny guys during your time here, so who is the funniest on this year's team?
Logue: I'd probably say the all-time funniest guy I ever played with is Mark Webb, and then there's another funny guy, another Philly guy, Tykee Smith. and he's very funny. I think we have a team full of jokesters, but nobody's that guy that everybody recognizes as the funniest. Everybody goes to different people for their laughter. Everybody has their own, different sense of humor, but we're all connected.
I think the reason we're all so connected is because we can joke on each other and know that when it's time to work, it's time to work. When we take the helmet and pads off, that's when we start laughing and having fun.
(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.
