Gionni Paul has seen just about everything, and even that’s an understatement. He’s transferred schools, he’s committed then decommitted from others. He’s dealt with a handful of injuries, heartbreak, and in the middle of all this he lost his best friend in a car accident. Getting to Salt Lake has been no easy road.
Before coming to Utah, he sported another uniform. In fact it was for the other U, the University of Miami. Paul carries a piece of his past with him in the form of a tattoo resembling the Miami U logo on his right bicep.
After playing at Miami for a couple of years, he decided a change was necessary if he was going to find a life he not only wanted, but needed.
“[I came] to find a better home,” Paul said.
The Florida native had originally planned on attending ASU after his stint as a Hurricane. However, as coaching circumstances were up in the air, he decommitted because he had to be certain about his future.
Little did he know what the future had in store for him.
One day, between transfers, Paul was planning on driving home with his best friend from FIU, Todd Davis. They were going to leave the Miami area the same day, but circumstances regarding Paul’s transfer made him wait another day. He told Davis to go on without him.
Later that night, Davis fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a tree, resulting in his death and the death of the other passengers in the car. Although Paul knows there is nothing he could have done, he always thinks if he were there he could have told them to wear their seatbelts, or maybe he would have been the one driving. Even with all the questions Paul has asked himself, every time he is out on the field, a little piece of him is playing for his fallen friend.
“When I think about it, I really feel like I owe him,” Paul said. “I write the letter ‘T’ on my wristband or somewhere on my clothing to represent I’m playing for him.”
While there have been twists and turns in his road to Utah, Paul is happy with the choices he’s made, and like many others on this team, finds a certain comfort and togetherness at Utah he couldn’t find elsewhere.
Before Paul officially decided to become a Ute, he went through a rough patch where he seemingly lost all his confidence. He felt as though he’d disappointed his parents, who have a rule that, “Once you leave the house, you don’t come back.”
They wanted him to move on to bigger and better things. He had no idea what life was going to throw at him next. Then his phone rang.
“When I got the call to come to Utah, all that changed,” Paul said. “I was able to get two degrees. I was able to make my family proud. My journey’s just been a roller coaster ride, and right now it seems to keep going up.”
Coming from what Paul calls an average team in Miami, he was really taken in by the pride Utah football players take in their work. When he visited, he finally understood what it means to be a part of a team.
It’s this journey that pushes Paul to be the best player he can be on the field.
Last weekend against Cal, the gritty linebacker registered a forced fumble and an interception. His tenacity and willingness to go after the ball night in and night out is why head coach Kyle Whittingham loves to watch him play.
“He’s a playmaker,” Whittingham said. “He’s got as good of instincts as I’ve ever seen in a linebacker.”
Paul can’t fully recall what happened against the Golden Bears when he got his pick; he just knew he was not going to let the ball hit the ground. especially after Marcus Williams got that first interception.
“I told Marcus after he got the first pick, ‘This is my D. I’m about to get me an interception, a forced fumble, something,’” Paul said.
Even with this, Paul only gives himself a ‘C,’ maybe a ‘C+’ for his performance in the game on Saturday. He strives for perfection on a regular basis and is his own harshest critic.
Paul will need to be on his game if Utah wants to extend its undefeated streak to six games this weekend with ASU in town. Whether or not his recent yoga classes will help him make another acrobatic interception against the Sun Devils is yet to be seen, but make no mistake, Paul will show up ready to play.
Considering he almost played for them, the proud Utah linebacker wants revenge for the hurt he felt during last year’s loss in Tempe.
“Me knowing the history and me having my journey, I really want to win this game,” Paul said. “After last year’s game, I marked this one on the calendar and said, ‘They’re not going to beat us this year, even if I have to take it upon myself.'”
Being at Utah has allowed Paul to grow more than he ever though possible. When his teammates elected him as captain, he could not have been more grateful. This gesture only verifies that he is where he is supposed to be.
“God put me in the right place at the right time,” Paul said.
As for that Miami U tattoo on his bicep, don’t expect to see that around much longer.
“It says half-hurricane, half-human, so I have to get it all covered up,” Paul said.
@kbrenneisen