Guerad rebounds, eyes NFL
UCF lineman has surged after briefly quitting
Two years ago, Tony Guerad quit the UCF football team. Things weren’t looking too good for the big defensive lineman from Tampa.
Football wasn’t quite working out the way he had hoped. UCF head coach George O’Leary was on the way out and Guerad’s girlfriend was expecting a baby. It was a lot to deal with for a third-year college student.
The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Guerad reflected on his recent past during preparation this week for today’s NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where players will have one more opportunity to prove their worth to NFL scouts.
Several former UCF players are trying to bolster their draft stock at pre-NFL allstar games this month. Tight end Jordan Franks played in the Tropical Bowl in Daytona Beach last week; defensive tackle Jamiyus Pittman (flu) and offensive tackle Aaron Evans (injured) were supposed to play in the EastWest Shrine Game today in St. Petersburg; and a trio of former Knights —linebacker in Shaquem Griffin, receiver Tre’Quan Smith and tight end Jordan Akins — will be at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., next week.
As for Guerad, he’s happy to be able to look back on his life and see how far he’s come.
“I wasn’t really happy at UCF for a while, but I got brought back on the team,” Guerad said. “Coach [Scott] Frost came and gave me a second chance, and I was so blessed to have him come into my life. He was a big part of that. I was so happy to have him and the whole coaching staff, too.
“When I had my son, coach Frost and coach [Mike] Dawson gave me pointers on what I needed to know and what I needed to do before my child was born, so it was a big help. I saw those guys like second dads to me.”
Guerad still had good things to say about O’Leary.
“I did quit. I was ready to transfer. I was ready to leave,” Guerad said, “It was really hard playing for O’Leary and I let him get under my skin, but he made me stronger. He taught me a lot, too.”
Guerad’s son, Anthony, had his first birthday Nov. 28, just four days before the Knights faced off with Memphis in the American Athletic Conference championship game. UCF was already 11-0, but the over the course of the next month, big things were to come for the entire UCF football family. The Knights won the AAC tile, defeated Auburn in the Peach Bowl to end the season 13-0 and partied for two weeks as they were feted as national champions by a gaggle of admirers at event after event.
“The Peach Bowl was really exciting. It was a good atmosphere and I was glad to be a part of history,” Guerad said. “This season was a big, big factor of why I was able to catch the attention of NFL scouts. Especially that Auburn game. I knew it was going to be a big factor, as far as my potential to go to the NFL and I knew I had to play good, so I was happy with my performance that day.
“I was looking forward to the challenge and me and my guys stepped up. The whole defense.”
Now he focuses on his possible NFL future. He’s hearing his name could be called during the later rounds of April’s NFL draft. He worked to improve his stock this week during the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl practices.
Coaches already know what Guerad can do on the football field, so most of the conversations are about his personality and his life.
“They’re basically just trying to get to know me,” Guerad said. “They ask me little questions here and there about growing up and about how can I help their team. I just tell them about my background about how I started, why I chose UCF, about the problems I had there and about the good stuff, too.”
It’s been an impressive turnaround for a guy who just two years ago was struggling.
“I feel good and blessed,” Guerad said. “I’m happy. There were a lot of doubters and I proved them wrong. I graduated. I came out UCF with a degree [interdisciplinary studies], that was the main goal. People said I wasn’t going to get that and I got that.
“... People said I wasn’t going to be in the NFL and I’m training for the NFL now. I’m just blessed and happy and I’m going to continue to prove people wrong . ... But life doesn’t stop and you can be successful with your degree, too. That’s why you go to school. You’ve gotta have a backup plan.”