Anwar Stewart, left, with former UK teammates Anthony White and Dennis Johnson at the Woodford County Quarterback Club golf scramble Monday. (Larry Vaught Photo)
Kentucky defensive line coach Anwar Stewart knows most UK football fans might not recognize the name Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald. However, Stewart has big hopes for the fifth-year senior this season. The 6-6, 295-pound defensive tackle from Lakeland, Fla., played in five games last season after playing in all 13 games in 2019. He’s still a relative football newbie who thought his sport was college when he came to the U.S. from Nigeria at age 12 and was adopted by Terri and Steve Fitzgerald.
He was a versatile athlete who scored over 1,400 points during his high school basketball career and was the regional winner and school record holder in the shot put. He started playing football after he got to the United States and his senior season had 39 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 13 quarterback sacks.
“Abule is a big, strong kid who is a senior. He graduated last year but we have him one more year,” Stewart said Monday after playing in the Woodford County Quarterback Club golf scramble in Lawrenceburg.
“We need Abule to step up. That tackle position is going to be very challenging for him. Octavius Oxendine, Isaiah Gibson, we are waiting on some guys to step up. We have got two really good, long athletic freshmen (Jamarius Dinkins of Ohio and Kahlil Saunders of Alabama) coming in that are going to get opportunities to play (at tackle) too.”
Stewart liked the defensive line competition in spring practice and says it starts over when preseason drills begin.
“The best man is going to be the one who will play at that position and we are excited about the competition and that certainly includes Abule,” Stewart said.
Abadi-Fitzgerald is the kind of player you want to see do well. He never complains, is a terrific student, and continues to work to improve his play. Even Stewart admits he is the perfect teammate.
“He is a great young man and a very smart kid. He had not played a lot of football but we have had him here for four years now and it is time for him to reap the harvest,” the UK assistant coach said.
“He is doing well, strong, athletic kid who can run. We are really expecting him to step up and help anchor that position for us this year.”
One Response
You don’t find many people like Abule in this world. He is a wonderful human being. Kind, funny, quiet, humble, incredibly polite, smart and a very gifted athlete. He’s the kind of person you hope your kid grows up to be.
I hope he turns out to be the player his coaches believe he can be because everyone who watched him grow up in Coral Springs and Lakeland are sure rooting for him! His American parents are the best role models he could have ever asked for!