Fusile’s Inspiring Story of Perseverance Through Adversity

In simple terms, football is a game of never-ending adversity, much like the curveballs that life, in general, will throw at you.

I guess that is why they always say that football can prepare a young man to face the challenges that life brings them, on and off the field. There are not a lot of better examples of someone that has dealt with adversity in both avenues this season on this Georgia Tech team than guard Joe Fusile, who has worked his way up to starting for the Yellow Jackets as a walk-on.

The redshirt freshman has been through so much this season, suffering a personal tragedy right in the middle of it. Despite this, he has continued to work day in and day out and give everything he has for The Institute, and he was just nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy as well. This trophy is given to college football’s most outstanding player that began his career as a walk-on.

The path to Tech for Fusile is one that he has been thinking about since he was in high school, making it even more impressive that it all came together the way it has.

“I wanted to be an engineer, I wanted to play division one college football, and I lived in Georgia. About my sophomore year, I decided I was going to Georgia Tech whether they wanted me or not, and it looks like it paid off for me.” he said.

Fusile passed up scholarship offers from Stetson, Davidson, and Morehead State while also receiving interest from Wake Forest during the recruiting process. Part of the reason for this has to do with the opportunities that exist at a place like Tech for people that are willing to go and get them. He has seen this not only with current teammate William Lay, but also another former walk-on in Sean Bedford who won the first ever awarded Burlsworth Trophy in his time on The Flats.

“It’s not something that is talked about quite so directly, it’s just kind of a lead-by-example kind of situation. Will Lay is perhaps the most intelligent football player I’ve ever watched, and you just get the sense from watching him operate that he got his chances because he understood what was going on on the field,” Fusile said about Lay. “And if they needed a guy to fill in that role, he was able to give 100 percent effort to get the job done. Obviously, Sean’s story I’m not terribly familiar with, I believe he was the inaugural Burlsworth Trophy winner. Just Georgia Tech has so many opportunities for people that wanna work hard to get those chances. Watching that especially with Will Lay was very helpful for me to kinda stick to the course.”

Strength Coach Lew Caralla’s mentality of working hard in the weight room as a means to get on the field is a big reason that Fusile credits for him earning the starting role at guard.

“It’s just a matter of taking advantage of the opportunities you’re given. That comes from everywhere, on the field during scout team doing the right thing that they ask you to do. A big part of it was in the weight room, Coach Lew does a very good job of instilling in you that if you wanna get on the field, if you show up in the weight room, you’ll get opportunities to get on the field,” Fusile said on how he earned his playing time. “I mean there are so many opportunities to do the right thing and put yourself in a position where if they need somebody to fill a role that they can trust you to be that guy. I think that’s been the number one thing, just taking advantage of those opportunities.”

Another walk-on in the fold this season is Jason Moore on the defensive line, and he has been holding his own for the Jackets all year. Fusile was asked about him and he had nothing but good things to say about the redshirt freshman.

“J-Mo is a great guy [and] I couldn’t name someone I enjoy more on the team. Especially because he switched to d-line, just watching him evolve as a player as he’s gotten opportunities to. And especially in the weight room, he’s maybe one of the strongest guys I’ve ever seen,” Fusile said about Moore. “Just watching him work every day, it’s really something. And of course, now he’s next to me on the punt shield so, anytime I get to stand next to J-Mo is a great time.”

Fusile simply is doing what not many walk-ons are able to do in division one football. Sure, he has made some mistakes this year, and honestly what young guy in his shoes wouldn’t? The lack of experience on the offensive line is something that has haunted the Jackets recently but regardless of this fact getting playing time as a walk-on at any level of major college football is something to be proud of.

We will see the next step of his progression this weekend when the Jackets head up to Blacksburg to face a coastal division rival in the form of the Hokies on Saturday at 12:30.