Former FSU football star Nick O’Leary returns, earns degree 10 years after playing days

Nick O’Leary hemmed and hawed for a few years before he committed to reenroll at Florida State.

His decision was motivated by two factors.

The former Seminole All-American in football wanted to fulfill a promise he made to his mother. And set an example for his young children.

“If one day I am telling my kids they need to graduate, and I don’t have my degree, what good is that?,” O’Leary said.

“It’s a good thing to cross off.”

Ten years after his playing days at FSU, O’Leary, 31, will graduate this weekend with a degree in Sociology. While he won’t attend the ceremony, the North Palm Beach native is proud of his accomplishment.

O’Leary was 30 hours shy of his degree when he reenrolled in 2023, when he also served as a student assistant coach for the offense under coach Mike Norvell.

O’Leary said he learned the importance of time management between football, online courses and married life.

“Getting back into the grind of having to do that work again – doing it was the hard part but you don’t have a choice,” O’Leary said.

“You have to get it done and get it done on time.”

Nick O’Leary (35) picks up a first as the number 1 ranked Florida State Seminoles cruise 38-20 over the Syracuse Orange on Saturday Oct., 11, 2014 in the Carrier Dome.

FSU football star Nick O’Leary one of the all-time greats at tight end

O’Leary, one of the program’s most heralded tight ends, if not the best, helped the Seminoles win the 2013 national championship during his junior season.

He was a consensus All-American and the school’s first John Mackey Award winner, presented annually to college football’s most outstanding tight end, as a senior. O’Leary, also known as a devastating blocker, finished his four-year career with with 114 receptions for 1,591 yards and 18 touchdowns in 54 games under coach Jimbo Fisher. O’Leary’s marks in…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/former-fsu-football-star-nick-032724933.html

Author : Tallahassee Democrat

Publish date : 2024-08-01 03:27:24

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