Vol Club Confidential: Omarr Norman-Lott
Tennessee defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott has been a special addition to the defensive line room since making the move from Arizona State over a year ago. The Sacramento, California native joined Vol Club Confidential sponsored by Knoxville Smiles this week to discuss his journey.
“Really getting acclimated here it took me some time,” Norman-Lott said. “Learning the system, learning the school, learning where class was. Having to even go to class because at Arizona State everything was virtual. It took me like three months to acclimate and be comfortable but once I understood how Knoxville was and were I needed to be and all the chaos it started to become a good experience.”
Norman-Lott grew up with Northern California and went to Grant high school, which also produced former Vol Donte Stallworth. He learned life lessons and experiences that most will never witness.
“I learned to mind my business at a very young age,” Norman-Lott said. “If it’s not pertaining to you then you don’t need to put yourself in it. That’s something that was engraved in me. Me taking that, I took to my own business with that. Football is what I knew was going to get me out of the situation I was in. Me growing up in not a great place as far as gun violence and gang violence, I knew that’s not the life I wanted. I’ve had plenty of my friends growing up pass away, hiding out and ten minutes later you get a call he is gone. I just knew that’s not not what I wanted. I minded my business and my business was training for football.”
A rough childhood no doubt but life lessons that are invaluable. A life of football became a game changer when college football became an option.
“After I got my first offer,” Norman-Lott said. “I got the offer from Arizona State but I didn’t understand it that I could go to college. The next day, Arizona offered me, people that I didn’t even know, how did you get my number and wanted to bring me down on a visit. At that moment it was still so surreal. It took till I got out of that environment and went down to those colleges to know there is way more to life than my six or seven blocks that I see every day in Sacramento.”
He has come such a long way and he relishes his time with his coaches and teammates in Knoxville. It’s a blessing to live the life he has now.
“I’m proud of myself for not having to live that kind of life,” Norman-Lott said. “Worried about who is coming. Are you coming and who are you with? Looking over your shoulder is a life of being scared all the time.”
