WATCH: Raiqwon O'Neal Talks Rutgers Transfer, UCLA Leadership
UCLA football offensive lineman Raiqwon O’Neal spoke to reporters following Sunday morning’s fall camp session. O’Neal talked about what drew him to Westwood after he decided to leave Rutgers, how he aims to balance younger and older voices when trying to be a leader, where he’s been getting the most work in practice and how he’s started to adjust to the Southern California lifestyle.
Welcome to Westwood
Thank you for having me. I love it here. So far, so good. I love it here, especially being from the East Coast. It’s a big change for me. I mean, living up in Jersey for four years, it helped out for the transition for me, so I was really loving it here.
How did that transition come about?
It was the recruiting process, both reaching out to both parties and I just feel like this is the best fit for me.
What was it about UCLA?
It was on and off the field development, especially with what I want to do after football because I want to go into something with media and TV broadcasting, so this is the best path going for me after football, so I wasn’t just thinking about football only too, I was thinking about life after football too.
What are you studying?
Right now I’m in business and entertainment.
Studying us?
Yes, yes, yes. So what you guys are doing, I'd love to do that.
Experience here so far?
I love it here. Everything I’ve experienced is getting better each day, I want to be 1% better each day and that’s the goal, to come out here and fly, fly, do everything full speed. We’re going to make mistakes and that’s part of life, you make mistakes but you make them at full speed.
Taking other guys under your wing?
Yes, sir, I am, I’m also learning from young guys too because that’s part of being a leader—you can also learn from the young guys as well; even though I have experience, they can also teach me something that I’ve never known, so we’re both learning from each other.
What are you learning from them?
Just technique-wise, a lot of it has to do with technique-wise, especially, you know, I’ve never seen it, they’ve never seen stuff, so I would say technique and reading the defense.
Laugh when you heard UCLA was moving to the Big Ten?
I laughed. My phone was blowing up. My phone was nonstop ringing. Y’all coming to the Big Ten. I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’
What will it be like for these guys to take the trip to New Jersey?
I mean, it should be a good experience for them, you know? You don’t always get a chance to go to the West Coast or to the East Coast, so it will be a great experience for both parties.
Rutgers home games in late November?
Compared to here? Oh, man. It depends on what you get, you might get some strong winds cold or you might get snow and wind cold.
Ever played in a Snow Bowl game?
Oh, not a snow bowl but a snow game. Maybe during that week it snowed heavy but it was really, really cold in that game, so yes I have, so it’s just a different experience than being out here in L.A. and the West Coast with the sunshine all the time.
Been to LA before this?
I had been here once for a vacation but that’s about it. Just one time.
How are you adjusting? Following you teammates' lead?
Yeah, it is, it’s just trying to pick up what they do and pick up on everything around here, my environment, just adjust really, and I love it here.
Beach days?
Nah. I’m not really a beach guy. I spend more time in the film room getting the playbook down.
Playing more left tackle than right?
I’m playing left tackle but we’re just all-around versatile, learning every position and staying ready.
DTR and Charbonnet?
I love it. I love it, not just them but our whole team is like that too, not just them two but our whole team is like that, we’re well-rounded together as a team.
Comparison from Rutgers to UCLA?
What I’ve experienced here is great. It was love at both places—love at both places and love here. It’s a really, really strong culture at both places and I love it.
Impressed by Mafi losing 70 pounds?
Yeah, yeah. I’m really impressed and I’m really happy for him, I heard the stories about it and I’m amazed. I’ve seen it before too, so it’s really impressive how us big guys can do that and maintain it. Some people say we can’t do that but watch, we’ll prove that wrong.
DiGiorgio is a younger guy fighting for snaps with Rhyan and Anderson gone – what have you seen from him?
I’m really impressed with him. It’s not just him but all of our young guys—they come in here and work in the film room, studying extra, getting extra work, I’m impressed with all of them because they came here to work and they came here to play. It’s not just one person but all the young guys out there, I’m really impressed with all of them.
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