Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Meet Damarius McGhee
9/5/2026 2:09:00 PM | General
Damarius McGhee, DB for the Florida Atlantic football team, has bounced around the country for his football career, but has found a home in Paradise.
After playing at Pensacola Catholic High School, McGhee spent two seasons each at LSU and Kansas and is now in his second year with Florida Atlantic, where he is finishing his collegiate career.
Boca Raton is where McGhee has chosen to build his family both on the field and off the field, forming a bond with his teammates while embracing the new experience of fatherhood.
I had the chance to catch up with McGhee to learn more about him and his playing career.
Julia: "You had a very successful high school career at Pensacola Catholic, where you played on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and defensive back. In your collegiate career, you chose to focus on defense. Why did you make the switch, and has it been difficult?"
Damarius: "Most of the offers I received were to play at cornerback. I allowed the college coaches to decide for me so that the transition from high school to college could be easier. I also felt like I would be needed more on defense once I started my college career."
Julia: "You have played at three different colleges throughout your collegiate career: LSU, Kansas, and now Florida Atlantic. Can you talk about how you navigated the portal and what led you to Florida Atlantic?"
Damarius: "My cornerback coach here, Coach Antonio Fenelus, was a defensive analyst at LSU, and he was also the first coach I met there. He understood me and the problems I went through at that time. School was not great for me that year because of my injury, so I looked to him for support and he helped me get out of the mud so I could focus on my goals. When he heard that I entered the portal after my time at Kansas, he reached out to me and provided an important connection that led me to Florida Atlantic."
Julia: "Your first season at Florida Atlantic was the most successful season of your college career. What are some important skills you have learned on your journey, and how have you applied them to grow your game?"
Damarius: "I learned that your body is everything. It is important to take care of your body and what you put in it, and it will help you perform more. It is one area where I took a major step in, especially because I would prepare my body so I could go to war on the field."
Julia: "Just like last year, there are many new faces in the defensive back room, both from the transfer portal and high school. Can you talk about how everyone has built chemistry and learned to play defense as a team?"
Damarius: "All of the new guys here want it more, and they have come in with a different mindset. The first thing that stood out to me was the average body weight of everyone in the defensive back room, being that it went up tremendously. It shows that the guys here are pushing themselves to work harder because they want it more. The energy amongst this group gets better every day. Everyone here tries to learn about the other players and their game more, mostly on defense because it is important, but also on offense. I make an effort with the players on offense and special teams too so we can all learn about each other as people off the field too."
Julia: You have spoken about how close you are to your family. More specifically, you have mentioned how your mom is one of your biggest role models, and that you have focused on succeeding in your collegiate career to provide for her. Can you talk about the importance of your relationship with her, along with other family members?
Damarius: "My mom has always taken care of us, even though we did not have much growing up. Things got better once I was in high school, but she hid things about what she was going through so I would not worry about her. She is a go-getter, and she will always work hard, even when she is sick. She always makes sure she gets up to provide for all of her children in the house. I am the second oldest on my mom's side, and the oldest on my dad's side, so I come from a blended family. I have over 100 cousins, and there is never a dull moment. I do not even call them my cousins because I see them as my brothers and sisters, and we used to play at my late granny's house every day."
Julia: "Speaking of family, you recently had a baby. Can you talk about what fatherhood has been like and how you balance class, football, and being a parent? What are some adjustments you have had to make?"
Damarius: "Fatherhood has helped me get out of a young mindset, being that I had to grow up faster than I wanted to. I have additional things to manage, but it has helped me become more responsible as an adult. Having a child is the best thing in the world."
Julia: "You have mentioned in the past that you enjoy playing MLB The Show. Do you still play video games, and are there any new games you have played since then?"
Damarius: "I do not play video games as much as I used to, but I have been trying to hold on and I do not know how much longer it will last. I have a PS5, and the games I play the most now are NBA 2K, MLB The Show, and Mortal Kombat."
Julia: "What is your favorite sports memory?"
Damarius: "In my freshman year, seeing fans storm the field against Tennessee and Ole Miss in 2021 were crazy experiences for me. I had some younger siblings and cousins at those games who got to experience it as well, and they smiled as they ran on the field through everybody. I want my family to experience things that they cannot in Pensacola."
After playing at Pensacola Catholic High School, McGhee spent two seasons each at LSU and Kansas and is now in his second year with Florida Atlantic, where he is finishing his collegiate career.
Boca Raton is where McGhee has chosen to build his family both on the field and off the field, forming a bond with his teammates while embracing the new experience of fatherhood.
I had the chance to catch up with McGhee to learn more about him and his playing career.
Julia: "You had a very successful high school career at Pensacola Catholic, where you played on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and defensive back. In your collegiate career, you chose to focus on defense. Why did you make the switch, and has it been difficult?"
Damarius: "Most of the offers I received were to play at cornerback. I allowed the college coaches to decide for me so that the transition from high school to college could be easier. I also felt like I would be needed more on defense once I started my college career."
Julia: "You have played at three different colleges throughout your collegiate career: LSU, Kansas, and now Florida Atlantic. Can you talk about how you navigated the portal and what led you to Florida Atlantic?"
Damarius: "My cornerback coach here, Coach Antonio Fenelus, was a defensive analyst at LSU, and he was also the first coach I met there. He understood me and the problems I went through at that time. School was not great for me that year because of my injury, so I looked to him for support and he helped me get out of the mud so I could focus on my goals. When he heard that I entered the portal after my time at Kansas, he reached out to me and provided an important connection that led me to Florida Atlantic."
Julia: "Your first season at Florida Atlantic was the most successful season of your college career. What are some important skills you have learned on your journey, and how have you applied them to grow your game?"
Damarius: "I learned that your body is everything. It is important to take care of your body and what you put in it, and it will help you perform more. It is one area where I took a major step in, especially because I would prepare my body so I could go to war on the field."
Julia: "Just like last year, there are many new faces in the defensive back room, both from the transfer portal and high school. Can you talk about how everyone has built chemistry and learned to play defense as a team?"
Damarius: "All of the new guys here want it more, and they have come in with a different mindset. The first thing that stood out to me was the average body weight of everyone in the defensive back room, being that it went up tremendously. It shows that the guys here are pushing themselves to work harder because they want it more. The energy amongst this group gets better every day. Everyone here tries to learn about the other players and their game more, mostly on defense because it is important, but also on offense. I make an effort with the players on offense and special teams too so we can all learn about each other as people off the field too."
Julia: You have spoken about how close you are to your family. More specifically, you have mentioned how your mom is one of your biggest role models, and that you have focused on succeeding in your collegiate career to provide for her. Can you talk about the importance of your relationship with her, along with other family members?
Damarius: "My mom has always taken care of us, even though we did not have much growing up. Things got better once I was in high school, but she hid things about what she was going through so I would not worry about her. She is a go-getter, and she will always work hard, even when she is sick. She always makes sure she gets up to provide for all of her children in the house. I am the second oldest on my mom's side, and the oldest on my dad's side, so I come from a blended family. I have over 100 cousins, and there is never a dull moment. I do not even call them my cousins because I see them as my brothers and sisters, and we used to play at my late granny's house every day."
Julia: "Speaking of family, you recently had a baby. Can you talk about what fatherhood has been like and how you balance class, football, and being a parent? What are some adjustments you have had to make?"
Damarius: "Fatherhood has helped me get out of a young mindset, being that I had to grow up faster than I wanted to. I have additional things to manage, but it has helped me become more responsible as an adult. Having a child is the best thing in the world."
Julia: "You have mentioned in the past that you enjoy playing MLB The Show. Do you still play video games, and are there any new games you have played since then?"
Damarius: "I do not play video games as much as I used to, but I have been trying to hold on and I do not know how much longer it will last. I have a PS5, and the games I play the most now are NBA 2K, MLB The Show, and Mortal Kombat."
Julia: "What is your favorite sports memory?"
Damarius: "In my freshman year, seeing fans storm the field against Tennessee and Ole Miss in 2021 were crazy experiences for me. I had some younger siblings and cousins at those games who got to experience it as well, and they smiled as they ran on the field through everybody. I want my family to experience things that they cannot in Pensacola."
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