“Walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
When he left the field at the end of the Territorial Cup on Nov. 24, 2018, Azizi Hearn suspected it might be his last game at Arizona Stadium.
Hearn had emerged as a viable defensive back for the Arizona Wildcats that season, appearing in 12 games and starting the final three. But he didn’t have a scholarship, and when that remained the case the following spring, Hearn decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Hearn landed at Wyoming, which had expressed interest in him coming out of Oceanside High School in California. The Cowboys didn’t have an obvious opening for a cornerback, but Hearn felt comfortable with the coaching staff, and vice versa.
Hearn eventually became a starter, helping Wyoming earn a bowl berth. The Cowboys’ postseason destination? The Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl at … Arizona Stadium. Wyoming will face Georgia State at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“Man, it’s crazy,” Hearn said. “You never know. I walk by faith, not by sight. A lot of stuff, you don’t see it coming. But that don’t mean it won’t happen.”
Hearn describes himself as a person who relies on intuition. He envisioned something better for himself, believed it would happen and made it so.
Circumstances out of Hearn’s control helped him climb the depth chart. One of Wyoming’s veteran cornerbacks, Antonio Hull, left the team during the season. Another, C.J. Coldon, suffered a season-ending injury in September.
Hearn started the final nine games and appeared in all 12. The redshirt sophomore recorded 35 tackles and four pass breakups. He also has fit into the culture Craig Bohl has created at Wyoming.
“We’re very cautious about the guys that we bring into our program,” the sixth-year Cowboys coach said.
“Not only the guys we sign, but also transfers. Azizi was vetted. We knew a lot about him from high school. And we had a great experience with he and his family.
“The initial thought, when he joined our team, we felt like we needed some depth at the corner position. We had a couple guys that were entrenched. Lo and behold, because of some unforeseen circumstances, he was thrust into the starting lineup, and it’s been great to see him perform.
“He plays really hard. He’s been a great team player. He’s a good football player, but he’s a better person. He’s really embraced the Wyoming Cowboys, and we’re really pleased to have him.”
Hearn discussed his new situation and his claim to fame as a Wildcat — a 34-yard touchdown return of a fumble by teammate Colin Schooler against Cal earlier in the 2018 season — in a recent interview with the Star. The conversation has been lightly edited for context and clarity.
How did you end up at Wyoming?
A: “When I entered into the transfer portal, I reached back out to a lot of these coaches that recruited me in high school. Wyoming was one of those universities. I got in contact with their corner coach and their defensive (coordinator), and we got the ball rolling.”
What’s the experience been like so far?
A: “Nothing that I would complain about. I like it out here. It’s different. I would say it’s like slow motion compared to other cities. I’m from California, so I’m used to fast-paced everything.”
You’re from Oceanside and you went to school here for a couple of years. How have you adjusted to the weather up there?
A: “I look at like it’s mental, you know what I mean? It could be negative-5 outside. But you don’t really got no choice. You gotta deal with it.”
Azizi Hearn
Was it your decision to transfer, or did Arizona nudge you in that direction?
A: “It was my decision. I felt it was best for me, my family and my career.”
What was behind the decision? Did you just want to be on scholarship someplace?
A: “That was my main motive, to be on scholarship. It’s something I didn’t get after the season or after spring ball. So I figured it was best to make a move, because I couldn’t do it for another semester financially.”
So that play against Cal, where you scooped and scored — what do you remember the most about that sequence?
A: “I saw that Colin got the interception. I just started working my way toward … the ball. So I was just doing my job.
“I watched a Cal player, I think it was No. 10 (Jeremiah Hawkins). He was running behind Colin. He was the only player passing players. I was thinking he was just going to make the tackle.
“But once he got there, he punched the ball out and it went in the air.
“I just felt like I was close enough. So I hit another gear, got up under it and we got that touchdown. That was a good one.”
Azizi Hearn, right, blocks fellow defensive back Troy Young during spring drills in March.
Unfortunately, most of your ex-teammates will be out of town when you come back.
A: “A lot of them will be, except for the natives. But … it’s a business trip to me at the end of the day. I want to win the game, so I’m really just worried about Georgia State.”
What have you told your current teammates about Tucson?
A: “I told them they’re going to like the weather. That’s really it. There’s some good weather out there, some good food, some good eats.”
Do you have a favorite restaurant or type of food that you like to eat down here?
A: “I don’t have a favorite, but I always found myself at ATL Wings. When that opened, I was there a lot.”
How does the caliber of play in the Mountain West Conference compare to the Pac-12?
A: “There’s guys in every conference, because I’ve seen guys in this conference that could definitely be playing and starting in the Pac-12. Of course, it’s not the same all the way. But there’s definitely guys on every team that can play.”
What would you say is the biggest lesson that others can learn from your journey as a football player and young man?
A: “I would tell them to trust themselves. Simple as that.”
Do you feel like you’ve always had something to prove?
A: “No. I don’t necessarily feel I have to prove anything to anybody. I feel like I’m in competition with myself. That’s really how I go about my days.”
