Grant Back in True Form

"I'm still committed," commented Butler County CC (KS) defensive end J. J. Grant on his loyalty to Mississippi State. "I got a couple other licks, but I’m still going to go, because, you know, they stayed committed to me. Mississippi State is still number one.

"I really do want to go there, it’s just a matter of me getting on up out of here. I’m really playing hard and getting those stats up." Kansas State, Colorado, Oklahoma, and TCU have all contacted him, and Coach Hendrick from MSU visited in the spring.

"I’ve gotta get out of here," he said with a laugh. "I can’t take it. It is windy and too cold...and no trees."

After sitting out last season rehabilitating from back surgery, J. J. was ready to hit the field again. "I’m still rusty, though, but I’m ready to go," he commented, but his actions on the field have not shown him to be out of sync.

"I've got six sacks, but I haven't played but three games," he said. He has also knocked down two passes, recovered two fumbles, caused a fumble, and totaled 25 tackles, six for loss.

J. J. says his back is fully recovered, and contrasts his injury with that of one of his former high school teammates. "I don’t have any problems with my back," he said. "That surgery is completed. I don’t have one of those CoCo Hodge deals. I’m straight."

J. J. has shared the pain of his future teammates, and was with them in spirit Thursday night at the Auburn game. "I turned it off in the fourth quarter," he said dejectedly. "I couldn’t take it after that. I turned it off when they started turning it over. It’s like they got a lot of athletes up there, but I don’t know what’s going on."

He does see the positives of the young players on the team, though. "Nick Turner and Jerious Norwood look nice," he said. "I played against Jerious so I knew he had the skills. The offensive line just needs to be a little more cohesive."

J. J. may be riding with the cavalry into Starkville next season to help rescue the team. "Our defense is stacked," he commented on the talent level at Butler CC. "D1 across the board. I’m trying to get a couple of guys to come with me."

As hard as it has been on J. J. making through to the next level, an event happened that helped put things into perspective. He lost his godmother on September 11th last year.

"I went D. C. for the September 11th ceremonies this year," he said. "She worked in the pentagon on the fourth floor on the east side where the plane hit."

J. J. is working hard in the classroom and knows this is his last chance. His mother is also prodding him along. "I am waiting to see him graduate and I am waiting to see him in the NFL, but I don’t know," she said. "He’s making me wait an awfully long time.

"Out of all my kids, he is the only one I didn’t have to teach to ride a bicycle. I didn’t have to teach him to ride a tricycle. I didn’t have to teach him to drive a car.

"Show him one time and it caught on. I don’t know what it is about being in college. I told him he is going to grow old in JUCO."

J. J. says he is taking his mother’s words to heart and is more determined than ever to make her proud. "I got to get straight "A"s," he said. "I got to show people."

If he doesn’t he knows who he will answer to. "He knows I have been up there once," his mother commented. "I’ll be back!"

It sounds like J. J. has all the motivation he needs. When he gets to Mississippi State he will have two years to play two.