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Oct 30, 2017
12:56:24pm
BYUFBDAD All-American
Probably ill advised, but here's the story from Grant Jones's dad
Well friends, it looks like my time on CB will be winding down now. It's been fun to participate with most of you, the people here have added to the whole experience of watching my son play college football.

For as long as I can remember, Grant wanted to attend BYU like his parents and older brother and sister. As he developed as a high school two way player at WR and OLB, the thought crept into our mind that maybe he could try to play at the Y. In 2010 we got him to a summer BYU camp where he was noticed by Doman, and we kept in touch with film from his senior year. Doman offered him a preferred walk on as a flex TE, the same position and the same year Terren Houk was recruited (2011). The dream was complete, he'd have a chance to play for BYU, the best outcome we could hope for. He was going to go to BYU no matter what, so having the opportunity to play was icing on the cake. He spent that first year on the scout team, learning the speed of college football and being coached up and beat down by the 1st team defense.

In 2012 he accepted a mission call to Las Vegas West, had a tremendous experience serving for those 2 years. While he was gone, the offensive staff had been changed. He saw Bronco in the parking lot, and after reintroducing himself to Bronco he was invited to attend walk-on tryouts after school started. I encouraged him to attend PRPs, as the players didn't know what his status was and would be happy to see him again. He fell right back into the groove even after being home just a few weeks. It happens that Coach Howell was at the same park with his kids and saw Grant playing. The next week, Grant was called at home and invited to attend fall camp as a safety. Coach Howell saw his athleticism and thought he could mold him into a 6'6" safety. It was pretty clear that Grant would be an experiment, but we were all thrilled that he was back on the team and attending camp after his initial interaction with Bronco. Early in camp, he suffered a separated shoulder, but didn't miss a single practice. As a matter of fact, he was held up as an example of a walk on that busted his butt to contribute, coming back the next day after a grade 3 separation and laying out to earn a PBU. That year, 2014, he worked at learning a new position on defense and periodically was asked to switch to scout offense to represent a tall receiver they'd be playing later that week.

In 2015, Grant earned the #2 safety spot behind Kai Nacua as a walk on at a new position. He started every game 2015 on special teams and took the field wearing the BYU uniform. His parents may have shed a tear when he ran out of the tunnel at LES for the first time as a contributor. Later in the season he was chosen to run out a flag as the most impactful special teams player. He recorded defensive stats, had 15 tackles a PBU and shared in a blocked punt with Bronson. I can't tell you how thrilling it was to be at Nebraska and hear 100,000 people cheering for the kickoff with your son out there in BYU blue. My wife was a wreck. You know about that Nebraska game, Grant was the first down field piling on Mitch, the emotion was over the top.

The new staff came in for 2016, and during his initial interview KS told Grant that he had heard he was a great receiver. Grant said he was recruited at receiver and felt he could compete there. (later, it was Taysom that told Grant that he had told KS that Grant should be a receiver) Coach Lamb was going to go in a different direction than a 6'6" safety, but told him that they needed his athleticism on the field and asked him to move up to OLB. Grant was happy to play wherever he was needed. Again, at the beginning of the season he had worked his way the #2 behind Fred Warner at a new position. We were proud that he was backing up 2 clear NFL talents, he was having fun. He had a forced fumble and a sack. In the 2nd game, the Utah game, Grant was landed on by a fatty in the end zone on a special teams play. He was taken off the field and ultimately diagnosed with a cracked sternum. He recorded a sack and 3 tackles for 2016, he was able to come back for the final 3 games.

After the 2016 season ended, he thought about where he could best contribute, and thought that he still hadn't realized his potential at receiver. It would be both Fred and Grant's senior year, and he wanted to make more of an impact. The coaches allowed him to move to offense for spring. He had a terrific spring, coming out of the spring ball with the highest number of catches per drop of any receiver. Cahoon told him that he had a real shot at playing time. Unfortunately, he injured an ab muscle during the summer, which resulted in a slow start for him in fall camp and the focus was turned to other players. To our delight, Tuiaki and Lamb asked Grant to come back to OLB to help after a few players sustained injuries. He fell right back in to backing up Fred. At some point he was asked to move to Bo side and help out there. When Hadley went down, Grant had his chance to start. This year he recorded an INT, a sack, 10 tackles and 2.5 TFL. He had said after the Boise interception that all the hard work, pain and effort over the years was worth it.

Football helped Grant in so many ways. He has made lifelong friends, the brotherhood is real. He has played at LES, Nebraska, Rose Bowl, Michigan, Arrowhead, FedEx, Qualcomm, Superdome and has experienced 4 bowl games. Those memories are great, but it's the friendships borne from shared struggle that will endure, even after a separated shoulder, cracked sternum and now a fully torn ACL, partially torn MCL and LCL and meniscus.

He will graduate in December from the business school, has a great job lined up in January, and throughout all this football stuff he met and married a wonderful girl, Megan. They'll be welcoming a baby boy into our family in March.

Yep, it's been a good run and an honor for him to wear the BYU blue.

(forgive me when I bristle at some who post "well that guy is just a walk-on")
This message has been modified
Originally posted on Oct 30, 2017 at 12:56:24pm
Message modified by BYUFBDAD on Oct 30, 2017 at 1:07:22pm
Message modified by BYUFBDAD on Oct 30, 2017 at 1:50:16pm
Message modified by BYUFBDAD on Oct 30, 2017 at 2:25:35pm
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BYUFBDAD
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BYUFBDAD
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Related Threads Children:
Does this say more about Grant or less about our wr's? (CarolinaCoug, Oct 31, 2017 at 12:39am)

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