Jack Griffin is a senior offensive lineman who will be playing his last home game as a Terrapin this Saturday against Florida State. After starting the season opener against Delaware, Griffin and teammates Phil Costa and Jaime Thomas have settled into a three-man rotation at right guard. Griffin sat down with us for this week’s edition of Meet the Team.
Terrapin Trail: The team’s media guide describes you as a “blue collar performer.” What does that mean to you?
Jack Griffin: I take pride in that. I try to come out every day and just work hard and, I might not be the most vocal leader, but I try to set an example for the younger guys, just working hard every day in the weight room and out on the field.
TT: You spent your first two years with the Terps at defensive tackle, and you made the switch to the offensive line and redshirted your junior year. Does having that experience along the defensive line help you as an offensive lineman?
JG: I think it definitely does. I know a little better what the defensive lineman’s trying to do, and I can key their stances and just little things a lot better, I think. Also, it’s a different mentality on defense. I think that helped me too, just being more attacking and stuff like that.
TT: What was your initial reaction when the coaches first came to you and asked you to switch positions?
JG: At first, my initial reaction was probably, I was a little concerned. I wasn’t too sure how it was going to work out, but in high school I played both ways and I got recruited by just as many schools for offensive lineman as I did defensive line, so it wasn’t too much of a big deal.
TT: Which of the two positions do you prefer?
JG: I’m not too sure anymore. If you’d asked me a couple years ago, I would have probably said d-line, but I’ve been playing o-line for so long, they’re different. On the o-line, you’ve got your own separate team within the team. You’re working with the other guys and that’s really cool, I like that a lot.
TT: As a senior, in addition to being a player you’re a leader and in some ways a coach to all the younger o-lineman, so how do you balance preparing yourself for gameday but also preparing these guys to take over in the future?
JG: I think it actually helps you prepare for gameday. Guys will be asking you questions, “what do you do on this play,” or “what do you do in this situation,” and it kind of keeps you sharp mentally, having to answer those questions. It’s almost like getting quizzed by someone when you’re studying for a test.
TT: Obviously Saturday means a lot to the entire team, but as a senior, what special significance does Saturday hold for you?
JG: It’s our last time at Byrd, we’re never going to play another game there, and I think all the seniors just want to leave there with a victory. If we win this game, we’ll be 7-0 at Byrd this year, and that was one of our goals coming into the season. And just for the overall season, it’s just the next step to our ultimate goal, which is going to the ACC Championship.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
By the way, if the rap/fight song on the homepage of www.feartheterps.com didn’t freak you out enough, make sure to check out the “Great Football” video under the “Terp Mission” tab and listen to Requiem for a Tower turn into Lil Wayne’s Go DJ! Bliss.
jnewmandbk@gmail.com