Griffin is a triple threat for Louisburg

Dion Clisso/PrepsKC

By Dion Clisso PrepsKC Managing Editor
Posted: September 5, 2011 - 8:53 PM



When you go to a Louisburg practice or game it is easy to spot Garrett Griffin. He is on the field during offense, defense and special teams.
He plays all three phases of the game and plays it well. He is a linebacker for the Wildcats defense, does the punting and plays running back and receiver on offense. All of those are pretty much glamour positions in high school, well except may for punter.
Griffin was the Wildcats leading rusher last season and one of its top receivers. He was one of the anchors of a defense that helped lead Louisburg to a 14-0 record and its first state title.
Scoring the touchdowns, making the big catch or getting the big tackle are great but that isn’t what Griffin loves about playing football. He just loves to block.
“I don’t get to do it much but I like to block,” Garrett Griffin said. “When I moved to tailback I didn’t get to block as much so it wasn’t as fun.”
That love of blocking was developed his first two years on varsity when he was the starting fullback. He was the guy who opened holes for the Wildcats runners before he started carrying the ball last season.
When he had the ball in his hands he was dynamic. He rushed for 1,595 yards on 145 carries to go with 23 touchdowns. As a receiver he added another five TDs on 25 catches for 475 yards. On defense he grabbed 45 unassisted tackles to go along with 75 assisted tackles with 12 of those going for a loss.
Louisburg coach Gary Griffin, Garrett’s father, said it’s nice when you have a player that just loves to play and doesn’t have to be pushed no matter who’s son he is.
“It’s been really nice because he is a competitive kid and is very coachable,” Gary Griffin said. “He is very intense and he wants to win and you don’t have to worry about working hard. On top of that he’s very talented.
Garrett just loves playing no matter where he plays. He is ready to help lead Louisburg to another state title and end his career on top.
“Whatever you can do to help the team,” Garrett Griffin said of his multiple positions. “It just keeps things interesting and it doesn’t get boring and I like it a lot.”
While Griffin spends his summers and fall getting ready for and playing football that isn’t all he does. The 6-foot-3, 210 pound athlete was a starter on the basketball team and is a two-time state champion in the javelin.
Being a standout in three sports has been something he’s been doing since he was a freshman. If he stays healthy he will earn 12 varsity letters at Louisburg in four years when he graduates in May.
Garrett said he doesn’t have much free time but that is the way he likes it. When he isn’t playing a sport he is a standout in the classroom with a 4.15 grade point average.
“I want to play football for sure,” Garrett said. “I would do track to get my college paid for but I love football and I would like to continue to do football any way I can. I would like to do both in college.”
Gary said his son has been around football since he could walk and his knowledge of the game in general and Louisburg’s offense and defense is what allows him to play so many positions on the team at such a high level.
“He’s been around football since he could walk and if I tell him to do something you just have to tell him one time and that’s nice,” Gary Griffin said. “If you tell him to run this route, he doesn’t have to go work with the wide outs every day because he knows how to run the routes. He gets to work with the running backs but if you put him out there and tell him to run a route he just does it which is nice.”
All of the activities and strong school work might just be preparing Garrett for a special type of college experience. Right now the Air Force Academy is recruiting him and his father said his many activities and sports might help prepare him for the hectic pace of a military academy college student.
“In the summer time he worked eight hours a day and every single night he had something going on,” Gary Griffin said. “Whether it was basketball or weights or whatever he’s not a typical kid. He doesn’t have free time which is good. He’s thinking about going to the Air Force Academy so he’ll understand you are not going to have much free time there.
“I’m proud to be a father of kid who works hard at everything.”