[Husker] Re: Beck #2?

[john-nicholas]

On Fri, 4 Nov 2005 16:32:51 -0700, you wrote:

Snip
>
>Jerry Gutowski (sp) was slightly injured in a Minnesota (@ Minnesota) 
>game during the mid to late eighties, and Dr. Tom threw Mike Grant 
>(who was redshirting) into the fray for about three plays before 
>Jerry returned. Grant never played another down that year, losing his 
>redshirt. This was only one of the rough deals Mike Grant got at 
>Nebraska.
>
>Steve Stone


I'm not sure what you meant by Mike Grant getting rough deals while at
Nebraska. As a freshman, Mike Grant showed a lot of promise from his
time on the JV squad. His appearance in the Minnesota contest was
probably more than a few snaps, too. My memory from the Tom Osborne
Show was that it was carefully considered to remove the redshirt, but
in the end Grant was too good to keep on the bench. Also, IIRC he and
Mickey Joseph would alternate as the first off the bench for the 1989
season, and Grant looked to be the better QB than Joseph in that role.
They were being groomed for the 1990 season. So I don't think he "...
never played another down that year" is an accurate remembrance.

I have a different memory of Mike Grant than you, and I don't think he
got a rough deal over losing his redshirt status at the Minnesota in
1989, or at any other time in his playing career for that matter. He
was given several opportunities to lead the Huskers, but he never
quite managed to hang on as the starter. 

On the other hand, Keithen McCant was pretty much just given one
meaningful chance to play-- early in the 1991 Utah State game when the
game was still in doubt-- and did so well that he finished the season
and his career as a starter. 

-- 
Regards,
John