Boomer Sooner? No, but James living his QB dream at FIU
Grayson James, if you listen to his father, was born to play quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners.
That clearly didn’t happen.
However, on Saturday night in San Marcos, Texas, James — a 6-3, 235pound sophomore quarterback — is set to make his first collegiate start … for the FIU Panthers and against host Texas State, which is located less than four hours from his hometown.
“We’re a family of believers,” said Shelby James, who is Grayson’s father, speaking also of his wife Ashlee and their younger daughter Olivia. “From the time Grayson was born, we put a ball in his hands.
“I’m a big Sooners fan, and the plan was for him to play for OU.”
Although Grayson
James didn’t get recruited by the Sooners, his sister, who is not a college athlete, is now a freshman at Oklahoma University.
“We got our Sooner with Olivia,” Shelby said proudly.
Meanwhile, FIU got its Panther in James, who starred as a senior at Duncanville (Texas) High, signing with the previous coaching staff, led by Butch Davis.
As an FIU true freshman in 2021, James lost the starting-job competition to Max Bortenschlager, who had 18 games of previous experience, including 13 with the Maryland Terrapins.
James never started a game that year, even though FIU went 1-11. Instead, James was impressive as a backup, going 18 for 27 for 162 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions.
This year, James again lost a battle to a more experienced quarterback as Gunnar Holmberg, who had played 19 games at Duke, got the start in last week’s season-opener against Bryant University.
“I’d be lying if I said we weren’t disappointed with what has happened to this point,” Shelby said of his son’s first two QB competitions. “Grayson went down there [to FIU] to start. We anticipated him impacting the program immediately.”
Shelby said Grayson “cried about 15 times” when he lost the QB job.
“Once it was announced that [Holmberg would start], Grayson was very disappointed and upset,” Shelby said. “I told him, ‘Ask God what He wants you to learn from this.’
“Grayson took my advice. He said, ‘Daddy, I prayed.’ He gave God all the honor. Once he did that, the football stuff became less important.
“We sent Grayson down there not just to play football but also to impact people.”
James finally got his most significant chance last week, although it came in a scary way because Holmberg got hit in the head and suffered a concussion during the third quarter against
Bryant.
FIU was trailing at the time, 16-6, but James rallied the team to a 38-37 overtime victory, snapping the Panthers’ 11-game losing streak. Although James played less than two quarters plus one series in overtime, he completed 16-of-31 passes for 207 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
He also completed a game-winning, two-point conversion pass.
“Grayson made some phenomenal plays at the end,” FIU coach Mike MacIntyre said. “He has an extremely powerful arm, and he’s a really good athlete.
“[FIU offensive coordinator David Yost] and Grayson have done a great job working on [James’] fundamentals. Grayson used to throw stepping away, all arm strength, which made him less accurate.”
When James has had to escape the pocket, he has shown the arm strength to make the needed throws.
“Those deep outs that he threw, across the field like a laser, those are hard to throw, and if your feet aren’t set, you sail them out of bounds,” MacIntyre said. “But Grayson set his feet and zipped them in there.”
Next up for James is his first start, and it’s in his home state, less than four hours from his hometown of Duncanville.
“There’s nothing like going back home,” James said, “especially when you’ve been gone for a little while. I’m going to enjoy the atmosphere.”
James’ mother, Ashlee, who is a dental hygienist, and his father Shelby, who is a realtor, will be among Grayson’s rooting section on Saturday at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos.
Last week, though, Shelby could not make the game due to his job. So, he got phone updates from his wife. He also listened to the FIU broadcast on his computer, and he was watching the ESPN3 telecast on another phone.
“That game was a lifetime of work coming together in one night,” Shelby said.
“I don’t mean to sound cocky. But watch what’s going to happen next.”