Bixby’s Griffin to lead Southwestern State
WEATHERFORD — Tanner Griffin quarterbacked Bixby High School to three straight state championships, 2014-16, then went to OSU to play baseball.
But Griffin endured two shoulder surgeries at OSU and transferred to Cowley (Kansas) Community College. Then he got the football bug again.
Griffin transferred to Northeastern A&M Junior College, quarterbacked the Norse in 2019 and transferred to Southwestern State. A year and a half later, Griffin is ticketed to quarterback the Bulldogs as they open the 2021 season next Thursday against Henderson State.
Griffin is 24 years old and is only a sophomore, with three years eligibility remaining, despite Weatherford being his fourth college since leaving Bixby.
“Unique story,” said Southwestern coach Chet Pobolish.
The likes of Griffin give the Bulldogs hope of reversing three straight 3-8 seasons in the Great American Conference. Southwestern had winning seasons in two of its first three years in the GAC (2013, 2015) but none since.
Pobolish is like most NCAA Division II coaches. He finds the positives in the 2020 season being scraped by Covid.
“Probably benefitted us from a team standpoint, because we were young, especially on the defensive side of the ball,” Pobolish said. “Were counting on newcomers. It gave us a chance to develop them physically and mentally.”
The Bulldogs also will build around wide receiver Justin Bailey, who in 2019 had 29 catches for 543 yards; center Billy Nunn, of Anadarko; linebacker Orlando Brown; and defensive back Derrius Franklin, who started way back in 2018.
The Bulldogs participated in two spring scrimmages, both against Kansas schools, in the revamped schedule. Fort Hays State thumped Southwestern, Pobolish said, but the Bulldogs more than held their own against Emporia State.
Now comes the Great American Conference.
Pobolish said the talent is “close to where we want to be. We’ll still be young as far as depth goes at a few positions. In particular, the offensive and defensive lines.”