Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Grate showing great promise for Raiders
9/19/2018 6:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Injuries have decimated Middle Tennessee's football team this season, forcing young and inexperienced players into roles many didn't think they'd be in this early into the campaign.
No position group has seen more players go down than the Blue Raiders' defensive backs. Injuries to starters Jovante Moffatt, Reed Blankenship and Kylan Stribling and fall camp projected starter O.J. Johnson have left defensive coordinator Scott Shafer grasping for helmets to throw onto the field.
One of those helmets belongs to freshman Gregory Grate Jr.
After not playing in MT's season opener at Vanderbilt, the first-year Blue Raider got his first taste of college football action in Week 2's home opener against UT Martin, then followed with his first career start the following game against Georgia.
The safety responded to the playing time by becoming one of Middle Tennessee's surest defenders the last two games, racking up a team-high 16 tackles with an interception and sack in that span.
"Greg's off to a great start, and I think he'll be a really good player for us someday," Shafer said.
It wouldn't be a stretch to say the coaching staff at first didn't expect Grate to contribute to MT wins this season. That doesn't mean the freshman doubted himself, though.
"I set the bar pretty high for myself," he said. "That makes you want to play to that expectation and to that level.
"I've just been receptive to all the coaching I can. My teammates have helped me get better every day … and they make me want to go harder."
What a Grate play
Grate's first career interception in Week 2 was his true welcoming to Blue Raider football.
UT Martin had closed MT's lead in the fourth quarter to 47-37 with about 9:30 left in the contest when the Blue Raiders responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive ending with a Brent Stockstill pass to redshirt senior wideout Patrick Smith, taking the score to 54-37.
It looked as though the Skyhawks were going to march right down the field and get an answer of their own, going 70 yards in eight plays to the Middle Tennessee 5-yard line.
When quarterback Dresser Winn dropped back on the drive's ninth play and looked to his right, where a UT Martin wideout was waiting partially open for what would surely have been a touchdown, Grate made his move.
As Winn released the ball, Grate shot like a blue flash in front of the wideout and caught the interception, then raced up the sideline 97 yards for the game-sealing score.
"They actually had run that play before, so I read it and just played ball on it," he said.
South Beach beginnings
The perfect ending to Grate's first game in front of his home fans came after a fall camp where he had to battle every day for playing time. It wasn't his first time doing battle, though.
Middle Tennessee brought in several recruits in the offseason to help revamp its defensive backfield, and Shafer hoped they would turn into quality depth behind starting safeties Moffatt and Blankenship and corners Darryl Randolph and Johnson.
With injuries forcing Moffatt, Blankenship, Johnson and fill-in safety starter Stribling out of action in the season's first three weeks, Shafer turned to several new guys, including Grate, to help fill the void.
Despite Grate being a freshman, Shafer had confidence enough in him to throw him into a late-game situation against UT Martin then into the starting lineup in front of 92,000 fans at Georgia's Sanford Stadium.
The defensive coordinator's confidence in the freshman came from knowing Grate's background.
Grate's grew up in the tough Miami neighborhood of Carol City in Miami Gardens, a Miami suburb that had the third highest homicide rate out of any American suburb in 2012, according to FBI statistics published by real estate research blog Movoto.
While fighting through a tough environment as a child, Grate excelled on the football field as a receiver and defensive back.
When he reached high school, he had to battle with a handful of fellow 2018 Division I prospects, including Randy Russell (Florida), Cam'Ron Davis (Miami) and Yasir Abdullah (Louisville), among others.
Grate always seemed to stand out to his coaches, and eventually helped lead the Chiefs to the 2016 class 6A state championship when he was a junior.
He started to see college offers roll in, including one from Middle Tennessee, where its defensive coordinator was well aware of the type of athlete that comes out of the Miami area.
"I've coached guys from Carol City … and I've always loved the kids from there. They're tough kids," Shafer said. "Greg has had a lot of trials in his young life, and he's overcome them. He's a tough kid who just loves football."
Grate toughness
Growing up in one of the toughest suburbs of one of America's most violent cities can make you tough. Grate's toughness most shows when he's on the football field.
As a safety, he's proven capable and willing to push up into the box and into the backfield, evidenced by his 16 tackles and one sack in just two games.
He also showed his toughness by taking a bit of a stinger in his right arm against Georgia but only missed a few plays before getting right back into the game.
"That's who he is," Shafer said. "He's still learning … but the biggest concern with freshmen has always been the physicality and toughness part of it, and I've never had to worry about that with Greg."
Grate's ascent to a starting role in just his third career game has been astounding. He knows he still has plenty to prove, though, and in classic Grate fashion, he'll keep battling.
"I just have to keep pushing, keep accepting the coaching and keep moving forward," he said.
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
No position group has seen more players go down than the Blue Raiders' defensive backs. Injuries to starters Jovante Moffatt, Reed Blankenship and Kylan Stribling and fall camp projected starter O.J. Johnson have left defensive coordinator Scott Shafer grasping for helmets to throw onto the field.
One of those helmets belongs to freshman Gregory Grate Jr.
After not playing in MT's season opener at Vanderbilt, the first-year Blue Raider got his first taste of college football action in Week 2's home opener against UT Martin, then followed with his first career start the following game against Georgia.
The safety responded to the playing time by becoming one of Middle Tennessee's surest defenders the last two games, racking up a team-high 16 tackles with an interception and sack in that span.
"Greg's off to a great start, and I think he'll be a really good player for us someday," Shafer said.
It wouldn't be a stretch to say the coaching staff at first didn't expect Grate to contribute to MT wins this season. That doesn't mean the freshman doubted himself, though.
"I set the bar pretty high for myself," he said. "That makes you want to play to that expectation and to that level.
"I've just been receptive to all the coaching I can. My teammates have helped me get better every day … and they make me want to go harder."
What a Grate play
Grate's first career interception in Week 2 was his true welcoming to Blue Raider football.
UT Martin had closed MT's lead in the fourth quarter to 47-37 with about 9:30 left in the contest when the Blue Raiders responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive ending with a Brent Stockstill pass to redshirt senior wideout Patrick Smith, taking the score to 54-37.
It looked as though the Skyhawks were going to march right down the field and get an answer of their own, going 70 yards in eight plays to the Middle Tennessee 5-yard line.
When quarterback Dresser Winn dropped back on the drive's ninth play and looked to his right, where a UT Martin wideout was waiting partially open for what would surely have been a touchdown, Grate made his move.
As Winn released the ball, Grate shot like a blue flash in front of the wideout and caught the interception, then raced up the sideline 97 yards for the game-sealing score.
"They actually had run that play before, so I read it and just played ball on it," he said.
South Beach beginnings
The perfect ending to Grate's first game in front of his home fans came after a fall camp where he had to battle every day for playing time. It wasn't his first time doing battle, though.
Middle Tennessee brought in several recruits in the offseason to help revamp its defensive backfield, and Shafer hoped they would turn into quality depth behind starting safeties Moffatt and Blankenship and corners Darryl Randolph and Johnson.
With injuries forcing Moffatt, Blankenship, Johnson and fill-in safety starter Stribling out of action in the season's first three weeks, Shafer turned to several new guys, including Grate, to help fill the void.
Despite Grate being a freshman, Shafer had confidence enough in him to throw him into a late-game situation against UT Martin then into the starting lineup in front of 92,000 fans at Georgia's Sanford Stadium.
The defensive coordinator's confidence in the freshman came from knowing Grate's background.
Grate's grew up in the tough Miami neighborhood of Carol City in Miami Gardens, a Miami suburb that had the third highest homicide rate out of any American suburb in 2012, according to FBI statistics published by real estate research blog Movoto.
While fighting through a tough environment as a child, Grate excelled on the football field as a receiver and defensive back.
When he reached high school, he had to battle with a handful of fellow 2018 Division I prospects, including Randy Russell (Florida), Cam'Ron Davis (Miami) and Yasir Abdullah (Louisville), among others.
Grate always seemed to stand out to his coaches, and eventually helped lead the Chiefs to the 2016 class 6A state championship when he was a junior.
He started to see college offers roll in, including one from Middle Tennessee, where its defensive coordinator was well aware of the type of athlete that comes out of the Miami area.
"I've coached guys from Carol City … and I've always loved the kids from there. They're tough kids," Shafer said. "Greg has had a lot of trials in his young life, and he's overcome them. He's a tough kid who just loves football."
Grate toughness
Growing up in one of the toughest suburbs of one of America's most violent cities can make you tough. Grate's toughness most shows when he's on the football field.
As a safety, he's proven capable and willing to push up into the box and into the backfield, evidenced by his 16 tackles and one sack in just two games.
He also showed his toughness by taking a bit of a stinger in his right arm against Georgia but only missed a few plays before getting right back into the game.
"That's who he is," Shafer said. "He's still learning … but the biggest concern with freshmen has always been the physicality and toughness part of it, and I've never had to worry about that with Greg."
Grate's ascent to a starting role in just his third career game has been astounding. He knows he still has plenty to prove, though, and in classic Grate fashion, he'll keep battling.
"I just have to keep pushing, keep accepting the coaching and keep moving forward," he said.
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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