Posted: Sep 02, 2015
Grove Ready to Take the Reins at QB
MOORHEAD, MN – Saturday afternoon has been a game three years in the making for Alex Grove. The 2013 Willmar High graduate has not started an entire game under center since high school, but Head Coach Terry Horan has given the nod to Grove for Saturday's season opener against University of Jamestown.
The first-year starter has high expectations for this season. Excellence is the word and the buzz surrounding the team. The long hours spent in preparation for the season is something Grove and the rest of the squad hopes to shine through.
Grove spent the off-season in his hometown of Willmar working out with sophomore running back Adam Essler and freshman wide receiver, and younger brother, Austin Grove. He came into camp in peak condition with improved arm strength. Grove spent one weekend in Moorhead working the 7-on-7 high school football tournament hosted at Concordia. It was then that he extensively worked with standout receivers Brandon Zylstra and Jon Baune.
The season is on the horizon, now just three days away and if you haven't heard by now, Grove has some big shoes to fill. He replaces Griffin Neal, a three-year starter for the Cobbers who went 8-2 in each of his three seasons as signal caller. Neal now calls the plays for the Hildesheim Invaders in Germany's professional football league. Neal holds Concordia career records in passing yards (5,614), touchdown passes (47) and completion rate (63.7 percent).
Grove has watched and been under the tutelage of Neal and the coaching staff for the past two seasons. He has two years of experience examining and breaking down Horan's triple-option offense that has been successful for the Cobbs. Grove has spent the past two seasons developing his body under the watchful eye of strength and conditioning coach Brandon Toothaker while improving his speed and arm strength.
More importantly, he is Alex Grove, and that is all Head Coach Terry Horan and the Cobbers want. With confidence, Horan said, "I think the biggest thing for Alex is that he does not need to be Griffin Neal. He just needs to be himself."
Horan also commented, "The biggest piece of this quarterback puzzle is knowing your opponent. We need our guys to really study hard, and Alex is very patient, sees the field well, and is a two-dimensional quarterback as he can run and throw so we are excited about that."
Grove will certainly need to utilize his legs in this style of offense. He replaces a mobile quarterback in Neal who rushed for over 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career.
But Neal is gone, and it's time for a new-era in Concordia football. Just the other day he saw a quote that fit his scenario this season perfectly. It said, "No one wants to be the guy after the guy."
Grove is the guy after THE guy, but it doesn't bother him that much. He has discussed the daunting task of replacing Neal, but that's not what he is trying to do. He went on to say, "I'm not Griffin Neal. The only thing I can be is Alex Grove and control what I can control."
Grove will control what he can control the only way he knows how: simplicity. He describes himself as "simple" and it's what works for him. Alex Grove under center is somebody who is going to limit his own mistakes with patience and moxie. Under center he is somebody who is going to make his teammates better.
Grove is not alone in this transition. He has arguably two of the greatest receivers in school history with the tandem of Zylstra and Baune. There will also be experience in the backfield with the return of Rick Hutchinson and Jason Montonye. Grove will have additional talent behind him with backup quarterback Michael Herzog and fullback Chad Johnson, not to mention an offensive line that returns four of the five starters.
For now, Alex Grove will shove all of the hoopla aside and just get ready to play the game he loves. He has prepared for Saturday's the same way for the last two seasons knowing he is one play away from stepping onto the turf at Jake Christensen stadium. Now it's his turn to jog out and command the huddle with thousands of fans watching. But he's ready. Why shouldn't he be? Saturday is a day he's been waiting on for the last three years.
Written By Sports Information Intern Austin Hawkins