Griffin Has Found A Home
Stephen Griffin has found his new home in more ways than one. He has settled in with his new school. Now it is a matter of finding the same comfort level at his new position.
The Charlotte-native sat out the 2017 campaign after transferring to NC State from Tennessee. He used the time off to get work done on the scout team and, more importantly, the weight room.
Griffin started for the first time in his college career in his final regular season game with the Volunteers but had to reboot with his move to NC State.
The decision to come to Raleigh was based on playing time but not in the conventional way.
“I wanted to still play at a high level and I had a redshirt so I felt like I would take advantage of this opportunity,” Griffin said of his transfer options. “I visited a few schools actually. I visited Charlotte, Western Carolina, Eastern Kentucky. Georgia State and I was in contact with James Madison as well, but I was pretty set on coming here.
“I really wanted to come here. This was my number one priority, to try to come here. It was really a decision if I wanted to play right away or taking advantage of the chance to sit out a year.”
Once he arrived at NC State there was the required season to sit out.
NC State head coach had a message for Griffin during his time away from game action.
“Coach Doeren always told me don’t get bored, get better.” Griffin said. “Sometimes it was hard because I knew I wasn’t playing. Sometimes I would get frustrated a little bit but being on scout team, it just made me more hungry because I just could not wait to play.”
The year off was akin to the transition from high school to college.
“I felt like a redshirt when we had to do the developmental lifts,” Griffin said. “Those are no joke. They do a good job of developing guys. It has definitely helped me out.
Griffin did make gains in 2017. It is a move in the right direction that started when he first moved to college from South Mecklenburg High School.
It is not a burden for Griffin, as he feels he has the frame and skills handle the muscle he has added.
“I have gained about 10 pounds, because I came in at 199 or 200,” Griffin said. “Out of high school I was like 180 so I gained 20 pounds. Then coming here, I knew I could put some more weight on and I wanted to so I got up to 209 and 210.
“I am in that range. I am feeling good. I feel as fast as I have ever been I still can move side-to-side. That has really helped me out a lot as well and then being on scout team, I tried to approach every day and just work.”
Griffin is going to continue to work right up until September when NC State opens its season against James Madison, one of the schools he considered when he elected to leave Tennessee.
He runs with the Pack now and Griffin has a message for those eager to see him at Carter-Finley Stadium this fall.
“I could not wait to be in this position now,” Griffin said of his season away from the field. “Being in this position now, I just want to show everybody what I can do this season.”