Grant Wiley: A Throwback
October 27, 2003 02:10 PM | General
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October 22, 2003
It's hard to believe that senior linebacker Grant Wiley is approaching the final month of his Mountaineer career.
It seems like yesterday that he made his freshman debut in spectacular fashion against Boston College, leading West Virginia to victory with a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown to go along with 12 tackles. As Wiley went on to post 94 tackles that season and earn BIG EAST rookie of the year honors, it became apparent pretty quickly to Mountaineer fans that they had a throwback on their hands.
In today's society where the retro look is in, Wiley is a perfect fit. He is a classical retro linebacker circa the days of Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert and Lawrence Taylor. Every play is played in all-out aggression and sweat; blood and broken bones just come along with the territory. Wiley is that kind of linebacker and the stats prove that he will leave West Virginia as one of the best linebackers in its history. But then the numbers prove that Wiley is also one of the best linebackers in America.
In 2001, Wiley was hampered all season with a hamstring injury and missed two games, but still finished fourth on the team in tackles. Then came 2002 when Wiley just plain took over the Mountaineer defense. In leading West Virginia to a 9-4 season, Wiley recorded 133 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and three sacks in earning first team BIG EAST all-conference honors.
And Wiley is up to his same old tricks again as a senior. Leading the team in tackles, intercepting footballs, forcing fumbles and playing the game of football with a passion that few can produce except for the great linebackers of yesterday.
Wiley also has his signature play. All the great ones do, don't they? Forget that he is just one of nine linebackers in NCAA history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same season. Wiley's legacy play will be that great defensive stand in leading West Virginia to victory last year at 11th-ranked Virginia Tech.
Among his 15 tackles in the upset victory, three came when the Hokies were first and goal from the four-yard line. On first down, it was Wiley stopping Tech's Lee Suggs. On third down, it was Wiley who held the Hokies to no gain, but no one could predict what would come on fourth down. Virginia Tech had one of the most potent rushing offenses in the country and no one was better at finding the end zone than Suggs. On fourth and goal, it was Wiley who jumped over the line of scrimmage and slammed his way into the backfield to stop Suggs short of the goal line. That is the one Wiley will always be remembered for.
At West Virginia, you have legacy plays like the Bill McKenzie field goal to beat Pitt, the run by Major Harris against Penn State, the catch by Ed Hill to preserve the undefeated season at BC in ‘93 and last year we added Wiley's goal-line tackle to the list. The play is now legendary in Mountaineer memories.
"I just did what came natural to me as a linebacker. I never looked at it as a legacy play," Wiley says. "You're supposed to make plays to help your team win. I was just trying to make a play."
Not a surprise answer from Wiley, who has never been caught up in the numbers game. Numbers like currently ranking seventh on the WVU all-time tackles list, only the seventh Mountaineer in history to record more than 400 tackles, one of 11 players at WVU to record more than 200 solo tackles, ranked third in the nation and first in the league this season in tackles and probably leaving as the school's all-time leader in tackles for a loss as he stands just two short of the record.
"I came here to make plays and to help this football program. All the records, the numbers and being up for the Lombardi and Nagurski Awards really haven't hit me. I don't think about it. You pour your heart and soul each week into winning football games and that's what I concentrate on," Wiley says. "I have had a great time here and my college experience at WVU with all the friends I have made for life has been outstanding. I am proud to be a Mountaineer, and I guess the football success will hit me in 10 years. Maybe I'll think about it then."
And in 10 years, Wiley will still be remembered as an all-time Mountaineer great. The numbers will be there to prove it and fans will still love and appreciate his play.
Throw all the numbers and records out the window because that is what truly brings a smile to Grant Wiley's face. That he will be appreciated for his career in Morgantown is all that matters and is important to this throwback linebacker. And remember, retro is in.
Michael Fragale is the broadcast/advertising manager at West Virginia University.
