Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page C1

SPORTS CONTACT INFORMATION EMAIL PHONE 599-2167 OUT OF TOWN 1-800-777-2154 JIM HENRY SPORTS EDITOR 599-2316, KERR PROVES PRECISELY WHAT THE WARRIORS NEEDED PAGE 6C PAGE 5C KOEPKA ONE SHOT OFF EAD AT ST. JUDE Life through sports for David Griffin Jr. has been nomadic. The Tallahassee native and 2010 FAMU DRS alum has been on an unsettled path ever since high school, but now it has landed him in the Canadian Football League. If it took years of wandering a nd wondering to reach this level, then all for the journey own the road less traveled.

Once upon a time If it can be believed for a 6- foot-7, 310-pound man, Griffin tumbled into football. Now 23 years old, still played in only four solid football easons, starting with his first as a senior in high school at FAMU DRS. Before that, he was a basketball player, following around younger brother Chris during their time at North Florida Christian. always been looked at a tagging along with my said Griffin, whose 10- months younger sibling took his own well-traveled route to diff erent Division-I schools. into my senior year, the foot- all coaches said, feel like ou should play football.

You an go Division I. It like I ad (basketball) offers heading i nto my senior year like my brother did. I just decided to try i father, David a lawyer and lobbyist in Tallahassee, played basketball at Penn State. His height was passed to his two sons. David got the perfect body for a lineman.

ut taking on football meant asteep learning curve. Still today trying grasp it Griffin said. not easy earning the plays and schemes. always watched football, but never gotten how plays were run or how defenses were et up, formations on offense. challenging, and most eve ryone else has been playing heir whole Tossed by the wind Though inexperienced, he anded an offer from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, a prestigious JUCO football school, where he hoped to learn the game and prepare for a Division I offer in 2-years time.

But things always ork out the way you planned. was the roughest Griffin said. had a 12- man out-of-state roster and here were a lot of Division I bounce backs, like Chris son. I had to redshirt my freshman year and going into he next year they cut He expected to play, yet here he was, a 15-hour drive a way from home, in the middle a plains state, with none of the omforts been accustomed o. Griffin was freaked out by the first tornado sirens he eard, waking him up at 9 a.m.

and canceling school. Culture shock? You bet. had to grow up Griffin said. always had my brother around, all day, every day. Two weeks after LOCAL SPORTS SCOTT USA TODAY David Griffin, a former offensive lineman with the Hawaii Warriors, battles Oregon State defensive end Scott richton in a game in 2013.

Griffin has recently made his way into the Canadian Football League. THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED Tallahassee native Griffin takes tumultuous journey across country to reach CFL, football dreams EDMONTON ESKIMOS David Griffin, middle, is a Tallahassee native and FAMU DRS alum who is now an offensive lineman with the Edmonton Eskimos. Brian Miller Democrat sports writer on Twitter Down and distance. an integral aspect of football knowledge that only grows harder to understand the larger a playbook swells. the re- ponsibility.

A Florida new in- ramural fields hosted a 7- on-7 tournament Saturday for 14 high schools across the state, mastering situations was at the forefront of coach- yelling and brains. Every play you have to approach it as situational Godby quarterback Darius Bradwell said. in third-and-10, you throw a short route. You know you need yards. That approach always hard to think in 93-degree heat, but what the players were commanded to do.

Focus. And they also had every member of the FSU football coaching staff watching from he sidelines. You have to think radwell said. know there. Certain situations I have to look at my coach.

I will BIG BEND PREPS Lincoln shines at FSU 7-on-7 tournament Five area teams learn a lot thr ough skills competition Brian Miller Democrat sports writer on Twitter BRIAN Korey Charles, a rising senior at NFL, makes a catch during 7-on-7 football tournament at new intramural recreational fields. Temperatures were hot for the 14 teams that competed. becoming almost routine now for Florida State golf coach Trey Jones. Every major tournament played these ays he seems to have a few former layers in the field. A nd that will be the case again this week a the U.S.

Open in ashington state. Former FSU All- A merican Brooks Koepka will be competing for the champ ionship along with current FSU All-American Jack Maguire, who earned a spot in he event last weekend at sectional qualifying in Jupi- ter with a two-day score of 4-under par. in the U.S. Open has always been a dream of mine, but I ave been kind of expecting said aguire, who just ompleted his sophomore year. felt my ame was good going i nto the qualifiers.

It is awesome, but it is omething I have been waiting on for quite a while. I am more excited than I am in Maguire is obviously quite COMMENTARY Current FSU star aguire is bound for U.S. Open ROSS OBLEY PHOTO FSU sophomore Jack Maguire will compete this week in the U.S. Open a an amateur. Maguire recently qualified for the major tournament at a ectional in Jupiter.

Corey Clark.