Tommy Grady has been waiting a long time for his chance. Now that he’s got it, his first college start Saturday as Utah’s quarterback, he wants to make the most of it.
“I’m hoping that I can get some playing time in the next couple of games and show enough on the film that I could get invited to the NFL combines,” Grady said. “My first real sports love was baseball, but football is my game now.”
Time is a factor for Grady, who entered his senior season as a backup to junior Brian Johnson. But Johnson sustained a separated shoulder in the second quarter of Utah’s 24-7 opening-game loss to Oregon State, giving Grady his chance, starting with the Air Force game Saturday. It’s not known how long Johnson will be out.
Grady can stop choking on the pride he has had to swallow since coming out of Edison High School in Huntington Beach, Calif., five years ago as one of the top-rated prep quarterbacks in the country.
“It has been hard being on a team and not playing,” Grady said. “At times, I thought about hanging it up. My family and some friends kept me going.”
Grady’s turmoil began after the 2004 season, his second year at Oklahoma. He had played in five games for the Sooners as a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Jason White in 2003, but ran into academic problems later that school year and transferred to Utah.
But Utah wasn’t a perfect fit, either. The Utes had Alex Smith, who became a No. 1 NFL draft pick. Johnson took over two years ago but was hurt last year, when Brett Ratliff took over and the Utes won eight games.
The Utes’ offense is predicated on balance, but the 6-foot-7, 235-pound Grady is more of a passing threat than a run option.
“It has been a hard situation here,” Grady said. “The offense here hasn’t suited my strengths, but this week we’ve been working more toward my strengths. I’m a decent running threat but passing is my strength.”
“Our running game could be limited because Johnson was such a great option quarterback,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Grady has a big arm. The main thing, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”
Grady finished up the Oregon State game, completing just 9-of-24 passes for 59 yards, but the Utes were unable to establish any semblance of a ground game.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun doesn’t think the change in quarterbacks should alter the view as Utah being one of the top teams in the Mountain West Conference.
“He’s been to battle a few times,” Calhoun said of Grady. “We’re not going to throw anything at him that he hasn’t seen. He’s not an 18-year-old untested freshman.”
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303 954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
