Grant Wilson isn’t the starting quarterback at Indiana.
He acknowledges, accepts and embraces that.
In fact, Wilson doesn’t seem to desire the glory of the spotlight. Realizing that his presence is most beneficial as a veteran mentor, Wilson enjoys the feeling of stacking deposits of positive, additive efforts day after day.
“I know my role. I try to be the best teammate I can be. Whether that’s in the quarterback room, on the sidelines, helping the guys out in scout, anything I can do to make this team better. That’s the role, and I embrace it every single day,” Wilson said after Indiana defeated Howard 55-0.
Transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, Indiana’s undisputed starter, is who deals daring touchdown passes and scrambles out of pressure in meaningful moments for the Hoosiers. Wilson, in contrast, focuses on enriching his teammates in ways that indirectly influence results on the field, stepping up to directly influence results whenever necessary.
Perhaps not a star player, but certainly a star teammate.
“He’s as good of a team player as we have on the team,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said, “which was huge in getting him back. Besides having an experienced backup quarterback.”
Wilson started 14 games across two seasons at Old Dominion before transferring to Indiana, but hasn’t started any games as a Hoosier, and barring injury or an unforeseen disastrous drop in Hoover’s production, he probably never will. Still, instead of chasing another starting role elsewhere, Wilson prefers to be the backup in Bloomington.
“It’s been a long journey,” Wilson said. “My whole career led me to this moment right here with Coach Cig(netti) and this team. I love it, and I love football so much.”
Evidently, love is all it takes to return for a seventh year of college football, even if significant minutes as a starter in the spotlight aren’t in the cards. After all, attention isn’t very necessary when Wilson loves where he’s at without it.
“I just love being here and being a part of the team,” Wilson said, “and whatever I can do to help the team win is my No. 1 opportunity and choice.”
It was Wilson’s choice to extend his college career to seven years. His choice to do so at Indiana even if the majority of his gamedays are spent on the sidelines.
Occasionally, most often in non-conference action early in the year — including this Saturday’s matchup against heavy underdog Western Kentucky — Wilson experiences a temporary return to the spotlight. Once the Hoosiers led 45-16 late in the fourth quarter against North Texas in week one, Wilson stepped onto the field to direct Indiana’s final offensive drive.
On the very first play of that drive, a read-option concept, Wilson saw the Mean Green edge defender lurch forward to crash the mesh point. In response, Wilson pulled the handoff and sprinted into the open space vacated by the crashing edge, past every other green helmet and into the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown.
“He’s got strong legs, he can run,” running back Turbo Richard said about Wilson.
Wilson spent more time in action against Howard a week later, starting the whole third quarter before passing the torch to third-string quarterback Tyler Cherry for the fourth frame. Wilson led two drives against Howard, and both became touchdowns. Wilson ended the day with two pass completions for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
Two pass attempts, two touchdowns. Three drives, three touchdowns.
Soon, once Indiana’s adversaries strengthen and insurmountable leads decrease in frequency, Wilson will likely shrink back into a veiled, supplemental role on the sideline. Still an influential member of the roster, no doubt, but a much less visible one.
A hero unsung, a contributor imperceptible.
If, for any reason, it was necessary that he stepped up in a meaningful moment, Wilson’s teammates have just enough faith in him as they do in Hoover.
“Grant (Wilson) is the type of guy who gets along with everybody in the locker room,” running back Lee Beebe Jr. said, “and if he was to step up, I have no doubt in my mind that he would deliver.”
Wilson has delivered on Saturdays when called upon so far this season, no doubt, and delivers every day in supplemental, oftentimes invisible ways. Not a star player, but a star teammate.
“He probably wants to coach when he’s done,” Cignetti said, “and it looked like that’s where he was heading until things evolved and the opportunity to come back was presented to him. Thankfully, he accepted.”
Cignetti is grateful for good reason.
Wilson may not see many more minutes in game action this season, or ever again, given that this seventh season of eligibility is his last.
That doesn’t matter to him, at least not enough to stop enjoying the process as a Hoosier.
Starter or not, Wilson loves his spot at Indiana, on a team he does everything in his power to improve.
Get to know the opponent: Western Kentucky
