NC State Tight End David Grinnage entered the 2015 season with a lot of expectations surrounding him.  He was on the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, which is awarded annually to the nations top Tight End.  That was not shocking after he finished last season with 27 receptions for 358 yards and 5 touchdowns.  All five touchdowns came in the final 7 games of the season.

While Grinnage has started the first two games for the Wolfpack, he has averaged 15 snaps in each contest, and only has one catch for 15 yards.  This comes after averaging 39 snaps last season as a Sophomore.

Grinnage hasn’t been demoted.  He started both games, but the coaching staff has been easing him back into game shape after an injury and illness filled offseason.

In NC State’s weekly press conference on Monday, Wolfpack head coach expressed his excitement that he believed that Grinnage was back to full strength and looking really crisp.

“He (Grinnage) missed all of winter conditioning, and half the summer, so he was out of shape.  He had a meniscus that we had to clean up and a sore back that we had to rest coming out of the season. Now he’s finally healthy.  He feels good,” said Doeren. “He had strep throat or tonsillitis or something during training camp.  It was like he could never be out there.  It’s hard when the other guys have been practicing and he’s out of shape.  He’s had two really good back-to-back weeks of practice.  He came out of both games feeling good and he is starting to look crisp again.  He gives us a big target, which we need.

I spoke with Grinnage after practice today, and he is ready to play.

“I feel great.  Everything is back to 100%.  I’ve just been waiting to go out there and give it my all,” said Grinnage. “I’ve been fighting through a couple different injuries and a couple of different illnesses to get back on the field with my family and play for them.”

Grinnage is a player.  No player likes to sit on the sidelines or in the training room while their teammates are on the field.

“It’s tough mentally, because you think about how you can’t be out there with your brothers helping them, because you’re in the training room getting help,” said Grinnage. “You just want to be back out there.  You have to be strong so your brothers will know that you will be back out there with them.”

Even though his playing time has been reduced and limited over the past two games, Grinnage is a team player, and celebrates the success of his fellow Tight Ends.

“To be honest I felt great.  Benson Browne and Jaylen Samuels are both in my tight end room, and they got touchdowns in both games, and I feel great for them.  Benson Browne’s touchdown…It was great. This is my 4th year with him,” said Grinnage. “He’s one of my best friends on this team.  He’s been waiting for that catch his whole career.  When it happened, I might have been more excited than he was.  It’s great for him.  It builds his confidence for the next play.  It’s really not about my production, but what I can do for the team. Whenever my time comes, my time comes.  It really doesn’t matter to me.”

David Grinnage at full strength gives the Wolfpack another big weapon heading into Old Dominion.