By Tyler Mayforth
San Marcos — Texas State junior wide receiver Da’Marcus Griggs is always sure to make a phone call the day of a game.
Griggs picks up his cell phone and dials former Texas State All-American wide receiver Cameron Luke’s number. The two talk about the upcoming game, life and everything in between.
As the 2009 season neared an end, the phone calls grew more spirited. Griggs had Luke’s single-season record for receptions in his sights and wanted to let him know.
“I knew he only needed four catches to beat me,” Luke said. “He called me before every game with a little countdown and it’s all in fun. I told him if he broke it that I’d be happy for him.”
Luke didn’t have to wait too long to see Griggs eclipse the mark.
He tied the record with three catches in the first quarter and broke it in the second. Griggs ran a hitch route to the visitor’s sideline and pulled in a 14-yard reception on a third-and-8.
“The record feels pretty good, but it’s all up on our coaching staff to develop us and prepare us for the game on Saturday,” Griggs, who caught two touchdown passes in the 28-20 win, said. “I just try to take what I learned from the week’s practices and carry it over into Saturday.”
Griggs works tirelessly at practice to get better.
He runs teammates who try to cover him ragged and turn defensive backs into pretzels with his routes.
“My biggest strength has to be my route running,” Griggs said. “That, my hands and I have a little bit of quickness, so I try to use those to the best of my ability.”
His hands are like magnets for footballs. Griggs can catch pretty much anything in his vicinity once he gets separation.
“He’s got some big hands,” Luke said. “I think he has the best hands out of any receiver that has played here.”
Griggs quickly ascended to the top of the Bobcats’ depth chart once Luke graduated. The junior wide receiver caught nine passes for 101 yards in 2008 and had a tremendous spring and fall camp.
Texas State used Griggs in 2009 the same way it implemented Luke a year earlier. The Bobcats let Griggs work one-on-one with an opposing defensive back and he’ll usually haul in a big catch.
“There are a lot of sets that we get in that all of the sudden, there’s three guys on one side and Da’Marcus on the other,” Texas State head coach Brad Wright said. “Sometimes that’s the way the read takes you.”
Those reads from Bobcats quarterback Bradley George took Griggs right into the Texas State record book.
