Josh Grady- Armwood HS

[Reliable Source]

Ran into one of my fraternity brothers at the game today and he had his son and nephew with him.  I hadnt seen his son since we had our 35th fraternity anniversary 4 years ago and he was in middle school.  He says you should come see my son play they he is at armwood and thinking of coming to USF next year so he can pledge the same fraternity as his father.  Of course I began hazing him immediately.   >  The kid was Josh and I didn't realize that he is the one you guys are saying is so good.  He is a good kid and I do hope he stays here.  He would have alot of support in the area not just on the football field.   btw I feel we have more then a fair chance on keeping him here.

Great story nupe. It's always really interesting to hear the personal side to all this drama. Hey. take it easy on the pledge. I'm sure he will be getting enough grief on the practice field.

[redfisher78]

Kid has offered from some serious academic institutions as well and carries a 3.8 GPA. Gotta love that!

[Reliable Source]

Josh notches another one. It's a shame he's not able to get huge numbers every week because most of their wins are blowouts.

Armwood cruises past Hillsborough, 39-6

Dave Wirth   

Seffner, FL-- Undefeated Armwood had no trouble disposing of Hillsborough High, 39-6, Friday night.

The Hawks used offense, defense, and special teams to score against the Terriers.

Six different players scored for Armwood. They broke out to an 18-0 lead at the half. Jevonte Sneed scored on a 12-yard run... Leon McQuay blocked a punt, and ran it in from 22 yards for the touchdown. And Jake Zilbar recovered a fumble and returned it 37 yards for another touchdown.

Armwood quarterback Josh Grady passed for 104 yards, and rushed for another 98.

The Hawks are now 12-0.

http://www.wtsp.com/sports/story.aspx?storyid=158949&catid=4

[BDYZR]

Good read in the Trib today.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/dec/03/SPNEWSO1-invaluable-performer/

[Rizman]

Great read, thanks.

[Paisa el Toro]

Josh notches another one. It's a shame he's not able to get huge numbers every week because most of their wins are blowouts.

Similar to Grothe in that regard. Grady sounds like a gamer and leader. Just keep winning.

[Reliable Source]

Josh has another great game in the playoffs. Guy is producing under pressure to go along with a great reg. season

via twitter

RivalsCNee Chris Nee

Armwood's Josh Grady threw for 187 yards, 2 TDs; rushed for 60 yards, TD. 20 passing & 14 rushing TDs in 2010

[Reliable Source]

I am thinking Josh really wants to stay in Tampa. I hope he does. Would hate to see a gifted young man like this go somewhere else and want to transfer back and lose a year. He can do everything  he wants to here, I think he knows that. You know just because you stay near the folks doesn't mean you can't get out of the family home. College life gives you a lot of independence no matter where you go. Stay and be a star Josh.

via twitter

JoeyHomeTeam Joey Knight

Armwood QB Josh Grady has visits set up to Wake Forest and Iowa State. He likely will also visit USF.

[Reliable Source]

The more I read about Josh, the more impressed I am. Josh, pre-med at USF is a great place to start. Good luck this weekend, but it sounds like you have already won.

Hawks put their trust in Grady's capable hands

Wed. December 8, 2010 | Joey Knight | Email

SEFFNER — At Armwood, they immortalize their stars as surely as they immobilize tailbacks.

On the southeast corner of Lyle Flagg Stadium, carved on three stately granite monuments, are the names of every player, coach and administrator from each of the three Hawks teams to reach the state championship game.

That’s a constellation of kids that coach Sean Callahan has seen arrive, evolve and exit through the years. But of all of them, the quarterback with the white compression sleeve, blood-stained left wristband and 5.4 weighted GPA may be the one he’ll be saddest to watch depart.

Yep, Josh Grady’s that important.

“I think of all the people that have graduated from this program, I’ll miss him probably more than anybody I’ve ever had,†Callahan said.

On this frigid Tuesday afternoon, the only thing straighter than Callahan’s face may be the row of A’s on Grady’s most recent report card.

It’s not so much Grady’s versatility (1,890 passing, 807 rushing yards) that makes him priceless to the 13-0 Hawks, or his intelligence, study habits, durability or willingness to adjust on the fly.

It’s all those things.

“He’s not the biggest quarterback (6 feet, 190 pounds),†says Callahan, whose team hosts Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer (12-1) on Friday in the Class 4A state semifinals.

“He’s pretty fast, but it’s kind of a funny-looking run he’s got. But Josh has so many positive things, you put them all together and you’ve got a pretty nice quarterback. … He’s like the pied piper. The kids want to be around him, they want to learn from him.â€

Never has Grady’s talent — and toughness — been more profound than in the Hawks’ first three playoff games. To compensate for Armwood’s dinged-up backfield, Callahan and offensive coordinator Evan Davis have asked him to assume more of the ball-carrying burden.

In those three contests, Grady, who ran for 422 yards in 10 regular-season games, has run for 385 and six TDs.

“We’re putting the burden on him because he handles the burden so well,†Callahan said.

Considering Grady is already handling a college-type course load, what’s a few more run plays inserted in his three-ring game-plan binder?

“The thing is, he doesn’t have to write down a whole lot (in that binder) because he’s so friggin’ smart,†Davis said.

The son of an accountant and IBM salesman, Grady takes advance-placement courses in statistics, psychology and literature, as well as Spanish III and an economics course. Since arriving at Armwood from Freedom in early 2009, Grady has earned straight A’s.

His last B? An AP world history course as a sophomore at Freedom. His career aspiration after football? Heart surgeon.

“Everyone around the world needs heart surgeons,†he said. “When my parents get old I want to be able to save their lives, not somebody else.â€

That intellect commingles with instinct on game nights. Davis, who requires Grady to periodically make checks at the line of scrimmage, says he asks as much of Grady on a Friday night “as anybody can ask a quarterback, even on the college level.â€

“He’s got great instincts of when to let the ball go and when to pull it down and run it, and he’s athletic enough to do that,†said Plant coach Robert Weiner, who watched Grady collect 172 total yards in a 17-0 win against the Panthers two months ago.

“That kind of dual threat puts your defense on its heels. I really think that not only is he athletic, but those instincts … and he’s a winner. That’s what you want at that position. You want a quarterback who’s a winner. I have great respect for him.â€

Before rolling up his figurative sleeves Friday for the biggest game of his life, Grady will put on the white one he religiously wears on his left arm. A bit farther below will be his soiled white wristband, without which he simply can’t play.

Like the scrubs and surgical gloves he hopes to someday wear, the wristband has blood on it.

Sort of symbolic. Few will argue as Armwood stands on the precipice of a fourth state final berth, Grady is the lifeblood of the team.

“I made it clear in my last staff meeting that if we have to win the ball game and somebody’s going to be the guy that gets the credit or not it’s going to be Josh,†Callahan said. “He’s earned that.â€

http://www.tampabay.com/hometeam/blog/hawks-put-their-trust-gradys-capable-hands/7668/

[curlychad]

Watching Grady right now, and he is as good as they say. Although his passes are lacking a bit of touch. He has a real cannon for 5-15 yard passes.

Also, his grades are not inflated, he is a really bright kid and never gets into trouble.