STARKVILLE — Nick Griffin has experienced almost everything a player can on a football field.
The running back played four seasons in the Southeastern Conference, arguably the nation’s best college football league. This past season, Griffin helped Mississippi State rise to No. 1 for five weeks and earn an invitation to the Orange Bowl last December.
Last week, Griffin did something not many football players can say they did: He helped the United States win a gold medal at the International Federation of American Football World Championship in Canton, Ohio.
“I’d have to say this is up there,” Griffin said. “Not everybody gets to do something like that and, really, not everybody gets to do something like that in football.”
Team USA defeated Mexico 30-6, Japan 43-18, and France 82-0, before beating Japan again 59-12 in front of a large crowd to win the gold medal.
Griffin rushed for 592 yards and four touchdowns as a Bulldog. Playing as a fullback for Team USA, the New Augusta native rushed for 54 yards in four games. He scored a touchdown against France to help Team USA advance to the gold-medal game.
“I really didn’t get to touch the ball that much,” Griffin said. “They decided, ‘This guy, he’s been working hard. He’s been selfless and he’s blocking for us, so at least we could do is give him a touchdown.’ That felt pretty good coming from those guys.”
Griffin was reunited with former MSU teammate Dylan Favre. Favre, the nephew of NFL great Brett Favre, played two seasons at MSU and was in the same recruiting class as Griffin. He transferred to Pearl River Community College before finishing his career at Tennessee-Martin. He returned to Starkville last fall and saw action in a 45-16 victory by MSU on Homecoming.
During the World Championship, Favre split time at quarterback with former Mount Union starter Kevin Burke. Favre passed for nearly 600 yards in the event. He threw four touchdowns and rushed for two more.
The experience left Griffin wanting more from football. He would one day like to be able to say he was an Olympic athlete.
“It’s just amazing to get to play different countries,” Griffin said. “Hopefully, it will kick off and grow globally and become an Olympic sport someday. I hope to be apart of that, too.”
Griffin will be an assistant football coach at Madison Central High School this school year.
Griffin spent most of his time during the International Federation of American Football World Championship with his teammates, including watching as a team the American women win the World Cup trophy in soccer. Griffin said Team USA practiced with the team from Australia, and he was really impressed with the passion he saw from the Australians.
“They’re a great group of guys,” Griffin said. “They’re very humble and very polite. They kind of saw us like a big brother. They tried to learn and take in as much as they could. They really love American football. It’s not just the United States. They love American football.”
The Australians won three games in the event, including a 42-14 win against South Korea in the fifth-place game. Mexico beat France in the bronze-medal game.
Griffin will look back on his playing career fondly, but always will have a reminder of what happened when he put on the pads for his country.
“I’m thinking about getting a trophy case so I can put all my Mississippi State stuff and that gold medal in there,” Griffin said.
Ben Wait is a sports writer for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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