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Trey Granier’s rehab from a torn ACL is just about over.
Now, he’s ready to put on the pads and become a terror for opponents with the UL-Lafayette defense.
A Thibodaux High graduate, Granier hurt his knee this past November while playing a special teams snap for the Ragin’ Cajuns – the school Granier has called home since 2013 when he transferred from LSU.
With two years of eligibility remaining and a healthy body that’s stronger than ever, Granier said he looks forward to the chance to establish himself as a playmaker on a ULL defense that will be looking to reach the postseason for the fifth-straight season under coach Mark Hudspeth.
“I had the surgery in November, have gone through all of my rehab, and it really hasn’t given me all that much trouble,” Granier said. ‘I’m just getting myself cranked back up and getting the knee strong again, and I think I’ll be ready for the fall. I participated in the spring in non-contact drills, but in the fall, I think I’ll be ready to help my team on the field.”
For Granier, getting back on the field would be a great feeling.
A 6-foot, 1-inch, 231-pound linebacker, Granier was a force at Thibodaux High School, recording close to 300 tackles combined in his sophomore and junior seasons. That ascent earned Granier attention from several of the top college programs in the country, including LSU – the program that scored the local’s services out of high school.
Granier was with LSU for the 2012 season, earning a redshirt. Because of a huge logjam at linebacker in Baton Rouge, Granier opted instead to transfer down the road to ULL, a school that could offer him more immediate playing time.
In 2013, the local defender sat out the season, per NCAA transfer rules.
But in 2014, he was an active contributor for the Ragin’ Cajuns, who played nine games before his injury.
Granier said the rehab wasn’t fun, and watching his teammates compete without him was even harder.
But to be able to get his feet wet and earn his first collegiate reps last season was a feeling that Granier said he’ll never forget.
“To be able to contribute to our team and help us get to the postseason was pretty special,” Granier said. “That’s really inspired me through my rehab and kept me motivated because I definitely want to get back healthy so that I can be in a position to play an even bigger role when the year comes back around.”
One thing Granier said is most special about his stint at UL-Lafayette is the local flavor that is heavily present within the Ragin’ Cajuns’ athletic landscape.
In football, both he and standout halfback Elijah McGuire are locals who played prep football in the Houma-Thibodaux area.
The Ragin’ Cajuns also have local standouts in soccer (Kimberly Grasso, Vandebilt) and basketball (Shawn Long, Morgan City).
Granier said the local flare present around the campus is one of the best things about being a Ragin’ Cajun. He said he’s most proud of McGuire, who is one of the rising stars in all of college football.
“What Eli is doing is unreal,” Granier said. “It’s so awesome because we do have a lot of people from that area doing big things out here. I’m a Louisiana boy. I always will be. I said it when I went to LSU, and when I ended up here, I still wanted to be in Louisiana and close to home. It’s neat because we’re all doing it big and trying to make things happen for us and to also make all of those people back home proud, as well.”
Granier said that in the coming weeks before the start of summer practices, he will be working to get himself ready mentally for the new season. Granier said the non-contact reps he had during the spring helped him better learn the UL-Lafayette defense. But he knows that being hit again will present a new challenge.
Getting his mind fully focused is the biggest key he’s looking to hammer down before the start of the fall.
“That’s about it,” Granier said. “I just want to keep getting better, stronger and getting ready for when I’m fully cleared and able to go 100 percent. I’ll be ready. I think this is going to be a great year for our team.”
GRANIER OFFERS REBOWE SUPPORT
Away from football, Granier offered other news and wisdom that will spark the interest of folks locally.
The Thibodaux High School standout said he’s happy for Tim Rebowe, who was a former UL-Lafayette assistant coach, who is now the head football coach at Nicholls State University.
Granier said Rebowe recruited him out of high school and coached him for the past two seasons. He described the new Nicholls coach as “one of his favorite coaches of all-time,” adding that he has no doubt that the Colonels will turn things around under his watch.
“He’s a good guy,” Granier said. “He loves what he does. He’s someone who puts his players first and really makes it fun to be around him. I think that he’s going to do a great job there. I don’t see any way that he won’t be a great fit in Thibodaux.”
Thibodaux High School graduate and UL-Lafayette defender Trey Granier (right) celebrates while walking off the field during a special teams play in the 2014 season. After tearing his ACL midway through last season, Granier said he’s been busy doing rehab throughout the offseason. But with the 2015 season right around the corner, the former Tiger said he’s near 100 percent healthy and is ready to make an impact for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
