COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joey Gruden didn’t have to think hard when asked about his favorite experience during his time at Dayton. It was on Wednesday night, when the Flyers capped a 12-point comeback to defeat Boise State, 56-55, in a First Four NCAA tournament game.
“It was awesome,” Gruden said Thursday. “Last night was something that I’ve never experienced before. It was a good time, and hopefully, we can do it again.”
Gruden, the son of Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden, is a sophomore in his first season as a walk-on at Dayton. His responsibilities with the team are varied: During practice, he said, he’ll participate in drills just like any of the other 11 players on the Flyers’ active roster, but when it comes to games, he’s entrusted with helping to grab the stools for others to sit on during timeouts.
“It’s the best of both worlds, I guess,” Gruden said.
Gruden has played in seven games this season, recording the minimum of one minute per appearance while otherwise failing to make a mark on the stat sheet. A 6-foot-2 guard, Gruden only garnered interest from Division III football and basketball programs before he enrolled at Dayton.
When his mother, Sherry, took him on a recruiting trip two years ago, Gruden said he “fell in love with it.” It didn’t hurt that his uncle Jon, the former NFL coach and current ESPN broadcaster who was one of the best players in the history of the football program, frequently sold him on the benefits of receiving an education at Dayton.
“Joey’s a great kid,” coach Archie Miller said. “I know the Gruden name pops out there with his family or whatnot, but he’s just like one of the other guys. He does a great job in practice with us, whether it’s the practices, the scout team, with our numbers this year — all those guys have been invaluable. And to his credit, he’s a great kid, and I’m glad he’s with us. I’m really glad he’s with us. He brings a good personality to the team.”
Dayton’s run in the NCAA tournament will continue on Friday, when the 11th-seeded Flyers, the runner-up in the Atlantic 10, face No. 6 seed Providence. Gruden said his family won’t be in attendance at Nationwide Arena, but the fact that the team played its First Four game at home on Wednesday and that the next game is merely an hour east should otherwise lead to strong fan support.
Gruden, a sports management major, has found the experience rewarding, and has plans to return to the team the next two seasons.
“It’s been awesome just to be a part of this team and travel and sit on the bench and cheer the guys on,” Gruden said.
Correction: A previous version of this story referred to Dayton’s “now-defunct football program.” Dayton continues to sponsor football as a member of the FCS Pioneer Football League.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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