Neal Is On The Verge Of Breaking Records

Article reprinted courtesy of Fargo Forum and reporter Eric Peterson. Picture courtesy of Fargo Forum photographer Dave Samson.

Moorhead--Football hasn't always been Griffin Neal's top sport. He wanted to quit at one point during junior high, bringing him to tears. In his first year in the Fargo South program, Neal was on the freshman "B" team.

"I'm glad I stuck with it," said Neal, now the senior starting quarterback for Concordia.

The Cobbers are happy, too, that Neal kept playing football. He's on the verge of setting the school career record for passing yards with 5,055 entering Saturday's home game against Hamline. Mike Dunham (2008-2011) holds the mark at 5,235.

"A lot has to go right. You have to execute at a high level to be in the category that he is in," Cobbers head coach Terry Horan said of Neal.

Neal ranks second on the school's career touchdown passing list with 42, two shy of Ryan Hebrink, who finished his career in 2003 with 44. That record could also fall Saturday. The Cobbers need a win against Hamline to keep their NCAA Division III playoff hopes alive.

"I think he would throw away any recognition for a chance to get into the playoffs," Horan said. "That's just his nature."

Neal has a 24-5 career record as a starter for the Cobbers. He helped guide Concordia to 8-2 marks during his sophomore and junior seasons.

Concordia remains in the hunt for a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, but needs help from other teams for that to happen.

"I would be extremely disappointed in myself and the team if we don't make the playoffs," Neal said. "The individual stuff would probably not mean much to me. Until you can use your individual ability to take the team to the next level, it's not going to be much of an accomplishment."

Concordia junior wide receiver Jon Baune has been Neal's favorite target this season, catching 40 passes for 517 yards. Baune knows how disappointed Neal would be if Concordia didn't make the playoffs.

"I think it would break his heart," said Baune, who also played with Neal at South. "That would eat away at him a lot."

Neal led the Bruins to a North Dakota Class 3A state championship in his senior season, his first year as the starter. He holds South records for passing yards (2,151) and touchdown passes (22) in a season.

"He played with a chip on his shoulder," said South head coach Troy Mattern of Neal's senior year with the Bruins. "The best thing about Griffin is he was just a leader. He took command of our team."

Neal has been a dual threat for the Cobbers, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in his career. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Neal has 18 touchdown runs in 31 games to go with his 42 TD passes.

"He can beat you with his legs and beat you with his arm," Horan said. "He can beat you with his mind, too."

Scott Neal, Griffin's dad, remembers when his son wanted to be done with football.

"I took the parental hand and suggested that he keep going," Scott said. "He had too much talent to waste and that he needed to stick it out and go through it."

Looking back, Griffin is thankful his dad and mom, Shelly, didn't allow him the walk away.

"When they told me I couldn't quit, I think that's when I started bawling," Griffin said with a laugh.