Interview: 2018 California Gunslinger Griffin O’Connor Talks UNLV Visit

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

There are numerous recruiting steals in the 2018 class waiting to be discovered by next level coaches. If there was a second-tier recruiting ranking system for the consensus three-star quarterback among those players in the overlooked category, Griffin O’Connor would be a five-star among the group. The 6-3, 200 pound, quarterback is a proven winner and playmaker but the recruitment of the gunslinger has been slow by other standards. One team jumping way out ahead of the curve hoping O’Connor is their quarterback of the future is UNLV.

O’Connor helped lead Edison High School to a 13-2 record during the 2016 season rolling all the way to a California Division III state championship game topping La Mirada 44-24 for the title. Along the way, O’Connor threw for 3,600 yards with 37 touchdowns tossing just six picks while completing 207-of-353 pass attempts. Showing his ability to make plays with his feet, the Huntington Beach area talent added 415 yards on the ground posting 10 more scores on the board.

The play on the field earned O’Connor CIF Division III Player of the Year honors along with being named second team All-State, All-County, and Sunset League MVP – each well deserved. O’Connor has a gun for a right arm able to make any throw needed on the field from riffling in a pass in a tight window, to throwing with touch just over a defender’s reach, to throwing on the run hitting his target in the numbers while in stride. His knowledge of the offense shows, especially when plays breakdown keeping his poise scrambling for extra time to get the play off with a completion instead of always opting to tuck and run.

Recruitment this spring has picked up with Indiana State, Columbia, and UNLV offering O’Connor. Interest abounds with programs like Utah, Nebraska, Boston College, Indiana, Hawaii, Yale, Oregon State, Penn, Dartmouth, Washington State, and Cal looking in on him. One team that might be jumping out ahead of the rest of the field is UNLV. The Rebels hosted O’Connor on Saturday giving the rising 2018 star and his family a tour of the growing Las Vegas area program. In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with O’Connor covering his time on campus with UNLV’s coaching staff.

Interview

Griffin, who went with you to UNLV this weekend?

“My dad, mom, sister, and girlfriend.”

When did you get there?

“We got there Friday night, about 5:00.”

When did the visit start on Saturday?

“It started at 11:00, but I got there at 10:30. I talked to some of the coaches there before it all began.”

What all did you do during your visit?

“First, we went on a little tour of the film room and then I met with the QB coach, Coach (Ron) O’Dell. He took us to meet Coach (Tony) Sanchez (head coach) and Coach (Barney) Cotton, he is the offensive coordinator. I talked to them for a little while. We talked about the academics department and other facilities. The tour started off in the library talking to their academic counselors. After that we went over the football facilities and all the new stuff they will have in the 2018 year. That concluded our tour. The visit lasted from 11:00 to 3:00.”

How did the visit go overall?

“I think it went really well. I was impressed, especially with the academics. They are upgrading their facilities. They want to compete with the bigger teams in the nation. Coach Sanchez and the coaching staff said things that stuck with me. I had a great trip. I’m glad we went out there for the visit.”

What did the coaches talk about with you while you were there?

“We talked about everything. Coach Odell, their QB coach, was with me the entire tour answering all of our questions. From the very beginning, Coach O’Dell was there with me talking to Coach Sanchez and Coach Cotton. They said they want me there. They are fired up for me to be here once I graduate.”

Did you sit in on any meetings?

“There was a position meeting with the coaches, I was the only quarterback there, with Coach O’Dell and Coach Cotton. We went over game film and we talked about terminology of the offense. We watched film for 20 minutes. It was great to see their style of offense and how they do stuff on their team.”

Do you see yourself fitting in with the team’s offense?

“Yeah. They run a lot of similar stuff we run with similar terminology. I think they are going under center more with more play action passes next season. I like that. We are doing that in high school, which will help me in college.”

Do plan to visit UNLV again in the near future?

“No. I did not set up a time. Coach O’Dell and Coach (Travis) Burkett (running backs coach), he is the recruiting coordinator for my area, are coming to watch me throw later in May. I will talk then with them about another visit.”

When did they offer you?

“They offered me about a month or so ago.”

Do you have visits scheduled to any other schools set?

“Not at the moment. There are a lot of schools coming by school this spring. San Diego State is coming on Monday. Wyoming, Hawaii, Boston College, and Arizona are all supposed to come by the school as well. It all depends on recruiting for the spring. I’m waiting until after spring ball. Colorado State – I am meeting with them as well.”

Are there any other schools that might come see you this spring?

“San Jose State, Montana State, and Oregon State.”

Are you receiving any new interest outside of the schools that we have talked about already?

“A lot of Ivy League interest like Yale, Penn, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell. I think Yale and Penn are coming to see me throw this spring.”

How are off-season workouts going?

“We just got a new coach, from San Margarita. He is implementing new workouts and a new offense. We are going over new stuff with the offense and lifting. We are ready to duplicate our championship season.”

Griffin, congratulations on a great visit to UNLV. Good luck with all the visits this spring with schools coming by to see you throw.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: O’Connor family; Griffin O’Connor at UNLV with Coach Sanchez.

Photo credit: O’Connor family; Griffin O’Connor at UNLV (April 2017).