Big Red Diaries: Cortney Grixby
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
Cortney Grixby, a 5-foot-9 cornerback from Omaha, is one of the most experienced Blackshirts. He’s also been an easy target of critics, sometimes because of his lack of height, something Grixby says he overcomes with his 41-inch vertical. Grixby is the only Husker who’s beginning his fourth season under colorful cornerbacks coach Phil Elmassian. Grixby’s older brother, DeAntae, was a running back and fullback at Nebraska. His younger brother, Ronnell, is a senior defensive back at Omaha Central. In addition to his defensive contributions, Grixby returns punts and kickoffs; he had a 42-yard kickoff return Saturday against Nevada. The Journal Star’s Brian Rosenthal visited Tuesday with Grixby.
This year, we just have more depth in the secondary. We can throw a couple of different packages in. We have four corners. We’re about six deep, really, but four we’re really playing right now who can get legitimate time. Everyone’s been doing good, but as far as Armando Murillo coming along so fast, I mean, that was really impressive with the strides he made from the spring to fall. That was really good. It’s good to have Zack Bowman back. He brings experience to the table. He’s a big, physical corner. All of us have our strengths we can bring to the team, and we all just try to help him out.
See, me, I’m different than my brothers. Ronnell and DeAntae are pretty similar, the way they play, as far as being bigger, thicker. Me, I’m actually the better athlete out of all of them. I always tell them that. I’m not the shortest one. I’m actually the tallest. I’m taller than DeAntae; me and Ronnell, we’re about the same height. But I know we’re both taller than DeAntae.
I really haven’t heard any bad height jokes, but I know Coach E has some pretty good ones. He tells me I’m so short the receiver can eat peanuts off the top of my head. Then he tells me I’m so short, that when I fart, I blow sand in my shoes. It’s really funny. That might be the funniest one.
I’m pretty much used to the talk about my height. It is what it is. I just take it in stride. I know I’m going to get that question every week now, so I kind of expect it. I’m short. I’m not going to grow tomorrow. I’m going to be the same height tomorrow. I think I’m done growing.
A couple of schools recruited me to play receiver, too. There were a few schools. That was probably the position I was going to try to play if I didn’t play corner.
We made kickoff returns a focal point in our special teams, to improve. We want to pick the offense up. As far as the game Saturday, they had just come off a score, and coach told us we just needed a big play. I just tried to run for as many yards as possible.
Coach Elmassian is colorful with his words. He’s real expressive. That’s probably the funniest part. It’s actually gotten funny now to some of the seniors, because we’ve been here, we’re used to Coach. But some of the freshmen come in, that might be our favorite. Getting a freshman coming in who’s not used to him and seeing his face the first time. Coach kind of gets on them. Most memorable reaction from a player wasn’t really from a freshman, it was probably from Kellen Huston our first year. Kellen had kind of messed up, and Kellen had said he was trying. Oh, man … Coach said, “Try? Try!? In this business you don’t try! You do it, or you don’t!” He said, “If you don’t do it, I’m going to find another corner to do it!” It was hilarious. He gets after it.
Coach is a tough coach. He gets you ready for the game, as far as being mentally tough out on the field.That’s one of the biggest things I think I’ll take with me, is the mental toughness that he brings to the corners. And we try to bring that to the team.
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