Arizona defensive tackle graduate transfer Marcus Griffin recaps visit to CMU


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Courtesy Photo | Marcus Griffin

CMU football head coach John Bonamego is going after another graduate transfer. 

On Jan. 2, Arizona defensive tackle Marcus Griffin announced his transfer from the program. This past weekend, the graduate transfer took a trip to Mount Pleasant to check out Central Michigan. 

“Going from Arizona to Mount Pleasant was different,” Griffin said. “I loved the people I was around. Bonamego was one of the realest individuals I have ever encountered. Even when we weren’t talking football, he was real.”

In the 2017 season, Griffin logged just two tackles on the season, but earned a considerable amount of playing time. Over his career with the Wildcats, he registered five total tackles. 

If he commits to CMU, the native of Bellevue, Washington is looking for a starting role as a Chippewa. 

“I know there is an opportunity to start,” Griffin said. “That was big for me to get an opportunity. Nobody is going to guarantee playing time, but CMU told me to come, put in work, and then I’ll get playing time.

“It’s all about how hard you work for it. They aren’t handing me anything. I have to earn it.” 

When he decided to depart from Arizona, 10 different Division I programs got in contact with him. CMU was the first school to give him a call. 

“I decided to visit to give them a chance to state their case and tell me what they were all about,” Griffin said. 

Even though Griffin does not have any connects to CMU, the Chippewas, led by coach Bonamego, stood out to him and his family. 

“CMU stood out because everyone was so genuine,” Griffin said. “From the strength guys, to the coaches, to the academic advisors, everyone has a championship mentality. Everywhere I went, it was the same message.”

The 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman is also hoping to check out Virginia and Texas Tech in the near future.

“I’m going to try and talk to my family and plan some visits for the next couple of weeks,” Griffin said. “There’s no timeline for it.”

As for a decision, Griffin plans to shut down his recruitment by mid-March. 

Griffin has five graduate programs he would like to enroll in, but is not sure which one he will pick going forward. 

“My academic advisor and I wrote down a list of five areas I would be interested in studying to further my education,” Griffin said.

Coming out of Bellevue High School, Griffin was a three-star prospect. He was ranked No. 419 in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports. Griffin was the 33rd-best defensive tackle and the No. 4 player in the state of Washington. 

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