‘Granddad’ Jalyn Gramstad Helping Push Nebraska Football Forward

Jayln Gramstad received a tongue-in-cheek nickname from his new teammates after earning a national championship at the NAIA a few years back.

"Granddad" - the nickname given to Gramstad after arriving in Lincoln as a transfer from Northwestern College in Iowa - spoke to the media Thursday for the first time this spring, and was pleased to discuss his role with Nebraska football. The 2023 NAIA Player of the Year is returning for his second season with Nebraska, and added that he was feeling comfortable with his role.

"I feel caught up," Gramstad said during his media appearance on Thursday. "I feel like I'm super comfortable just, you know, being in this spring. Having a lot of time now to just get so familiar with the plays and the terminology."

Jalyn Gramstad | Northwestern College Athletics via X

Last season, Gramstad joined the program after a summer camp tryout for the Huskers. Nebraska liked what they saw at the time, and added him to the roster as primarily a scout team quarterback with then-freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola projected to lead the team as a first-year starter.

After using a redshirt season and playing in one game - the season opener against UTEP - Gramstad elected to return to the Huskers to follow Raiola again, this time as the sophmore's backup. That designation was assigned to Heinrich Haarberg in 2023, but the former signal caller was reassigned to tight end. Fellow freshman quarterback Daniel Kaelin departed in the transfer portal as well, leaving Gramstad on his own to stand out amongst a group of fresh faces in the quarterback room.

"That's kind of my guy to bounce things off of," Raiola said of Gramstad last week. "It's a conversation every day and I'm very grateful that I have him. I can talk to him, approach him, and it's the same back."

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola scans the field for an open receiver during the second quarter against Rutgers. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Gramstad added that his role is to "just be there" for Raiola, and calls the sophomore a "great friend and a great teammate." The former NAIA quarterback also recalled that the starter wanted his "Granddad" back for the 2025 season.

"He expressed he wanted me to come back, and I didn't really know," Gramstad said. "That was great hearing that, you know, I was wanted in the quarterback rom, wanted to be a part of this."

Gramstad continued that he had been talking to coach Matt Rhule throughout the 2024 season about returning for another campaign in 2025. The quarterback called it a "no-brainer" to return for his extra season, and is hoping to use the springboard year for a chance to chase his NFL dreams.

Backup Nebraska quarterback Jalyn Gramstad speaks after practice on April 3, 2025. | Nebraska Athletics

"He really does act like a granddad," Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said during his media availability earlier in the spring. "He's got a ton of experience. I was glad that he came back. He gives us another guy that knows the offense."

Gramstad has added levity to the program as well, and provided intuitive knowledge from his dominant seasons at the NAIA level. He spent four years at Northwestern College, beginning as a defensive back before switching to quarterback and leading the Raiders to a national championship in 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023. Gramstad would end his NAIA career completing 68% of his passes for 6,237 yards and 60 touchdowns while rushing for 1,822 yards and 31 touchdowns.

"At the end of the day, I kind of just tell them it's football, you know. At Northwestern I had a lot of great receivers and running backs. We had a great - a lot of great - skill guys," Gramstad said about his NAIA experience. "I'd say the biggest difference is time and the resources."

The backup quarterback added that he enjoyed his first year in Lincoln, providing "banter" to coach John Butler and the Nebraska defensive backs as the primary scout team quarterback. However, the quarterback's best attribute appears to be his demeanor in staying in the moment.

West Lyon Inwood's Jalyn Gramstad rushes during the 2019 Iowa Class 1A state football championship game. | Brian Powers/The Register, Des Moines Register via Imagn Content Services, LLC

"I think it was my first game last year against UTEP. I was warming up out there and it was kind of, you know, my first time being out there in front of the crowd. I was joking with coach (Glenn) Thomas, 'Still 100 yards,'" Gramstad said.

Now, "Granddad" leads one of the youngest position groups on the team featuring the sophomore Raiola, redshirt freshman transfer Marcos Davila, and true freshman TJ Lateef. Gramstad also said Thursday that his goal is to continue to push for a professional football roster, despite other career plans that could arise from his college football career. For now, he's satisfied fulfulling his role with the Big Red.

"I'm cool with whatever they call me. I just try to embrace the experience that I do have and the leadership role I have on the team to help everyone around me," Gramstad said.

Hear more of Gramstad's Thursday comments below.

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