Catching Up with Former 49ers Linebacker Larry Grant
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to catch up with former 49ers’ linebacker Larry Grant.
Grant is currently the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at City College of San Francisco (CCSF), the same school he played at before receiving a scholarship to Ohio State University (OSU).
His college experience was far from traditional. He was named Junior College (JUCO) National Player of the Year in 2005 and played in four straight championship games between CCSF and OSU. It’s hard enough to win a National Player of the Year award, let alone make it to back-to-back-to-back-to-back championships. It’s practically unheard of.
Another unique experience football brought Grant was the opportunity to play for his hometown team. Grant grew up in the Hunters Point district of San Francisco, a brief bike ride away from Candlestick Park.
Throughout our interview, we reminisced on the “Tony Montana” era of 49ers football, including how Jim Harbaugh was the mastermind behind getting the rapper Future to perform his song live -- right before opening-kickoff during the divisional game against the Saints in 2012 -- and what that atmosphere was like from a player’s perspective.
Grant also shared what it was like to play next to Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, and of course, I had to ask him about his 12-tackle and one-sack performance in Seattle during the 2011 season while he filled in for an injured Willis.
The full interview will be released early next week on my Youtube Channel and Podcast.
Before the full interview is released, I wanted to share Grant’s answers to two specific questions. Having played linebacker in the NFL for more than six years, I was particularly interested in his thoughts on Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, and the promotion of former linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans to defensive coordinator.
Q: What similarities (if any) do you see in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw compared to Willis and Bowman?
A: “What Dre and Fred are doing right now is special for the 49ers’ organization and defense. These guys play with passion every single game, they don’t miss a beat and they compete their butts off. It reminds you of those days with Pat and Bo”. Larry goes on to talk about the recognition Warner has received from future Hall of Famers such as Aaron Rodgers. He ends by acknowledging the youthfulness of Warner (24) and Greenlaw (23) and how it’s an exciting time on the defensive side of the ball with those two helping pave the way.
Q: How do you see DeMeco Ryans stepping in as defensive coordinator for Robert Saleh?
A: “I expect him to step right in and have success immediately. Obviously, he was hired that quick for a reason. They understood what he meant to the program, what he meant to players, and what he meant to this team. He’s played this game for a long time. He’s extremely intelligent. He’s learned from Coach Saleh, and everybody has seen the success that he’s had and where he’s at now. So I expect DeMeco to come in and really put a stamp on himself and a claim for that defense”.
Ryans has his hands full stepping in for an extremely successful Saleh, and if Ryans achieves what Grant sees him immediately doing, the defense should remain in good hands.
Follow Larry Grant on Twitter: @LarryGrant95
Follow me on Twitter: @NinerNick_22
