CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – West Creek alumus Kyran Anthony Griffin-Isom will play football for Troy University in the fall after serving seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
“Troy was actually my first offer,” Griffin-Isom said of his collegiate interest. “Coach Goodwin (Shane) put me in contact with them and sent them my highlights. For me with them, it was mainly about the relationship. I’m big on relationships and feeling comfortable with where I’m at. Getting to talk to the coaching staff every day and have them help me with various things is why I fell in love with Troy. The comradery there is amazing.”
Griffin-Isom becomes part of the Trojans’ already highest-rated recruiting class in program history after the completion of their early signing day.
Hurricane Katrina transplant
The New Orleans, Louisiana native originally relocated to Clarksville after Hurricane Katrina hit in August of 2005.
“It was a traumatic thing having your house destroyed and everything is gone,” Griffin-Isom said. “It was hard on my family having to just pack up and move eight hours away from where I grew up and knew everybody.
“We had a cousin that lived in Clarksville and was stationed at Fort Campbell, so we ended up moving there. It was a definitely a change in scenery for me because I didn’t know anything about being in a military town. At the end of the day, it worked out for the best.”
During his time spent at West Creek, Griffin-Isom learned a lot about life on and off of the gridiron.
“Coach Shane Goodwin was the head coach at the time and he came in and changed a lot of guys in that program,” Griffin-Isom said. “Having guys that never played varsity football a day in their life then you turn around and two years later we’re going to the state playoffs was definitely a great time to be there. … All in all, Coach Goodwin and Coach Mitchell (Henry) made it worthwhile and they changed me for the best.”
Joining the Marines
Coming out of high school, Griffin-Isom was set on playing football at the next level before eventually putting his dreams on hold to serve his country.
“I had signed a partial scholarship with Kentucky Wesleyan, but I didn’t want my parents going in debt by pulling loans out for me,” Griffin-Isom said. “I ended up leaving after a semester and that’s when I joined the Marine Corps.
“I joined because it was different. My whole life has been a challenge for me, and them telling me that it was going to be a challenge to earn the title United Stated States Marine was another challenge I wanted to take on.”
While on his first deployment Operation Enduring Freedom, Griffin-Isom received grave news that would change his life.
“That deployment was my hardest because my little brother ended up getting killed in New Orleans,” Griffin-Isom said. “He had a football scholarship to Southeastern. It completely changed my life. Here I am expecting myself to be killed in action or something like that and he ended up being killed. It taught me how to cherish everything in life and enjoy the moments and opportunities that you have presented to you.”
After the tragedy, Griffin-Isom set out to make his late brother proud by continuing to carry on his legacy.
“When that happened, I got a mindset to finish what he started doing and didn’t get the chance to do which was play college football. I kept in contact with Coach Goodwin throughout my years in the Marine Corps. He actually came to my brother’s funeral which I am forever grateful for. Right when I was ready to get out after my first contract, I believe he was at Southern Mississippi at the time. I told him that I wanted to play football again, but I ended up having my son who was my first priority. I ended up reenlisting again, so that I could take care of him properly when I did get out.”
College career
After a seven-year career in the Marines, Griffin-Isom enrolled at Palomar College in California.
“When my second enlistment came, I made the decision to get out and go to college,” Griffin-Isom said. “By me not playing football for the past seven or eight years, it was definitely a blessing. I came in and ended up getting all-conference, received a few offers from different schools and it was amazing being able to get out and accomplish what I was able to on behalf of my little brother.”
Griffin-Isom caught 61 passes for 754 yards and seven touchdowns during his time as a Comet, earning a Top-10 JUCO wide receiver rating by 247 Sports in the process.
With no college football set to take place before 2021 for junior colleges in California, Griffin-Isom hasn’t been able to play organized football since the fall of 2019.
“This season got pushed back because of COVID,” Griffin-Isom said. “In the meantime, I moved to Alabama because this is where I signed to. I’ve basically just been staying in shape, getting ready for the spring and spending time with family.”
According to Griffin-Isom, there is no more important thing in life than the latter.
“We’ve always been extremely close and done everything together,” Griffin-Isom said of his family. “Throughout my Marine Corps career and football process that I’ve been going through, they’ve been my number one supporters. Whatever decision I decide to make they’re all on board with it 100 percent. I can’t even express into words how much they mean to me.”
Looking toward NFL
Like most collegiate athletes, making it to the highest level of his or her sport is a goal Griffin-Isom hopes to one day achieve.
“The main thing I really want to accomplish is to take care of my family,” Griffin-Isom said. “They deserve it and I want to give it to them. The day that I can retire my mom and dad is going to be the happiest day of my life. Once I’m able to do that, the possibilities are endless. I also want to be able to make it to the NFL. Those are my main goals in life.”
Even though he is still chasing his own, Griffin-Isom is a walking testimony for those who choose not to give on up on their dreams no matter the obstacles standing in their way.
“I tell a lot of people it is never too late for you to accomplish anything that you want to in life,” Griffin-Isom said. “Don’t listen to the naysayers because once you feed into that, you put yourself in the mindset that maybe you can’t do it. I’ve had a lot people in my life tell me that I wouldn’t be in the position that I am today. One of my friends always told me that you can’t cheat the grind. If you work hard and are being consistent about it, good things will definitely come.”