Eddie Gran shows that you can go back home

Eddie Gran (Vicky Graff Photo)

Author Thomas Wolfe wrote a classic novel entitled “You Can’t Go Home Again” that was posthumously published in 1940. It tells the story of a fledgling author, George Webber,  who leaves his small hometown, writes a book about it and the book makes his hometown famous.

When he returns to his home later in life he is celebrated by some because of all he did to put his hometown on the map but he is reviled by others because they believe the book degraded his hometown and caused it to be less than it really was.

I thought about that novel when I heard that Eddie Gran, former offensive coordinator for the Kentucky Wildcats, was returning to the football staff as special assistant to the head coach. The reason that novel came to mind was because, like George Webber, Eddie Gran helped to make the Wildcats famous in the football world. As a head coach at Kentucky, Mark Stoops was 12-24 before Eddie Gran arrived on the scene. UK’s record after Gran took over the offense was 37-26, well above Kentucky’s historical winning percentage of .500.

Not only did Gran help UK win but he did it in a way that brought national attention to the Wildcats. In 2018 when Kentucky was 10-3 and finished as the No. 15 team in the country Gran tailored an offense that allowed Benny Snell  to be showcased as a runner. Snell became the leading rusher in Kentucky Football history and brought national notoriety to the Cats.

Then, as an encore in 2019, down two quarterbacks to injury, Gran completely reconfigured the offense during the season and moved wide receiver Lynn Bowden to quarterback, and the rest, they say, is history. Bowden became a dominant offensive figure in college football in 2019. Analysts across the country marveled at how Kentucky could run the ball at will with their opponent knowing that they were going to run it. It was an exciting football season with an exciting running game that put the Cats in the national spotlight.

After the Covid-impacted 2020 season when Kentucky played an all-SEC schedule and finished 5-6 with a bowl victory over favored North Carolina State, Eddie Gran and Mark Stoops agreed that for the betterment of the program Eddie Gran would step down as offensive coordinator.

Here is the parallel between George Webber in “You Can’t Go Home Again” and Eddie Gran. Both helped put their respective homes on the map, figuratively speaking, and when they returned home some welcomed them with open arms while others reviled them. It’s interesting that a person’s perspective about a single accomplishment, in Gran’s case, is what some consider a boring running offense that won football games, causes great positive energy and great negative energy from the same group of people.

But in the case of Gran, it doesn’t matter because you can go home again and he has. Kentucky football is home no matter what some fans think. Gran helped make Kentucky football what it is today. Stoops said as much on Friday when he announced Gran was returning to the program.

“I’m grateful to have somebody with the experience of Eddie Gran rejoining our program in a different capacity. Eddie has a wealth of experience in many different areas. He will be an asset to me and our program,” Stoops said.

And just like that Kentucky adds another great coach to the staff. One that has been a running backs coach; one that has been a special teams coach; one that has been a high-level offensive coordinator and, most of all, one that has been a winner everywhere he’s been. As offensive coordinator at Florida State Gran’s record was 31-10, at Cincinnati 25-14 and at Kentucky 37-26 and he’s always done it with class. 

Gran is home. Mark Stoops believes it and Gran knows it. Gran said on Friday after the announcement, “Why would I come back? It’s simple. I love Kentucky. I love working with Coach Stoops and I want to be a positive role model in these young men’s lives. I am excited to have the opportunity to return to this program and help any way I can. This place is special, and it’s where I want to work and finish out my career.”

And hopefully he will because no matter what role Gran takes on with the Cats, he will always be a winner and he will always be a Wildcat. It’s just that simple, Gran is home.