When backup Grambling quarterback Ashton Frye went down in the second half against Texas Southern, C’Zavion Teasett — nursing an injury himself — could not stay on the sideline.
Wearing a protective boot just days earlier and in street clothes during pregame warmups, Teasett pushed through pain and nearly led Grambling to a comeback victory over Texas Southern after returning from a foot injury.
Head coach Mickey Joseph admitted that he never planned to play Teasett, who was still recovering from the injury. But when Frye left the game, the veteran signal-caller insisted on taking the field.
“I was going to hold him out,” Joseph said. “He’d been in a boot. But when he saw Ashton go down, I knew exactly what he was thinking — ‘I’ve got to get ready.’ He told me they’d have to cut his foot off to keep him out of the game.”
Despite visible discomfort, Teasett went 4-for-4 for 62 yards in the fourth quarter.
“He nearly brought us back,” Joseph said on Monday. “This is his team. He’s our QB1, and everybody knows that. Most kids would’ve said, ‘I’m hurting, I’m sitting out.’ But he played through it. I respect that — him and his family. That kid’s tough.”
What’s the plan for Grambling at quarterback?
The coach confirmed the original injury occurred in the third quarter of the Prairie View game, adding that the decision to return was ultimately a shared one between the player and the medical staff.
“I go off what the doctor tells me — not the trainer,” he said. “If the doctor says he can go, and the kid says he’s ready, then I’ll let him play. But I want to hear it from the doctor, the one with the highest salary.”
Heading into this week’s matchup against UAPB, the quarterback’s status is uncertain. He’ll be evaluated daily, with practice reps going to true freshman QB A’Myne Darensbourg as the team prepares several different game plans depending on the quarterback.
“Teasett came in this morning, so we’re going to see how much he can do,” the coach said. “If he feels good, we’ll be ready to go. But right now, he’s day-to-day.”
