The ability to put one’s heart and soul into every aspect of their life can only be defined by one word: commitment.
Since his arrival at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2000, senior linebacker Grant Cochran has exemplified commitment, in the classroom and on the football field.
As a freshman, the Kent, Wash., native could be described as a shadow of the y
oung man we see today. Not quite developed physically, continuous injuries and mental mistakes on the field plagued him throughout his first year. He played defensive back in six games, making 20 tackles, including seven unassisted, and one interception.
At the conclusion of his season Grant embarked on a journey that would completely change him in the eyes of his coaches and teammates. He spent two years away from school taking part in a Mormon mission. It was an important time in Grant’s life and, when he returned to the RPI campus in 2003, he was “a mature and focused young man,” according to head coach Joe King.
Grant stepped onto ‘86 Field a stronger and more determined player in his sophomore season. He saw action in 12 games, making 89 tackles, including a team-high 55 unassisted, in helping the Engineers play in the National Semi-Finals. His confidence grew on the field, leading to his selection as a captain for his junior year.
It would become a season of strength and versatility as he endured a number of defeats and triumphs.
“Last year his shoulder would pop out in a game, they’d just pop it back in and he’d go right back out there basically with one arm,” says King.
That shoulder injury would test his capacity to play through pain nearly every game of the season, yet his perseverance became an enduring quality the coaches could count on. They believe that is the reason why he has become a player and a person whom his teammates respect and trust on and off the football field.
“The biggest thing about Grant is his leadership ability,” explains assistant coach Pat Delmonaco. “He understands what we ask of him, and he understands how to relate to the players. Combined with his ability to manage time, he knows how to get things done.”
“I think moreso than any speeches he could make it’s his actions, and people have to respect that.”
Grant made 65 tackles (37 unassisted), including at least two tackles in every game, in his junior season. His presence on the field was recognized not only by his coaches, teammates and the Rensselaer community, but also by the Liberty League and ESPN the Magazine. He was All-League and selected to the National Academic All-America College Division III Football Second Team.
Grant’s work in the classroom as a biomedical engineering major has earned him other academic honors, including numerous appearances on the Dean’s List and the Liberty League All-Academic squad. On top of his extremely busy academic and football schedules, he’s also a squad leader in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.
“My experience has taught me that I am capable of doing a lot more than I think,” Grant reveals. “The coaches and especially the training staff expect a lot from you, so do your professors and the ROTC instructors. Sometimes it seems as though I can’t get it all done, but by working hard and not giving up, somehow everything is accomplished.”
Continuing to develop more and more each year, it has been a pleasure for King to watch Cochran’s transformation from a novice freshman to a focused and driven leader entering his senior season. It is his drive to balance football, classes, exams, and everyday life that make Grant so special to King.
“He is not a one-dimensional person at all,” explains King, who has seen Grant master a number of positions, including defensive back, free and strong safety and his current position at linebacker. “He’s comfortable this year with where he’s at in his life on and off the field, maybe for the first time.”
Getting to that point of being comfortable took the experience of a grueling spring semester in 2005, one that Grant believes is among his greatest achievements.
“I’m pretty proud of a series of accomplishments last spring. I was taking 20 difficult credits (O-Chem, Advanced Physiology, Dynamics etc…), preparing for the April MCAT, rehabbing from two recent shoulder surgeries, as well as fulfilling ROTC, and other football duties. Then I started to date Alene and I decided sleep wasn’t very important,” Grant explains, “We got engaged a couple weeks before the MCAT and my head was spinning. But I made it out alive, scored well on the MCAT, maintained my GPA and you’ll have to ask Alene if I succeeded with her.”
Succeed he did. It was an extra special wedding day for the Cochrans, who were married this summer with their reception being held amongst family, friends and teammates on ‘86 Field.
“There isn’t anywhere east of the Mississippi that means more to me. It’s a place where my family and I have had a lot of fun. My brother Andy actually suggested it,” explains Grant, who also battled Mono last semester. “When I talked to Coach King he chuckled. Alene agreed to it with two stipulations: I wasn’t allowed to play catch, and we had to keep all footballs out from under the tent.”
While his family name has become a sort of institution with five out of six older brothers having played football here at Rensselaer, Grant has made a definitive impression on this school and program as a unique individual who refuses to give up, continuing to strive toward success in all aspects of his life.
“College has taught me that if I want to be happy and successful, I need to commit to meaningful things,” Cochran said. “I think people are afraid of commitment, but the only times I have felt satisfied is by making and keeping commitments. Whether it be to my God, on the football field, in the classroom, to the military, or with Alene, commitment is a necessary component for happiness.”
His commitment to his family, his education and to the team makes him a young man who, at this moment in time, is everywhere he is supposed to be – on and off the field.
