And then, in the second quarter of the USC game, Dunn was removed from the game. Enter Roberson, and the story goes from there. The junior quarterback would go 10-of-15 passing while racking up 204 total yards as he engineered four scoring drives to lead the Wildcats to a 27-20 victory over the No. 11 Trojans.
Snyder gave Roberson a C-minus for his performance in the USC game. Following Saturday's game, Gregory gave himself a C-plus. Little harsh, don't you think?
It all has a familiar ring to it. Coffman is the Dunn of 2009, and by no means by saying that am I calling Gregory the Roberson of 2002-2003, because he's not.
But you get the picture. Coffman doesn't have the physical attributes of a typical Snyder quarterback, one predicated on being able to run and throw. He lacks the mobility to escape pressure in the pocket and at times panicked when there was no reason to.
Gregory is built more in the mold of a traditional Snyder quarterback. He has athleticism and some speed, which is of extra importance for this season's team.
There are holes on this squad. The offensive line isn't anywhere near perfect. Improved? Yes, but it's still a work in progress. So one of the ways to hide a hole is to have a quarterback who can elude mistakes — one who can turn a broken-play into a 54-yard touchdown just like Gregory did Saturday against the Cyclones.
"I do some things and they're not always the way they're drawn up," Gregory said following the game. "But I also feel like I can make some plays when they're not there. I might not always make the play that is there, unfortunately."
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound sixth-year senior isn't perfect. He admits that. He threw an interception and checked into a couple of bad plays at the line of scrimmage Saturday. But the positives far outweigh the negatives.
"I'm not the prettiest quarterback,'' Gregory said. "I don't have an NFL arm. But I have a passion for the game and I know how to play the game pretty well and that's what I pride myself on. I helped teams win in high school and I always thought I could do the same thing if I ever got a chance in college.''
His ability to improvise in the pocket, avoid sacks, and actually throw the ball away show he's the right man to quarterback this team through the final seven games.
Gregory is your typical great story. He's 23 years old, is at his third college in six years, and had never started a college game until Saturday. That's what makes it so great. He could have gave up — he never did. He could have pouted while holding the clipboard on the sideline, but he didn't. He could have said, 'why me?' when an injury prevented him from possibly starting for South Florida during his sophomore year — he refused.
He truly loves the game. It's fun for him and that's something a lot of high-profile athletes lose sight of during their careers. Not Gregory, for he's been through too much to not appreciate the moment.
"Some guys get to college and they're four-year starters and things like that," he said. "For me, it's been tough sitting on the bench for five years. Now I got to play one game and I will cherish this and hope I get a chance next week."
