Garrett Chisolm
Encyclopedia
Garrett Chisolm is an American football
offensive guard. He played college football
as an offensive lineman for the South Carolina Gamecocks
. As a senior, the former walk-on was selected as a second-team All-SEC
player, was a semi-finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, won 2011 Gamecock Inspiration Award, was named to the 2010 SEC Football Community Service Team, and was nominated by Steve Spurrier
for the Rudy Awards
. Chisolm spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins
of the National Football League
(NFL) in 2011, and spent one week on the team's practice squad.
, Chisolm grew up in South Carolina and attended West Ashley High School
in Charleston, South Carolina
. He played football for West Ashley and also threw the shot put and discus for the track team. After graduating from high school in 2006, Chisolm was not recruited by the major college football powers. He attended Pikeville College
in Kentucky and later enrolled Trident Technical College
in Charleston.
. After spending one year at South Carolina, Chisolm tried out for the South Carolina Gamecocks football
team as an unrecruited walk-on football player. He started practicing with the scout team in August 2009 and quickly drew the attention of the coaching staff. Head coach Steve Spurrier
recalled, "I remember one day coach Lorenzo Ward said, 'That new kid over there has knocked our guys on their butts.'" Spurrier was also impressed by Chisolm's work ethic: "He's got a wonderful attitude that hopefully will rub off on all these other players. As a coach, you love those kind of guys. You love those guys that really act like this is important to them."
Chisolm made the team as an offensive lineman and earned his first start in early November 2009. After earning his third consecutive start against Clemson, Chisolm's quick rise to the starting lineup for an SEC squad was described as "one of the best stories in the league." Reminding the press that Chisolm had not even joined the team until two weeks before the season started, offensive line coach Eric Wolford
said, "I wouldn't think that's ever happened in the history of the SEC. It may have, but it was probably a long time ago." Strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald also noted the remarkable nature of Chisolm's accomplishments:
During the 2009 season, Chisolm established himself as one of the best players on the squad. Chris Low, SEC specialist for ESPN.com
, said of Chisolm: "He really is one of the best success stories in this league, starting his career as a walk-on, working his way up to where he's not only a part of that offensive line but he's an integral part of that offensive line and now starting."
and helped lead the team to its first SEC East football title.
Adding to the obstacles facing Chisolm in his senior year, Chisolm suffered an ACL
injury that ultimately required surgery in January 2011 to surgically repair his right leg.
Having joined the team as an unrecruited walk-on, Chisolm became a second-team All-SEC player and also won several academic awards, including the Harold White GPA Award. In September 2010, Chisolm was selected as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, awarded annually to the top scholar-athlete in college football
. He was also named to the 2010 SEC Football Community Service Team for his volunteer work reading at elementary schools, feeding the homeless, and preparing food for the needy at the Harvest of Hope food bank. He also won the Gamecock Inspiration Award in April 2011 as South Carolina's most inspirational athlete during the 2010-2011 academic year. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier
also nominated Chisolm for the Rudy Awards
.
In April 2011, Chisolm was the subject of an in-depth feature story by Yahoo Sports. In the story, Jason Cole described Chisolm's story as follows: "To find a man out of tryout who is big enough, athletic enough and smart enough to play major college football is as likely as finding a wild iguana in the far reaches of Canada, even if you give that guy two years to get ready. Chisolm did it in the space of three months and then came back as a full-time starter the following season."
of the National Football League
. He spent most of the pre-season on the injured list while recovering from ACL surgery. He was cut on September 4, 2011, in the Dolphins' final round of cuts, but he was then signed as a practice squad member of the 2011 Miami Dolphins
. He was released from the practice squad on September 12.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive guard. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as an offensive lineman for the South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
. As a senior, the former walk-on was selected as a second-team All-SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
player, was a semi-finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, won 2011 Gamecock Inspiration Award, was named to the 2010 SEC Football Community Service Team, and was nominated by Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
for the Rudy Awards
Rudy Awards
The Rudy Awards are two awards given annually by the Rudy Foundation of Henderson, Nevada to the High school and Division I college football players who demonstrate exemplary character, courage, contribution and commitment as members of their teams.-Eponym:...
. Chisolm spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) in 2011, and spent one week on the team's practice squad.
Early years
Born in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, Chisolm grew up in South Carolina and attended West Ashley High School
West Ashley High School
West Ashley High School was created in 2000, when Charleston County School District merged Middleton High School and St. Andrew's High schools. The school is a part of St. Andrew's Constituent District #10.- Notable events :...
in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. He played football for West Ashley and also threw the shot put and discus for the track team. After graduating from high school in 2006, Chisolm was not recruited by the major college football powers. He attended Pikeville College
Pikeville College
The University of Pikeville is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, located in Pikeville, Kentucky. The university is home to one of three medical schools in the state of Kentucky. It's current president is former Kentucky Governor Paul E...
in Kentucky and later enrolled Trident Technical College
Trident Technical College
Trident Technical College is a two-year college based in the City of North Charleston, Charleston and Dorchester counties in South Carolina. It is part of the South Carolina Technical College System. Enrollment for each semester is approximately 12,000 students working their way toward college...
in Charleston.
2009 season
In 2008, Chisolm enrolled at the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. After spending one year at South Carolina, Chisolm tried out for the South Carolina Gamecocks football
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
team as an unrecruited walk-on football player. He started practicing with the scout team in August 2009 and quickly drew the attention of the coaching staff. Head coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
recalled, "I remember one day coach Lorenzo Ward said, 'That new kid over there has knocked our guys on their butts.'" Spurrier was also impressed by Chisolm's work ethic: "He's got a wonderful attitude that hopefully will rub off on all these other players. As a coach, you love those kind of guys. You love those guys that really act like this is important to them."
Chisolm made the team as an offensive lineman and earned his first start in early November 2009. After earning his third consecutive start against Clemson, Chisolm's quick rise to the starting lineup for an SEC squad was described as "one of the best stories in the league." Reminding the press that Chisolm had not even joined the team until two weeks before the season started, offensive line coach Eric Wolford
Eric Wolford
-External links:*...
said, "I wouldn't think that's ever happened in the history of the SEC. It may have, but it was probably a long time ago." Strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald also noted the remarkable nature of Chisolm's accomplishments:
"You can go an entire career and you'll never see another story like this, never. ... If you're a walk-on in the [Southeastern Conference], you're lucky if you finish out your eligibility by being a part-timer on special teams. You might start a few games along the way as a part-time fullback. You don't become a starter in a couple of months, especially on the offensive line."
During the 2009 season, Chisolm established himself as one of the best players on the squad. Chris Low, SEC specialist for ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
, said of Chisolm: "He really is one of the best success stories in this league, starting his career as a walk-on, working his way up to where he's not only a part of that offensive line but he's an integral part of that offensive line and now starting."
2010 season
In the months before his senior year, Chisolm's parents, who ran a janitorial service in Charleston, both died of cancer. His mother, Purcella, died of ovarian cancer on January 8, 2010, and Chisolm considered leaving school to help his father run the family's janitorial business. He stayed in school, but spent hours driving 115 miles between Columbia and Charleston, "often taking off just after practice to help his father, Garrett Sr., after the death of his mother." In the spring, his father developed a cough which was eventually diagnosed as lung cancer. Chisolm stayed in school, but continued to make the 115-mile drive from Columiba to Charleston to see his father. His father died on September 15, 2010. Despite the loss of both parents, Chisolm continued to compete for the 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his sixth season at USC...
and helped lead the team to its first SEC East football title.
Adding to the obstacles facing Chisolm in his senior year, Chisolm suffered an ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury that ultimately required surgery in January 2011 to surgically repair his right leg.
Having joined the team as an unrecruited walk-on, Chisolm became a second-team All-SEC player and also won several academic awards, including the Harold White GPA Award. In September 2010, Chisolm was selected as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, awarded annually to the top scholar-athlete in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. He was also named to the 2010 SEC Football Community Service Team for his volunteer work reading at elementary schools, feeding the homeless, and preparing food for the needy at the Harvest of Hope food bank. He also won the Gamecock Inspiration Award in April 2011 as South Carolina's most inspirational athlete during the 2010-2011 academic year. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
also nominated Chisolm for the Rudy Awards
Rudy Awards
The Rudy Awards are two awards given annually by the Rudy Foundation of Henderson, Nevada to the High school and Division I college football players who demonstrate exemplary character, courage, contribution and commitment as members of their teams.-Eponym:...
.
In April 2011, Chisolm was the subject of an in-depth feature story by Yahoo Sports. In the story, Jason Cole described Chisolm's story as follows: "To find a man out of tryout who is big enough, athletic enough and smart enough to play major college football is as likely as finding a wild iguana in the far reaches of Canada, even if you give that guy two years to get ready. Chisolm did it in the space of three months and then came back as a full-time starter the following season."
Professional football
In July 2011, Chisolm signed a contract with the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He spent most of the pre-season on the injured list while recovering from ACL surgery. He was cut on September 4, 2011, in the Dolphins' final round of cuts, but he was then signed as a practice squad member of the 2011 Miami Dolphins
2011 Miami Dolphins season
The 2011 Miami Dolphins season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano...
. He was released from the practice squad on September 12.