*Grizzlies Roar in the Playoffs

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Like the rest of the tournament, the Prospect Bowl playoffs were filled with action and drama. But, in the end, only one team could come out on top.

In the first round, the Central Grizzlies upset the number-one ranked Southwest Foxes. The Grizzlies, who barely managed to enter the playoffs, never trailed during the game against the Foxes, who were the favorites to win the championship. While no individual player dominated the stat sheet, every player put up an impressive performance on the way to the 17-10 win. The shocking victory spoke to the Grizzlies' chemistry; nearly every Grizzlies player who has spoken to the media has emphasized the positive attitudes and "team-first" mindset present in this Grizzlies squad. The win was clearly a team effort, so there was obviously some truth to those statements.

In the Prospect Bowl finals, the Grizzlies faced off against surprise contender the Pacific Owls. The Owls won the final three games of the tournament to earn a playoff spot, and managed to eke out a win over the Midwest Wolfpack, 23-26. The finals were a back-and-forth affair, with neither team gaining a significant lead. An Owls touchdown late in the third quarter gave them a four-point lead, but a Grizzlies field goal early in the fourth kept the game close. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies were unable to put more points on the board, and when the game clock reached zero, the Owls walked away with the championship, 16-17.

Quenton Bode certainly left his mark on these Prospect Bowl playoffs. He recorded ten tackles and two passes defended over the two games of the playoffs, and was a vocal leader both on and off the field. Many of his teammates have spoken about his locker room presence, his charisma, and his winning attitude during both the tournament and the playoffs. We sat down with him at his home, where he has been preparing for the DSFL Draft, to speak with him one last time about the playoffs and his future:

Question: Tell me how you feel about your performance--yours or the team's--in the playoffs.
Answer: "I feel pretty good about the playoffs. Obviously my stat sheet wasn't anything to write home about, but I've said before that the stat sheet isn't everything. I feel like my performance was solid, and that I worked really well within the gameplan that we had going into those games. I played hard, like I always do, so I have no regrets about my effort. The team's performance was great too. In a team sport like football, you need to have everybody contributing if you want to win. That means that individual performances might suffer, but I don't think that matters as long as you get the win. And in our playoff games, it was obvious that everyone was contributing. No single player stood out, but that wasn't because of a lack of talent. It was because everyone was making plays. And you need that in football. I was really proud of these guys for stepping up and leaving it all on the field. That's really all you can ask for, and they definitely delivered."

Q: The Grizzlies fought hard, but came up one point short of a Prospect Bowl championship. Are you disappointed that you weren't able to come away with the title?
A: "Maybe a little, but not as much as people might think. I definitely don't like to lose, so getting that close and coming up short definitely stung. But a couple of weeks ago, the attitude was that the Grizzlies weren't even going to make the playoffs. Everyone was writing us off, and had already made up their mind that we were done. So not only getting to the playoffs, but getting so close to capturing that title, was a great feeling. It always feels great to prove people wrong, and this Grizzlies squad definitely proved a lot of people wrong. And this squad--man, lemme tell you. We came into this tournament just a bunch of guys, each with our own hopes and dreams. And now we're leaving this tournament not only as a team, but as friends. This tournament has really brought us together, and I'm so glad I managed to find myself with this group of guys. None of us know where we're gonna end up (in the DSFL), but these bonds are going to last for the rest of our careers. So yeah, the loss hurts. But the other things that came out of this tournament--proving the doubters wrong, the friendships we formed--are more important. I'm proud to have been a Grizzly."

Q: Let's talk about the draft. There's been a lot of talk about this draft class, and for good reason. There's also been a lot of talk about you specifically: you've definitely captured the attention of a lot of people, and your draft stock seems to be as high as it's ever been. Have any GMs been in touch with you about the draft? At this point, do you know who is drafting you?
A: "Let me start with this: I have zero clue who's drafting me, or how early in the draft I'll be taken. None at all. I know there's a lot of speculation and rumors and 'he said, she said,' but I personally have not been told anything. I've had a lot of teams--every team but one, in fact--reach out to me, which is really nice. It means a lot to be noticed by the scouts and the GMs, and in a draft class this size, it means even more. It's good to know that I'm doing something right, and that I'm getting recognized in a class that is so deep at every position. I did hear from a reputable source--who will remain anonymous--that my draft stock is very high. That's about all I've heard definitively about my spot in this draft class. And like I've said before, I'm not worried about when I'll be drafted. That doesn't bother me at all. When my name is called, I'll be just as surprised as everybody else--and, obviously, I'll be over the moon."

Q: You've spoken before about your Grizzlies teammates, and how much you'd like to play with them in the DSFL. But I'm curious about your Prospect Bowl opponents. Now that you've played all the other teams--some more than once--are there any other players you'd like to end up with, or maybe avoid, in the DSFL?
A: "Oh man, that's a really good question. Yeah, there are definitely some players I wouldn't mind getting the chance to play with at some point--whether that's in the DSFL or sometime further down the line. Obviously I'd like to share the field with Allen Josh. I think that I could learn a lot from him, and that we'd make a pretty effective team. If I can't stay with Forrest Gump, I think I'd like to share a locker room with Terry Taffy. He's proven himself to be a great player and a good guy, so I feel like he'd be a great teammate. And Nacho Varga definitely showed up this tournament. I feel like he has a great future, and it'd be cool to be there for at least a part of it. To answer your other question, there are definitely a couple of players that I'd prefer not to play with. Obviously I have no control over that whatsoever, so I won't start any drama by naming names. And if I do end up on a team with one of those players, I certainly won't cause any issues in the locker room--I'll keep my head down and do my job. So I do have some opinions about other guys, but I'm sure that there are other guys who feel the same way about me. Honestly, it isn't important--I'm a professional, so I'll do my best whoever I end up with."

Q: Final question. There's a chance that you might not see significant playing time your first year in the DSFL, due to the sheer size of this season's draft class. And the NSFL is already preparing for next season, which will almost certainly feature a large draft class. How do you feel about the prospect of spending the first few years of your professional career as a second- or third-string player in the developmental league? Are you prepared to wait, or do you want playing time right away?
A: (Long pause.) "I've been waiting my whole life for this opportunity. So if I have to wait another year, or two, or three, I'll be more than happy to do that. I've worked hard to get where I am today, and I and so many other people have sacrificed to get me here. I know that I won't be making waves right away, but that's okay. I was a walk-on at Nebraska. Now I'm getting ready for the DSFL draft, and a future as a pro football player. I know a lot of people hate the thought of not being in the spotlight, even for a little while. But I'm more than okay with that. I've spent a lot of time not in the spotlight, and it hasn't hurt me one bit. I know that if I keep working, keep playing hard, keep doing what I've been doing, that I'll get where I want to go. I'm patient. I'll wait as long as I have to, and I'll work as hard as I ever have. I'm not going to give up on my lifelong dream because I'm suddenly not the best. I'm not worried about my future. I know what's in store for me, and even though it might take me a while to get there, I'm going to get there, and nothing is going to get in my way."

The DSFL Draft airs tonight at 8:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time.