Maryland’s Greg China-Rose: Former walk-on never quit on football dream

“Do not ever give up. Do you see your dream? Do you imagine in your dream? You then do no matter it takes to get to your dream.”

These are the phrases of Greg China-Rose, a redshirt senior defensive lineman for the Maryland Terrapins. On Saturday towards the Michigan Wolverines (midday ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app), China-Rose will line up throughout from the relatively giant, scary and proficient offensive linemen of the defending Huge Ten champs.

However China-Rose is not more likely to again down. He is already been via a lot.

Tom Rinaldi shared China-Rose’s story on Saturday’s “Huge Midday Kickoff.”

China-Rose performed highschool ball at DeMatha Excessive Faculty in Maryland, competing alongside present Washington Commanders star Chase Younger. However whereas Younger went on to dominate at Ohio State and finally change into the No. 2 general decide within the 2020 NFL Draft, China-Rose went just about unnoticed.

“I believed I might have gotten at the very least one alternative to a Energy 5 college,” China-Rose mentioned. “I believed if I simply maintain placing within the onerous work that any individual will see me.”

However no person did.

China-Rose as an alternative discovered himself enjoying at FCS Robert Morris. Then, after the teaching employees was fired, he left this system and acquired a job working at a GNC retailer. The shop was throughout the road from Robert Morris’ stadium, and he discovered the sounds of recreation day to be torture.

“I used to be listening to the gang roar from Robert Morris,” he mentioned. “At that time I discovered that this is not what I need to do. I do not need to work in a retailer. I need to proceed to play soccer.”

He entered Lackawanna School, which he helped attain the junior school nationwide title recreation. Nonetheless, there have been no scholarship affords on the desk, so he walked on for coach Mike Locksley at Maryland.

“I made it my purpose to ensure that I produced for them,” China-Rose mentioned, “and present them that I can do no matter you want me to do.”

Whereas the participant was on the trail he wished, life off the sphere grew fuller — but extra difficult — when he and his girlfriend grew to become mother and father, their daughter born with a situation that restricted her vary of movement.

 “I do all the things due to her,” China-Rose mentioned. “I see what she goes via. She’s only a fighter.”

Whereas China-Rose labored to assist his daughter, his combat on the sphere continued to catch the discover of Locksley, who determined his veteran lineman deserved a reward. He organized for NBA star Kevin Durant — a Maryland native — to provide an inspirational speech to the crew. After the speech, Durant stunned everybody by saying that China-Rose had been awarded a scholarship.

“[Walk-ons] are guys that play the sport as a result of they find it irresistible they usually need to, not as a result of they get a scholarship or test,” Locksley mentioned on the time. “And so, you already know, anytime you possibly can reward them and in addition publicly do it actually helps the morale and it’s nice that it occurs.”

China-Rose completed with 5 sacks final season, in addition to a fumble return for a landing within the Terps’ victory over Virginia Tech within the Pinstripe Bowl. This season, he has eight tackles and a sack via three video games. 

“I actually simply suppose that all the things I labored for, I used to be rewarded for,” he mentioned. “I wasn’t simply doing it in useless.”

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