JACKSON, Ms. — The journey from the suburbs of Jackson, Mississippi to Pac-12 country is not a frequent one, but Gardner Minshew's dad Flint has been relentless in following his son all over the west coast during his senior year.
Flint's travel has been nearly as relentless as Minshew on the football field.
"He just early on equated work ethic and work to success," said Flint Minshew, Gardner Minshew's dad. "I think he was just too hard-headed to listen to other people, which is good. It worked out good."
I think WSU fans would also agree that that mindset worked out pretty good, even if the Minshew family didn't know much about Washington State football, or Pac-12 football as a whole, before Gardner committed.
"Just like anybody else, we didn't watch a ton of Pac-12 because it comes on at midnight," said the Mississippi resident. "It's typically a ball game you turn on to go to sleep or what not."
So that means the season that Gardner and the Cougs are having Flint didn't necessarily see coming.
"The expectations weren't low but they weren't high. It was just, 'Hey, let's get up there and see what happens.' We felt like, 'Hey, he's never gotten to go to go to a bowl game other than in junior college.' Just hoping to go somewhere, have some success, win some ball games, and go from there.
As for future predictions?
Flint says that's not where Gardner's mind is right now.
"I think he, right now in his career, just appreciates where he's at. He knows, 'Hey, I'm not guaranteed any more ball after this year.' He's just out there trying to win ball games. They've got a good group of guys out there that he's real tight with.
And in the present?
Well, Gardner's dad's feelings towards his son haven't changed much either.
"I've always been super proud just because of the way he worked. That's what you want when your kids play sports. It's a life lesson in, 'Hey you keep plugging, you keep working, and good things will happen.'"