"When I was going to Redwood Middle School, I remember going to the Saratoga games at Los Gatos High," Griffin recalls. "We would play football on the side field behind the grandstand, then go in and watch the game.

"I always looked forward to when I would be playing for Saratoga."

Beginning in the fall of 2000, Griffin's dream came true. He was a starting running back for three seasons for the Falcons' varsity team. During his junior year, he helped Saratoga reach the semi-finals of the Central Coast Section Division IV play-offs. As a senior he earned all-Santa Clara Valley Athletic League honors.

"John is a very hard worker and a dedicated athlete," praises Saratoga coach Kurt Heinrich. "He loves Saratoga football, and he loved the challenge of winning at our school. John and his class took great pride in representing our town and our school."

The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder is now using his work ethic, pride and dedication while fulfilling his "dream to play college ball."

Not only is he playing college football, he's playing for the top-rated college football team in America. On Jan. 3, USC won its second straight national championship, defeating Oklahoma University in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.

"The whole team traveled to the game and we were treated like kings," Griffin recalls the week of festivities that preceded the big game. "We stayed at a five-star hotel with a balcony view of the ocean. They bused us everywhere with a police escort."

And then it was game-time in front of 77,912 spectators and a national television audience.

"All of the flashbulbs were going off, and it felt like we were in the center of the universe," Griffin says. "Going in we felt that Oklahoma would be one of our biggest challenges during the past two seasons."

USC won convincingly, 55-19. Griffin was set to enter the game in the final moments, but his team was shut down on its last drive and had to give the ball up. "If we would have gotten a first down, I would have gone in," he says.

Griffin, as the "fifth-string running back behind some of the best athletes in the country," understands his role.

"I lose my voice almost every game," he explains. "The mental state of the team is very important. The guys who don't start try to help the starters stay fired up and keep everyone on the same page."

Griffin suited up for nine games in 2004—all seven home games, a game at Stanford and the Orange Bowl. His "biggest thrill so far" came on Oct. 23 against Washington. He carried the ball on the final two plays of the game—a 2-yard gain, followed by a 7-yarder.

"Coach (Pete) Carroll knows how much it means to me to be a part of this team," says Griffin. "Running that ball was a culmination of 10 years of playing football."

Griffin earned another opportunity a few weeks later in the latter stages of a game against Arizona. His number was called once, but the play was called back because of a penalty.

"All of the assistants were joking that I still have my (rushing) average intact," Griffin laughs. "They keep telling me 4.5 yards a carry is pretty good."

Carroll, a former Saratoga resident, was Heinrich's college coach. He gave Griffin an opportunity to "walk on" to the Trojans' program as a non-scholarship player after Griffin participated in a summer camp prior to his senior year at Saratoga.

Heinrich recalls Griffin's enthusiasm and intensity when he returned from the camp. "John told me he wanted to walk on at USC and he wanted my help to do so. I spoke with Pete and he cleared a way for John.

"Can you imagine John going to practice every day against the No. 1 defense in college football?" Heinrich asks rhetorically. "Shoot, that takes great character and determination. You have to respect John's single-mindedness to succeed."

Griffin is already gearing up for spring practice that begins in April. He says he is "weight lifting and running, trying to improve my strength, size and speed." His goal is to "win a starting position on the kick-off team or some other special team."

Some of Griffin's 100-plus teammates "come to USC because they want to go to the NFL," but he is using the opportunity to "take advantage of a degree in business." He just started his fourth semester; each time he has carried a load of 17 units.

Griffin's enjoying his journey, and making the best of it. He says he appreciates special moments like the one he had in the middle of the Los Angeles Coliseum floor on Oct. 9, following his team's game against UC Berkeley.

It was there that he met up with one of his "hard core, best buddies" at Saratoga, Greg Van Hoesen—a walk-on and redshirt freshman for the Golden Bears.

"We got a chance to shake hands and reflect," Griffin says. "Two best friends at Saratoga, a small-town high school, meeting in the bowl of a stadium with 92,000 fans—it was surreal."