It takes courage to strap on a helmet and play football.
It takes a different type of mettle to challenge a gaggle of young football players to a foot race, but that’s what ETSU linebacker Grant Bullard did, earlier this month at Charlie Browder’s football camp.
Bullard ended up beating the campers to the line. They continued to give chase and eventually buried him in a playful dogpile.
He’ll be taking bigger hits going forward, as ETSU opened its 2026 fall camp today.
The new season also represents the best chance yet for Bullard to carve out a significant role. It will be his third year with the Bucs and fourth in the college game. He followed Tre Lamb to ETSU from Gardner Webb in 2024 after sitting out the 2023 campaign as a true freshman. At the end of the 2024 season, Lamb moved on to Tulsa. Bullard decided to stay put.
Speaking to I-81 Sports at the Browder camp, Bullard discussed his decision to remain at ETSU, and his journey through college football. Specifically, that when Lamb left for Tulsa, he realized that college ball was a business.
“That’s the goal of coaches, I feel like, to get to the highest level where they can make the most money. As a player, that’s not really my goal,” Bullard said. “I’m not doing it for money, not for NIL. I was happy where I was at. I had a group of friends. I was meeting people. I was ready to take a chance on myself and meet a new coach. Since that happened, it’s been an absolute blessing.”
Bullard got more playing time in 2025 under Will Healy than he did the previous season under Lamb. The linebacker played in five games, including ETSU’s meeting with Tennessee.
“What I love about coach Healy is, you’ve got a coaches’ coach or you’ve got a players’ coach,” Bullard said. “Coach Healy always makes sure that the players’ needs come first. He treats us like we’re a friend of his and not just a player. He allows all of us players to just get so close.”
Bullard and senior Dre Delinois, one of the top tacklers on the 2025 Bucs, are providing the experience and leadership for the linebacker corps this season.
“Me and Andre … this is the closest we’ve ever felt with the guys in our room,” Bullard said.
With ETSU opening fall camp today, Bullard shared some of the players he thinks Bucs fans should keep their eye on as the build begins to the new season. Transfer quarterbacks Jayden Davis (Michigan) and Jake McNamara (New Mexico State) are on that list.
“Jayden Davis, he’s a ball player. I think he’s gonna be a playmaker,” Bullard said. “Jake, once he transfers it to the field, he’s been balling in practice. He can make something happen.”
Bullard also suggested keeping an eye on Kingsport native Charlie Browder. The pundits at SoCon Media Days agreed, naming Browder the first-team all-conference tight end.
ETSU opens its 2026 season in a month, August 29, against Campbell.