Steeples said that he and Granderson wanted to develop the character of students through the football program.

“He had his own special way of going about things, and the kids really loved him,” Steeples said. “He was kind of like a big brother.”

He said the student athletes on the De Smet football team were grieving Monday when they heard about Granderson’s death.

“Initially it was shock. Then a lot of tears,” he said. “Then a few laughs in between remembering the more positive things about him.”

Steeples said he and Granderson knew of each other when they were high school athletes and kept in touch during their careers. When Steeples came to work at De Smet, Granderson was one of the first coaches he hired.

In the wake of the devastating news, Steeples said he encouraged students to value life.

“Rarely do we get to choose when we go, but we can choose how we live,” he said he told students.

He also said he told them to model Granderson by developing themselves in positive ways each day and focusing on how to make life better for other people.

“That’s what we can really do to pay it forward for Jaz,” Steeples said.