Father/son, head coach/QB: Don and Grayson Fellows trying to savor final season together at Kenowa Hills

BY SCOTT DECAMP

For Michigan Sports Radio

GRAND RAPIDS – For as long as he can remember, Grayson Fellows has been along for the ride during his father’s coaching journey.

That carries some literal meaning, too. Fellows recalls riding the bus and having conversations with players, who took him under their wing.

“It’s been great,” Grayson Fellows said, thinking back as far as Don Fellows’ coaching run at Grand Rapids Christian, where he guided the Eagles to the MHSAA Division 3 state title in 2012.

“I mean, it started as a little boy and then toward the end at Grand Rapids Christian, I started being like the ball boy and watching the game and stuff. I’ve always been around players like Alex (VanDeVusse), his quarterback.” 

Don Fellows coached at Grand Rapids Union before being hired by Kenowa Hills in 2024.

Fast forward a couple years: Grayson Fellows is a 6-foot, 190-pound senior quarterback for the Knights, who have visions of a Division 4 state championship run.

The Michigan Tech commit recently reached the 6,000-yard passing yardage milestone for his high school career. Fellows is 392-for-607 (65 percent) for 6,367 yards with 44 touchdowns. This season, he’s 68-for-102 (67 percent) for 1,184 yards with 13 TDs and two interceptions.

“I think the thing with Grayson is, he’s not going to wow you with arm strength. He’s super accurate with the football,” Don Fellows said. “He’s not going to throw it 70 yards, but he’s a football player. I think that’s what Michigan Tech likes about him: That he’s a winner.”

Kenowa Hills certainly has been winning with Don Fellows at the helm and son Grayson at the QB controls.

In the coach’s 2 ½ seasons, the Knights sport an 18-7 overall record. They went 6-4 in year one, 8-2 with a River Cities Alliance title in year two, and they’re off to a 4-1 start in year three.

Kenowa Hills is entering the home stretch for 2026, as only four regular-season games remain. Those four contests should help prepare the Knights (3-0 RCA) for the postseason, starting with this Friday’s league test at Cedar Springs (2-3, 2-1 RCA).

The next three weeks feature Battle Creek Harper Creek (4-1) in a big nonleague game, followed by conference showdowns against Lowell (3-2, 2-1 RCA), and Coopersville (5-0, 2-0 RCA).

“When I first saw (the schedule), I think it was great for us because you get that experience, like the cold (weather), the hard game, the packed stands,” Grayson Fellows said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us to just get the kinks out early. I think it’ll help us, especially when we go to the playoffs. We’ll be like, ‘We’ve done this before.’ Like, our hearts (are) not all racing and stuff.”

The beginning of this season did not go as hoped for Grayson Fellows and his team. Kenowa Hills fell to reigning Division 3 state champ DeWitt, 59-21, in the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State.

Grayson Fellows said he and his team knew DeWitt would be a big challenge – that’s why the game was scheduled. Since the opener, the Knights have outscored opponents by a combined 185-20 margin.

On a personal level, Grayson Fellows said he did not begin the season how he envisioned. He admitted to making “little mistakes,” but they’re things he’s cleaned up. He focused on doing “all the little things right,” and in Week 3 against Greenville he believes he got on track.

“He is more confident in himself this year and more communicative in all aspects. He stayed focused on the process and kept the team moving forward,” Don Fellows said.

With a player like Grayson Fellows, it goes beyond the stats. His dad said he’s a “very intelligent football player,” who works hard in film study and knows the playbook inside and out.

“He gets everybody going when we’re down sometimes,” said Kenowa Hills senior running back Lundon Hampton, who is a Michigan commit. “He’s a great quarterback. When the first read is not there, he’s looking for the second or third read. He always makes good plays when we need him down the stretch.”

Added senior receiver Will Fussman, a Central Michigan commit: “Amazing player and also an amazing human. He’s a great friend of mine. I couldn’t do my job without him, so it’s great.”

It hasn’t been an easy season for the Fellows family. Don Fellows served a two-game suspension for alleged MHSAA rule violations associated with Kenowa Hills’ strength and conditioning class.

During Don Fellows’ absence, brother and Knights assistant Jeremy Fellows took the reins.

“When you’re winning, eyes are on you, they’re doing anything to beat you down,” Grayson Fellows said. “I mean, as a team, we’re all positive. My uncle Jeremy stepped up to be head coach when (his dad) was gone. Our coaching staff is so good. Like, in the game, we couldn’t even tell he was gone. We’re a big family.”

Of course, Grayson Fellows prefers his dad is there with him.

Father and son are savoring this final season together

“I am trying to enjoy every minute of it,” Don Fellows said. “It’s been the highlight of my coaching career. I don’t want it to be over.”

Said Grayson Fellows: “It’s really starting to hit me now. It’s Week 6 and in the regular season we only have four more games. It literally went in a blink of an eye. … I’m a senior now but I actually feel like I’m a seventh-year player. I feel so experienced, especially in this offense because I’ve been playing since third grade in this offense.”

Featured photo at the top: Kenowa Hills senior quarterback Grayson Fellows and father Don Fellows, the Knights’ head coach, are pictured during practice Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, at Kenowa Hills High School. (Photo | Scott DeCamp)