Guts vs Glory (6 page)

A few weeks, later my plan seemed
to backfire.  The summer linemen camp was created just for linemen and only
involved the line coach.  Two-a-day practices were another beast.  After the
first day, we realized why the other players resented Mike and I the previous
year for missing these workouts.  Two-a-days included the whole team, involved
the entire coaching staff, and lasted two weeks.  The workouts were more
intense than lineman camp, and lasted the entire day.  I felt I could at least
use this as an opportunity to impress the head coach and show him that I really
could hit the hardest.  Unfortunately, that would have to wait because, just
like the linemen camp, there was no hitting allowed.

Two-a-days involved a lot of
working out.  It also gave the team a chance to work on new strategies.  Our
strategy was simple.  We had one mission:  Win the state championship.  We
would have to do whatever it took to get there.  We almost made it the previous
year, so the coaches didn’t want to change much.  They knew that Mike would be
the focal point for the team, so they tried to build the team around him.  They
wanted the offensive line to be stronger, and give him more room to run.  They
wanted our quarterback to start running with the ball, so we could put in some
trick plays.  They wanted the receivers to improve so we didn’t have to run all
the time.  Ok, so maybe there were some needed changes, but the strategy for
the linemen stayed the same.  When on offense, don’t let anyone get by; when on
defense, tackle the guy with the ball.

Just like last year’s regular
season practice, the linemen didn’t spend too much time working on plays during
the two-a-days.  We, instead, used those two weeks to stay in shape.  That
meant we did even more push-ups, sit-ups, and running than we did during
linemen camp.  During the camp, Trevor impressed the line coach with his speed,
strength, and timing.  During the two-a-days, he got a chance to impress the
entire coaching staff, and made it even more obvious that the coaches would be
foolish if they didn’t start him over me.  I knew if I couldn’t start, I
wouldn’t be recruited by a major college football team.

Mike was set to have an even better
season than the previous year, but he was aware of my situation.  He reminded
me that I would get my chance once we were allowed to hit.  He also pointed out
how obvious my progression had been from the previous season.  When I first
began, I could hardly do one push-up.  This year, I was keeping up with the
team and not slowing down at all.  Mike was even impressed with how well I was handling
the heat.  He wasn’t there for linemen camp, so he didn’t get a chance to enjoy
that humid Michigan weather.

Finally, the summer of torture was
over.  It was time to get into season mode.  Our season practices started two
weeks before the season officially began.  That meant the coaches had two weeks
to decide on their starters before we played our first game.  Those two weeks
were my only opportunity to prove to the coaches that I deserved to be a
starter.  Once those two weeks were up, the line coach would announce the
starters on Monday, and we would spend that week getting ready for the game. 
Again, to be recruited I knew I would have to start
every
game that
season.  There was nothing in the world that could’ve motivated me more.  I was
in the best shape of my life, I had just finished a successful linemen camp, I
had just finished a successful two weeks of two-a-day practices and suddenly,
the stage was mine.  If I was off on the snaps, behind in the running, or if I
let the defender get by me even once, my chances at starting would be over.  I
used that motivation as a weapon, and didn’t waste a minute trying to show the
coaches what I could provide the team as a starter.

My time to hit came three days into
practice.  The head coach got us together to run some plays as a team.  He
wanted to show us a new play, and wanted to make sure we all understood it. 
After spending so much time trying to impress the line coach, it was time to
impress the head coach.  It was a play designed for Mike.  I was asked to play
on the right side of the line.  I couldn’t have been more proud at that moment
because, in front of the whole team, the coach let me be part of the first play
run during that season.   That proud moment vanished quickly when I looked over
and saw Trevor on the opposite side of the offensive line.  We ran the same
play 10 times.  In those 10 times, neither of us let the defender through.  He
and I were equals and my time to impress was running out.

I got another chance to stand out
when I was asked to play defense.  I was excited because I would finally get a
chance to hit someone, and hitting was what I did best.  With all the momentum
and pressure on my side, I knew I delivered my best hit based on the way the
team reacted.  Not only was I the one to tackle the running back, but Trevor
couldn’t even get past the offensive lineman.  Mike was watching the whole
thing and told me that Trevor was fast and quick, but couldn’t figure out the
technique of getting past the lineman.  He guessed that his lack of experience
was probably a factor.

After two weeks of great hits and
heavy competition, Monday finally came.  Announcement day was finally here.  I
was very excited, and yet very nervous.  This decision would be my one and only
shot at furthering my career as a football player.  That moment would tell if
Mike and I would continue to play together after high school, or go off on our
separate ways.  Finally, the list.  The coach read off the names of the five
offensive starters; mine wasn’t one of them…Trevor’s was.  In my mind my career
was over, and our dream had been cancelled.  That young kid wasn’t even part of
our team last year, yet he was given the right to take
my
starting
spot.   The line coach continued talking, but I was so upset that I tuned him
out.  I was actually fighting tears.

Suddenly I was being congratulated
by some of my friends.  They said they knew how hard I had been working, and
knew I deserved what I got.  In my desperation, I had forgotten that we also
had four defensive starters, which gave me four additional chances to start. 
Three of those spots went to starting offensive linemen, the fourth went to
me.  I was so obsessed with beating my competitor that I forgot we were all
fighting for more than one starting role.  I finally had my chance to start. 
More importantly, I would finally have a chance to show my new talents to major
college football scouts.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get
any better, Mike and I were called into the coach’s office.  On the first
Monday of the first week of the regular season, Mike and I had a private
conversation with the coach for the second year in a row.  The previous year,
we had been accepted onto the team as long as we kept our grades in line.  At
that time, we were out of shape kids ordered by the court to find a second
chance to better ourselves and hopefully stay out of jail.  Exactly one year
later, Mike was the running back that carried our team to the state finals.  I
was in the best shape of my life and was declared one of the two best linemen
on the East Whitaker varsity football team.  Just a few moments ago, we were
both named starters; a few minutes later, we were both declared team captains! 

The coach made it clear that
captains were the leaders of the team.  We would be the ones that would
represent the team, and would have to display the personality of leaders. 
Although we didn’t have much experience in leadership, our dedication and
commitment to the team was inspiring the rest of the team to put forth effort
at our level.  Playing for the team took more than skill and ability; it took
drive and hard work.  Because of our drive and hard work, we were trusted to
the leadership roles.

Being a captain came with a lot of
reward and recognition, but it also came with a lot of responsibility.  Our
first responsibility was to lead the team in stretches and warm ups during
practices.  We also had to speak to the team in smaller groups to motivate
them.  Mike would talk to the offense, being the offensive captain, and I would
talk to the defense.  We had to make sure that the team played at our level of
determination and continued to increase their speed and strength at practice. 
It was our job to make them look good, and it was their job not to make us look
bad.

On game day, it was a fun job.  It
was up to us to lead the team out of the locker room.  Behind us stood nearly
60 players, in front of us was a sold out crowd.  As we exited the locker room,
I noticed two sections of bleachers on our side of the field filled with
students, all wearing aqua and dark purple, with a large sign that read “EAST
WHITAKER HORNET’S NEST”.  The student section had come into their own.  Once we
were out of the locker room, we marched in unison towards the cheerleader tunnel. 
When our team was introduced, it was our responsibility to lead the pack
crashing through the cheerleaders’ banner at the end of the tunnel.  For only a
second, I flashed on being the last ones through the tunnel the previous
season.

As the game was getting ready to
start, Mike and I were called out to the middle of the field.  It was up to us
to decide if we wanted to call heads or tails during the coin flip.  If we won
the toss, it was for us to announce if our team wanted to kick off or receive
the ball.  After the coin flip, it was back to the sidelines to get the team
ready for an exciting 48 minutes of play.

The first game of the season was
turning into a blowout.  Instead of getting a chance to relieve the starters
half way through the 3
^rd
quarter, we were the ones being relieved. 
As we ran off the field, we knew we were going to do well that season.  Not
only were we up by 48 points; we had just produced the best statistical game of
both our careers.  He carried the ball 6 times across the goal line and ran for
over 200 yards.  I tackled the running back 4 times behind the line of
scrimmage and took out the quarterback twice.  I also caused a fumble that led
to another touchdown.  We knew that if we continued to play like that, we would
be playing together in college for sure.

After a weekend of celebrating an
awesome Friday night game, it was time to get back to business.  The coaches
were very pleased with us as a team, but reminded us that we still had eight
games to go.  The team that we had just beaten didn’t have the skill level
remotely comparable to the team we would be playing in the second week.  We
couldn’t look past the upcoming game.  We would have to look at that game, and
every game that followed, as a playoff game if we wanted to be champions.

We all ran fast, hit hard, and
exploded off the line at practice that week.  In our small groups, I kept
watching my former competitor, Trevor.  He was young and didn’t have much
athletic skill, but was big and strong and used that to his advantage. As an
offensive lineman, it took strength to keep the defender out of our backfield. 
Because of that, he was our best offensive lineman.  On the defensive line,
however, it took skill and talent to find a way to elude the offender, which made
him one of our worst defensive linemen.  As a competitor, I would’ve laughed at
his misfortunes, but as a captain, I knew it was up to me to help him.

After practice, I took Trevor to
the side.  I remembered how embarrassed I was when the coach pointed out my
flaws in front of the whole team the previous season, so I wanted to help him privately. 
I began by explaining how competitive he forced me to be during the
off-season.  As teammates, though, I was happy to have him be part of the
team.  I told him it was too bad that he could only contribute on the offensive
side because of his defensive limitations.  I then told him how powerful it
would be if he could be on the defensive line with me.  At that point, he
admitted that he needed help.  I wasn’t sure how to tell him he was struggling,
so I was relieved when he did it for me.

After working with him for nearly
an hour, our hard work would pay off the following day during practice.  
Trevor wasn’t the best defensive lineman, but he didn’t seem to struggle as
much.  I knew with a little bit of practice, he could be used as a defensive
substitute when our guys got tired.  Once, when we were practicing with the
second team defense, he was put in as a defensive lineman.  While watching him
get past the offender, I felt like I was watching myself from the previous
season.  He had the same reaction; he was shocked that he had achieved the
small victory and didn’t know what to do afterwards.  That was the first time I
was able to be proud of someone other than myself.

His improvement in practice allowed
him to get some time on the field during our second game.  It wasn’t quite like
the first game, but we were definitely ahead by a wide margin.  The coaches
wanted Trevor to get some rest as an offensive lineman, but wanted to see what
he could do as a defender.  After a couple of plays, he was able to record his
first tackle.  The competitor in me knew that his 1 tackle didn’t stand up to
my stats, but the captain in me knew that his 1 tackle meant more than my 6.

The third week started off like a
normal week.  We started our Monday practice with good stretching.  We ended
the practice with the coach announcing that we were to remain starters and
captains.  Our offensive weapons were looking sharp, and our defenders were
looking crisp.  We were looking like a team that was going to remain undefeated
at the end of the week.  On Thursday, even our special teams were looking like
they couldn’t be beat.  Mike continued to be our kick returner, and showed us
during practice why he earned that role.  Things were going smooth until
Friday.  Like sickness or an injury, I never saw it coming and I couldn’t do
anything about it.

We were playing our first
conference game and were ready to start our conference championship run.  We
were defending the crown and the target was on our back.  After two really good
tune-up games, we knew we had a sound strategy and a complete team.  We even
started the game scoring a touchdown.  After that, it all fell apart.

I went in the game to play my usual
spot.  I lined up against the offensive tackle like usual.  As soon as the ball
was snapped, I stood up and tried getting past the line.  That time, however,
there were two linemen blocking me.  The next few plays had the same result. 
Even though we were stopping their running back, I couldn’t get in to the
backfield at all.

When I got back to the sideline,
the line coach explained their strategy to me.  They saw the way I played the
first two games and knew that I was our defensive leader.  They also knew that
the other guys on the defensive line were decent, but weren’t as talented as I
was.  They knew that they would get more success by putting two guys on me,
even though it left another one of our defenders wide open.

I went back in for the next drive
and still couldn’t get through.  At halftime, after numerous times of being
shut down, I asked the coach if it would be better to bench me.  He said there
was no way they would bench me because I made a great decoy.  From the coach’s
point of view, having two guys on me left one of our guys able to get into the
backfield every time.  Even though our guy wasn’t talented enough to make a
tackle, he was able to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback.  If I was
benched, they would be at full strength and we ran the risk of nobody getting
into the backfield.

We ended up winning that game.  I
had 0 tackles, but the rest of the defensive line made up for it.  Mike scored
3 touchdowns, while our receivers did the rest.  For me, a player looking to
get recruited, that game plan would not be conducive.  How would I get
anybody’s attention without any tackles the rest of the season?  As a captain,
however, it was a great plan.  We were getting into the opponent’s backfield
almost every time.  When the quarterback was rushed, he would do foolish
things, like throw interceptions.  The only time we struggled to get into the
backfield was during the plays that I was on the sidelines.  I found myself
involved in an internal emotional battle between the competitor in me and the
captain in me.