If you missed my commitment to college and NCAA football,
check out the post here.
Walking onto the campus of University of Illinois was a
little surreal. I mean, I have been there plenty of times, but virtually is a
whole new ball game.
I don't have to deal with quad-sitters or the millions of
squirrels walking around. Instead, I get to bury my head into my playbook, look
up stats from around the NCAA on my computer, and get the Daily Illini
delivered weekly from inside my dorm room.
These sweet new digs are basic, but more than I deserve as a
walk-on.
The walk-on role has been scuffed at a couple of times, and
I agree that I am not on the same level as much of my teammates. Not quite as
athletic, not quite as fine-tuned, but as a 26 year old, I can buy them all
beer.
But the bonding didn't happen in the bars. It happened in
between the sidelines on the practice fields. There were already three
quarterbacks in Coach Zook's system, but that just means more skilled NCAA
Athletes brains to pick.
Anything from when to call audible to what were their
favorite pre game songs were discussed in the Quarterback room. While some kids
were running through sprinklers in the hot summer sun, I was running through
play calls in an AC controlled room.
I’m not quite sure what broke for me though. I had it in my
mind that I would be sitting throughout my freshman year, and possibly even be
cut- that's life I get it. Each practice, though, I just started to pick up
steam, connecting more and more with the receivers, and moving up the depth
chart.
It took the help from HB 30, Junior Running Back, to take me
to the next level. Having a reliable player to check down to, and rely on for
big chunks of yards on first and second down gave me confidence to air it out.
Once I had him in the backfield, I saw the look of hope in Coach Zook's eyes
that I never saw in my high school coaches.
About two weeks before the season, as I was talking with my
QB Coach about adjustments to make, Coach Zook called me into his office. Overlooking
Memorial Field, Zook sat across from me describing some of his goals as a Head
Coach. One of which was breaking the National Championship drought here in
Champaign.
He then paused. Turned his chair to towards me. Looked me
into my eyes and said "I believe you can lead us there. We need you to be
a starter game 1."
When I described my dream of becoming a star NCAA athlete to
my friends and family, I was laughed out of the room. When I turned down three
programs to take a walk on role at Illinois, I was called dumb. Now, though I
was just named the leader of a Big Ten program looking to take it to the next
level.
I found myself back
in my room the night before my first big game. Summer has been over for a few
weeks, but the fun is just about to begin.
No comments:
Post a Comment