So things just didnt work out

Fullback7 · 10-12-2009, 01:18 AM

I haven't been on here in awhile. I've had a few PM's about my blog, and how the season was going. For those that have read my story, you all know how everything transpired, and how I got to where I am today.

I was offered a scholarship by an NAIA school. I had walk-on tryout offers, and partial scholarship offers from D2 schools, but didn't really like the team, nor the schools as much. For those that don't know my D1 clock is up this season. I had contemplated countless times about trying to walk-on to my dream school of A&M, but felt that my year would be wasted in doing so. At the NAIA level I could get my highlights out to bigger, more prominent D2 schools in the country, and I wouldn't have to sit out when I transferred.

I came into camp in the best shape of my life. We tested on the first day of camp. I came in at 6'1... Well they measured me a 6'2 1/2, but I know I'm only 6'1 at the most. 250lb. I had three 40's in the low 4.6 range, HT of course. 225 reps were 26. Vertical was 35 1/4. Shuttle was a 4.23, and broad jump was a horrible 8 1/2.. Never one of my strong points. Maybe not amazing stats to most, but when I first started I was 375, ran a 5.4, couldn't bench press 225, and had a 26-27 inch vert.

I was told in April that I would be playing the mac backer in the 4-2-5. I had already been dropping down to the 215 range in order to play RB, as I initially tried out for. So i bulked from 225 to 250 from April to August in preparation.

I had almost 4 years worth of rust to kick out, and learning the coverage was a challenge to me considering it was something I had never done. Reading the guards and FB on the runs was a cinch because of my past experience at the positions. The 3-a-days were insane. We had 5 guys carried out in an ambulance during the first week. I thought coming in that pre-season would be a breeze considering the difficulty of the school.

I had made 1st team on all special teams, and had made it into rotation with the first group of LB's. We had a scrimmage with a D3 team in the area that week, and we had begun preparations for the week's game. At the end of practice, the coach came up to me, and told me that I may not be eligible for the season. See NAIA rules vary from NCAA rules. I had been placed on Academic suspension my first full time semester, and left the second because of another poor performance. Ever since then I have been a partial student in order to keep my eligibility (less than 12 hours). Now even though I had accumulated enough hours to be within 1 full year, and a summer session of graduating with a degree, I was not eligible because of my first full time semester. Now the problem here, is that it can be interpreted different ways. One rep could see it as eligible, and the other as ineligible because of how they determine total credits, or where they bring them from.

I was told on that Monday of the problem, and we would leave that Thursday for the scrimmage. We had an early morning walk through two hours before we would leave for the scrimmage, and only eligible players were allowed to play in the scrimmage. At the end of the scrimmage the coach came to me, and told me he had just gotten a call, and that I would be ineligible for the entire season. So that night me, and my girls packed everything up, and went back to my hometown. I had missed the cut off to register anywhere except a JUCO that didn't have any classes left for me to take for my major, but one class for my minor.

To work for something for over three years, to overcome so much adversity, and to only be knocked back to where you started is a heart breaker to say the least. I takes a lot to get back up when you've been knocked down twice. I went over two years with missing less than a handful of workouts, and now I haven't touched a weight in a month. Tomorrow though, it starts all over again.3 months of pure dedicated work to be in even better shape than what I was when I came in. 13 weeks until the semester starts, and off-season begins.

For all of those guys out there playing now. Don't take anything for granted. You never know when roadblocks may occur. If those roadblocks do occur don't feel sorry for yourself, or ask for sympathy. Simply pick yourself up, and get back after it. I've learned more about life through the game of football, than I ever have from life itself.

Good Luck to everyone currently playing.

dgcoats · 10-12-2009, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullback7

Tomorrow though, it starts all over again.3 months of pure dedicated work to be in even better shape than what I was when I came in. 13 weeks until the semester starts, and off-season begins.

For all of those guys out there playing now. Don't take anything for granted. You never know when roadblocks may occur. If those roadblocks do occur don't feel sorry for yourself, or ask for sympathy. Simply pick yourself up, and get back after it. I've learned more about life through the game of football, than I ever have from life itself.

You have an awesome attitude man, I wish you the best.

Ace50 · 10-12-2009, 02:56 AM

Wasn't the best player but still playing under the friday night lights representing your school with the audience. All those weight room sessions and practices with your teammates. Two-a days, Camps, team dinners, locker room talks. All the emotion, sweat, puking, waking up early in the morning...seemed like a living hell back then...

Whoever is playing now, have fun, everything you got on the field.

now i Miss all that stuff man... the glory days are just gone. Football is one helluva game..

FullBack, best of luck man...football is life.

DocHollidy · 10-12-2009, 03:43 AM

good on picking yourself back up... I'm in the same position I havent played football in highschool for almost 4 years... I played a year of semi pro last year, and this will be my 2nd school and I moved 8 hours away to come up here... and when I get up here I'm told I'm not eligible to play this year... SO I gotta wait til the Spring, and all you can do is work... If its your dream, quitting would just be a waste... Good luck man, your hard work will pay off in the end

titdoctor · 10-12-2009, 05:46 AM

Well by next year your stats can be even better! Good luck, get back in the weight room, and back on the field!

TheHitStick · 10-12-2009, 08:55 AM

Brah you would've made it otherwise, crap happens. You can say that you're a D1 football player though. Go in there and tear **** up, maybe you can still play at your desired position.

I like your attitude, keep it up. God Bless

lewis22 · 10-12-2009, 11:17 AM

Keep up the good attitude brah wish I had one like that keep it up

CLiCkCLaCk20 · 10-12-2009, 11:34 AM

keep pushing dude theres always next year

Fullback7 · 10-12-2009, 01:29 PM

Appreciate the encouragement from everyone.

Like I said, it's no big deal. "A'int nothing, but a peanut." I'll most likely start hitting up the recruiting trail at the end of the week. The 3rd time is a charm.

Gotta take the positive out of it. Instead of getting my masters, I might as well shoot for my doctorate since I will be in there for so long. I'll have to change my SN to Dr. Fullback7.

Dennis71 · 10-12-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace50

Wasn't the best player but still playing under the friday night lights representing your school with the audience. All those weight room sessions and practices with your teammates. Two-a days, Camps, team dinners, locker room talks. All the emotion, sweat, puking, waking up early in the morning...seemed like a living hell back then...

Whoever is playing now, have fun, everything you got on the field.

now i Miss all that stuff man... the glory days are just gone. Football is one helluva game..

FullBack, best of luck man...football is life.

this...

i miss playing football soo much...
the overall aspect of it, as u mention, the hanging out in the locker room, the before practice hanging out, going out to eat
what i would give to play some football again.

but unlike FullBack, i dont think ive got the overall work ethic to try and get back into it

GL

Cowart69 · 10-12-2009, 06:05 PM

It is kind of weird because i check the site every day but haven't posted much in months.......I have been on the lookout for a status on you.

It is good to see that you have not given up on your dreams and keep plugging away even when life keeps throwing you curve balls.

You are an inspiration for my son who also has been getting curve balls thrown at him.....and every time it happens he keeps getting up...dusting himself off....and trying again.

This is my sons senior season....you might remember from previous posts that he didn't do well his junior year on his grades so he needed to have a really strong senior year and turn his grades around if he wanted to keep playing football......

He was in the best athletic shape I had seen him right before the senior year......set to start at OLB and TE.....when he sprained his ACL and MCL ligiments in his knee...going through a lot of turmoil on just how hurt he was it was finally determined that they were sprains and not tears.

He rehabbed and tried to get back with the team the week before the start of the regular season and right here is about where I left off posting his status here. In his first practice back he reaggrivated his MCL. That was 5 games ago. The plan then became to rehab the knee with a very good knee specialist and his physical trainer in anticipation of playing in the league games opener (which actually is a given as there is so many injuries on his team.....he may start simply out of necessity)

He got his clearance from his doctors to return to practice tomorrow......his ligiments are not all the way tightened back up and will have to play with a brace (knee specialist said it will take 6 months to tighten them up to pre injury) and his leg strength is not where it was before the injury (squatting 505 pounds) but it is what it is and he returns tomorrow.

Everyone that has been helping him along the rehab process feels he will be fine.....myself I worry about him but understand this is something he feels he must do. It is my hope that he can finish the season and with the rest of the year and offseason can rehab himself back into the beast he was at.....then he will probably play at a local JUCO to start.

TheSoldier · 10-12-2009, 07:16 PM

sht fullback

your a dedicated man, i am inspired by this

LILpainLILgain · 10-12-2009, 08:22 PM

its aight brah. with that attitude you are gonna tear 2nd *******s out there

DocHollidy · 10-12-2009, 08:27 PM

why not stay at the school your at though, and just go to classes this semester? Just curious

sIghtLines · 10-12-2009, 09:41 PM

Your an inspiration man, I just got knocked down pretty badly these past 3 months. It hasn't been a fun road back. Good luck to you in everything you do in the future brah.

Fullback7 · 10-12-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocHollidy

why not stay at the school your at though, and just go to classes this semester? Just curious

Should have mentioned that. They didn't have my major, and the classes they did have for my major were classes I have already taken. So instead of spending $18k - $6000 in scholarship money I just went to a JUCO for $60/hour. So I'm working on my business minor right now.

unlimitedgain · 10-12-2009, 10:11 PM

I feel ya brah but u got tha rite attitude to go far in football. We all hit roadblocks and take things for granted most of tha time. you only fail when u give up! keep pushin fighting for a chance u will b amazed at some of the great things god does!! u got one thing no coach can ever coach the right attitude! and when there is a will there is a way! keep goin

beertank23 · 10-13-2009, 01:21 AM

Wow college sports is so confusing for an outsider looking in. Eligibility rules and such. In Aus, if you don't make the pro's after high school, you play semi pro and hope the scouts notice you.

Oscar_Mike · 10-13-2009, 01:16 PM

Good luck to you man. Keep working and get your grades as high as you can. Do you plan on going to a smaller school again and playing there in order to get experience and to have something to show to bigger schools, or do you think you'll go and try to walk on at A&M since you'll have another year under your belt? They could use someone with your drive and work ethic.

Fullback7 · 10-13-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlimitedgain

I feel ya brah but u got tha rite attitude to go far in football. We all hit roadblocks and take things for granted most of tha time. you only fail when u give up! keep pushin fighting for a chance u will b amazed at some of the great things god does!! u got one thing no coach can ever coach the right attitude! and when there is a will there is a way! keep goin

Great post. Appreciate the message. Hell of a lot of inspiration from those words alone.

Only thing though........ You couldn't let the Texans win Sunday?

Fullback7 · 10-13-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscar_Mike

Good luck to you man. Keep working and get your grades as high as you can. Do you plan on going to a smaller school again and playing there in order to get experience and to have something to show to bigger schools, or do you think you'll go and try to walk on at A&M since you'll have another year under your belt? They could use someone with your drive and work ethic.

This would have been my last D1 year. I red shirted in 05'.

So, smaller school is going to be the route that I take. Nebraska-Omaha has been a school that I've always wanted to go to, so I may try to get a walk-on shot there.

Cowart69 · 10-13-2009, 11:23 PM

Well.....looks like Brett made it through his first practice in months tonight.....rusty as @ell but just grinning from ear to ear........

The whole team was upbeat tonight to.....I dont know that it was due to his return but I am just going to say yes because the coaches thought so.....

Oscar_Mike · 10-14-2009, 08:16 PM

I gotcha. Best of luck and keep training hard.

PitbullJR · 10-14-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullback7

I haven't been on here in awhile. I've had a few PM's about my blog, and how the season was going. For those that have read my story, you all know how everything transpired, and how I got to where I am today.

I was offered a scholarship by an NAIA school. I had walk-on tryout offers, and partial scholarship offers from D2 schools, but didn't really like the team, nor the schools as much. For those that don't know my D1 clock is up this season. I had contemplated countless times about trying to walk-on to my dream school of A&M, but felt that my year would be wasted in doing so. At the NAIA level I could get my highlights out to bigger, more prominent D2 schools in the country, and I wouldn't have to sit out when I transferred.

I came into camp in the best shape of my life. We tested on the first day of camp. I came in at 6'1... Well they measured me a 6'2 1/2, but I know I'm only 6'1 at the most. 250lb. I had three 40's in the low 4.6 range, HT of course. 225 reps were 26. Vertical was 35 1/4. Shuttle was a 4.23, and broad jump was a horrible 8 1/2.. Never one of my strong points. Maybe not amazing stats to most, but when I first started I was 375, ran a 5.4, couldn't bench press 225, and had a 26-27 inch vert.

I was told in April that I would be playing the mac backer in the 4-2-5. I had already been dropping down to the 215 range in order to play RB, as I initially tried out for. So i bulked from 225 to 250 from April to August in preparation.

I had almost 4 years worth of rust to kick out, and learning the coverage was a challenge to me considering it was something I had never done. Reading the guards and FB on the runs was a cinch because of my past experience at the positions. The 3-a-days were insane. We had 5 guys carried out in an ambulance during the first week. I thought coming in that pre-season would be a breeze considering the difficulty of the school.

I had made 1st team on all special teams, and had made it into rotation with the first group of LB's. We had a scrimmage with a D3 team in the area that week, and we had begun preparations for the week's game. At the end of practice, the coach came up to me, and told me that I may not be eligible for the season. See NAIA rules vary from NCAA rules. I had been placed on Academic suspension my first full time semester, and left the second because of another poor performance. Ever since then I have been a partial student in order to keep my eligibility (less than 12 hours). Now even though I had accumulated enough hours to be within 1 full year, and a summer session of graduating with a degree, I was not eligible because of my first full time semester. Now the problem here, is that it can be interpreted different ways. One rep could see it as eligible, and the other as ineligible because of how they determine total credits, or where they bring them from.

I was told on that Monday of the problem, and we would leave that Thursday for the scrimmage. We had an early morning walk through two hours before we would leave for the scrimmage, and only eligible players were allowed to play in the scrimmage. At the end of the scrimmage the coach came to me, and told me he had just gotten a call, and that I would be ineligible for the entire season. So that night me, and my girls packed everything up, and went back to my hometown. I had missed the cut off to register anywhere except a JUCO that didn't have any classes left for me to take for my major, but one class for my minor.

To work for something for over three years, to overcome so much adversity, and to only be knocked back to where you started is a heart breaker to say the least. I takes a lot to get back up when you've been knocked down twice. I went over two years with missing less than a handful of workouts, and now I haven't touched a weight in a month. Tomorrow though, it starts all over again.3 months of pure dedicated work to be in even better shape than what I was when I came in. 13 weeks until the semester starts, and off-season begins.

For all of those guys out there playing now. Don't take anything for granted. You never know when roadblocks may occur. If those roadblocks do occur don't feel sorry for yourself, or ask for sympathy. Simply pick yourself up, and get back after it. I've learned more about life through the game of football, than I ever have from life itself.

Good Luck to everyone currently playing.

Tell me this, did you speak to the NAIA committee before you went to the school, just to make sure you was eligible? Did the coaches inquire beforehand also?
Why would you go to a NAIA school in order to get highlights so that you can transfer to a d2 school? That doesn't make much since.
So now you are at a JC and plan to play ball next year if I am correct? If so which level and since you will be playing in the 2010 season, you will be a senior correct?
Why didn't you go d3? Mary Hardin Baylor, Wisconsin Whitewater...there are many schools. Your story just sounds off. I am pretty good with the rules and this doesn't make sense, but I may be missing something.

G-mane12 · 10-14-2009, 09:31 PM

I have to say that alot of people our age have given up on there dreams of playing college football, its great to see someone that won't give up on their dream... keep on pushing bro, just remember everything happens for a reason

Fullback7 · 10-14-2009, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PitbullJR

Tell me this, did you speak to the NAIA committee before you went to the school, just to make sure you was eligible? Did the coaches inquire beforehand also?
Why would you go to a NAIA school in order to get highlights so that you can transfer to a d2 school? That doesn't make much since.
So now you are at a JC and plan to play ball next year if I am correct? If so which level and since you will be playing in the 2010 season, you will be a senior correct?
Why didn't you go d3? Mary Hardin Baylor, Wisconsin Whitewater...there are many schools. Your story just sounds off. I am pretty good with the rules and this doesn't make sense, but I may be missing something.

I spoke to the coaches in March, and they also looked over my transcripts. It was a complete surprise to find out they didn't know for sure until that week.

Because their are no highlights except for my HS tapes 5 years ago at a completely different position.

I will be a freshman at the D2 level, and below. I've had 2 full time semesters, which were during my Red shirt year. Part-time since then. I think you may want to check your rules again.

I wasn't interested in any of the D3 schools around the state.

ahughes53 · 10-14-2009, 09:42 PM

Hey, keep up with it man. Everything low in our life happens to make us appreciate the high points. If you keep up with it you'll get what you want, everything in life worth having is worth fighting for, I truely believe that. You're an inspiration to even make it as far as you did, I'll be reading, good luck.

PitbullJR · 10-14-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullback7

I spoke to the coaches in March, and they also looked over my transcripts. It was a complete surprise to find out they didn't know for sure until that week.

Because their are no highlights except for my HS tapes 5 years ago at a completely different position.

I will be a freshman at the D2 level, and below. I've had 2 full time semesters, which were during my Red shirt year. Part-time since then. I think you may want to check your rules again.

I wasn't interested in any of the D3 schools around the state.

So you been going to school part-time since 2005? If so then I see why you have so much eligibility. I know about the 10 semesters rules. Damn how long do you intend to spend in college then if you have 3 years left to play ball. I am sure you would be graduating before your eligibility is up....

Fullback7 · 10-14-2009, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PitbullJR

So you been going to school part-time since 2005? If so then I see why you have so much eligibility. I know about the 10 semesters rules. Damn how long do you intend to spend in college then if you have 3 years left to play ball. I am sure you would be graduating before your eligibility is up....

I have 4 years left (8 semesters). Only spent 1 year of my 10 total semesters.

I only have 1 year left for my degree. I'm going to get my masters, and finish up my second degree as well.

PitbullJR · 10-14-2009, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullback7

I have 4 years left (8 semesters). Only spent 1 year of my 10 total semesters.

I only have 1 year left for my degree. I'm going to get my masters, and finish up my second degree as well.

So you had a 35 inch vert @ 250? and ran in the low 4.6's and ran a 4.2 in the shuttle? I find that veryyyyyyy hard to believe man. If it is true than more power to you.