Joe Everyguy's Story of Making It in Division I-A Football

Joe Everybody is a player made up from a combination of many of the players I've talked to over the years.  It tells the story of someone coming in and trying to make it in Big Time football.

Chapter One

"What?" angrily replied Joe when he heard the news from his friend that Scout.com had just rated him a three-star prospect.  "I was the 2A defensive player of the year my junior year! I led our division in tackles and sacks, and you're telling me that warrants only three stars?"

"It ain't you," his friend consoled.  "They don't know you that well.  It's not like our school's got any exposure or clout.  Maybe it's the fact that nobody from Mill Creek has ever been rated highly before, but whatever Dude, come some of those summer camps, the coaches will see what you got."

"Damn, man, I'm gonna knock me some five-star asses on the ground and show them!" Joe promised.

That summer Joe goes to two summer camps.  The first was at Florida State where they said kind words about his abilities, but were less than impressed with his times in the 40. 

Being his first camp, he was a bit nervous yet tried to maintain his cockiness to show his perceived status.  One of the coaches mentioned he had good footwork and a strong initial charge, but he wasn't using his arms enough to help himself elude blocks. 

His first mistake was telling that coach that whatever he was doing was working just fine, and he was laying out the runners and getting to the quarterbacks.

He knew he had made a huge mistake when he saw the look on the coach's face as the last of the ill-timed words spilled out of his mouth. 

The coach offered no explanation or technique advice, he simply went on to the next player.  Joe realized his mistake almost as soon as he said it.

They mentioned that they were looking to sign at least two linebackers this next signing class and they'd keep him in mind and see how his senior season went.

Joe was vowing not to repeat this mistake at the next camp.  This was the school he wanted to go to.  Growing up as a boy in Mill Creek, Ala., he always dreamed on playing for the Crimson Tide and having his friends back home watch him on TV.

The first day of his second camp was at Alabama. Nick Saban told him and the rest of the boys something that changed his perception of himself forever. 

It was the only time since his first day at Pop Warner football practice that he had doubt about himself.

"The problem with most of you guys is when you see the games we play on television, you only see the guys on the field." said Saban.  "What you fail to see is all those guys on the bench with their helmet sitting neatly under the bench.  Those guys sitting there watching game after game from the bench were just like many of you.

"They were studs on their team, too, and they realized when they got here maybe they weren't so great after all and weren't the baddest dog in the junkyard after all."

At 6'3" and 212 of muscle, there had been times when was a man among boys out there, but now scanning the room he noticed Ty Williams, a 6'-5" 225 pound five-star linebacker from one of those big Birmingham schools.

Joe knew that he already had an offer from Alabama as well as at least nine other top schools.  He finally had a measuring stick.

The first day on the practice field, Joe sought out James Williams, Alabama's linebacker coach and said, "The last camp I was at, a coach there told me I had a good foundation but wasn't using my arms the right way to maximize my rush.  Can you teach me what I'm doing wrong and help me improve?"

"Yes, we'll work on that with you."  Williams said. "You're Joe Everyguy from Mill Creek, aren't you?"

"Yes sir," said Joe with a grin he couldn't hide because he was so pleased that Coach Williams knew him.

"Well, you show us what you have this week, because we're looking at signing at least two linebackers this year and we've been watching you and seeing how you develop." added Williams.

The practices were almost like punishment sessions.  They worked them long and hard, and some boys were beginning to question their choice of attending this camp.

Paired up with hotshot Ty Williams, Joe began to see why perhaps he was a five-star prospect.  He got some hoots and applause from the coaches for jumping high and batting a pass down on one play and another for beating the blocker badly and tackling a runner in the backfield just as he got the hand-off.

Joe was steady, always around the ball but didn't have a spectacular play to have coaches remember until near the end of the last day, when the offense called a screen play. 

Quickly seeing the offensive linemen retreat in pass blocking formation just a little too much, all his instincts said he was being suckered in. 

He took two quick steps forward and acted as if he was going to take on the blocker and stopped for just an instant and then before the quarterback was aware of it, started back-pedaling and looking for the back who had just milliseconds ago had been faked a hand-off.

He burst toward him, leaped and picked off a floating screen pass.  The runner was taken by surprise and he didn't react quickly enough to tackle him on the spot, but quickly took up the chase.  35 yards later, he was pulled down at the five-yard line.

Later in the locker room Joe's heart leaped when Coach Saban pointed at him and said, "Heads up play on that pick off."

As Coach Saban walked off, Ty added, "Yeah, but with my speed, I would have gone the distance."

Not to be put down, Joe said, "Yeah, but your brains, I would have been chasing the quarterback and never read the screen."

It was a comment that wasn't to be forgotten by the coaches who smiled but chose to let the lighthearted comment pass without acknowledgement.

The last day, the coaches timed them one more time in the 40.  Joe was almost a second slower than Ty who seemed to run his 4.42 time effortlessly.  Joe gave it his all, but his fastest came in at 4.50 with an average of 4.51.

"Darn!" Joe yelled when his time was called out.  He knew that in the speed and agility trials, for the first time in his life, he had come up short.

"Hey Joe!" one of the coaches called to him and he trotted over to him. "You're right you know, speed won't help you if you over run or over pursue the play will it?"

Whatever happened, Joe had certainly learned some new things, had learned that his arms were as much if not more a tool than his legs and brain and maybe had made some friends on the coaching staff.

Weeks pass and though a few schools showed early signs of offers, some of the bigger ones have given little. 

"Maybe when football season starts again, I'll have such a great senior year that the offers and visit requests will come pouring in." 

At least that was his hope.

If you're interested in what happens to Joe next, let me know.  If there's enough hits and interest I'll continue the chapters.

This is what the kids have just finished up at Alabama and other schools across the country.  Summer camps are sort of like a showcase for athletes to both refine their skills, break some bad habits, and get a flavor of what college ball is all about.

Next is the recruiting, official visits and Sr. year stage.