Similar to what you explained. I walked on at Tech (with help from a well-heeled booster), and I am not sure they really even wanted me there as I did have a checkered past. But I was mostly bigger and faster than the stable they had at DB. As spring ball started it was me, just me categorized to be stuck in a white cotton jersey while everybody else had those pretty orange and maroon colors of the day, but by the end I played the whole spring game at right corner, grading out at 90% and the next guy (Tech's all-time interception leader) was at 80%. I asked for a scholarship and was denied. When summer camp day arrived I went to see Peter Frampton and Gary Wright at Roanoke Coloseum instead of reporting. They called me all weekend asking where I was. Playing pickup that Autumn in Rector Field House I bumped into the DC/DB coach who asked me to come back out the next Spring. Because of that one injury to the experienced guy in front of me - looking at Nicky in Tampa, he said I would have started. Coach, you could have told me where I actually stood with the team rather than brushing me off as I was no Rudy or that giant of giant Hokies, Sam, and just put football away. School was my real purpose to be there and that is what I ultimately chose. I sometimes regret it now - not carrying it forward and making it work the best I could. But with no training I left Tech as the intramural 100 yard dash record holder and a degree and no hard feelings. Might I have played at W&M or Richmond or someplace like Bluefield State and been happy doing so? Maybe. It was a hard call for me at 17 - 19. Free school might indeed have been a wise choice, but thank goodness it was only $257 per quarter then...

This kid has a dad and probably others helping him figure it out. I didn't have that.