07-01-2024, 07:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-05-2024, 11:04 AM by wetwilleh. Edited 1 time in total.)
Otis Boudreaux Jr had moved on from that small rural high school he had attended and moved on to Appalachian State University. He had replaced his hometown of 750 people with the “metropolis” of Boone, North Carolina. The town that was home to the university that seemed to double in size during the school sessions and triple for home football games. There are more people in Boone on a normal day than in the county that Otis had grown up in. Yea, he felt a little overwhelmed.
That July day came where he moved into the football dorm for the first time. Yes, he would go on to do it 3 more times, but that first time…it was pretty special for sure. Everyone told him he wouldn’t need a car in Boone so he had let his parents bring him down. He knew that he would be too busy to want to go anywhere anyway, so it made the most sense. As his Dad carried in the heavy stuff and his Mom moved his clothes, he tried to take it all in. It was hot, but not as hot as it was at home. There was a nice breeze blowing and there were other players making their way to their rooms as well. He exchanged handshakes and names, but none seemed to register…it was just a lot to take in.
After his parents had left Ozzy started to unpack and get settled in his room. One of the things he liked about ASU was that the players were given private rooms. It was not that he had anything against sharing, but he had shared a room with his younger brother as they grew up and he knew how, even the best of friends, can get on each other’s nerves in small spaces. So to have his own space for the first time in over 12 years was pretty cool.
After getting the clothes put away, the books on the shelfs and the posters on the wall it was time to take a look at the playbook the receiver’s coach had left in his room to greet him. Damn, it was thick! In high school they had maybe 40 offensive plays…nothing too complex…just enough to get lucky every now and then. Their success depended more on the skills of the players rather than how elaborate the plays were. As he flipped through the book he saw that he would be called on to block, go across the middle, curl into the flats, take a pass in the backfield and work some magic, and stretch the defense as far as his legs could carry him. Would he be able to do all of this? No time like the present to find out!
OB Jr headed down to the practice field. He was surprised to not see anyone else there. But most of the guys were still trying to find their rooms…he thought. So he started running, just like he did at home. He had worn out the pair of hand grippers his Dad had bought him back in elementary school. Then he wore out the next pair…and the next. Dad had gotten him a new pair as he headed to college. It was in the colors of the Appalachian State University…black and gold. To be honest, they did look pretty bad ass.
The first season that OB Jr had in the black and gold was his opportunity to learn. Yea, he did play some, just enough to lose his redshirt…but he needed to learn so he took notes, watched, games and film, and learned as much as he could. By the time his sophomore season had rolled around he was ready to take advantage of every opportunity that he was going to be given.
Yes, he did take advantage of them. It started as a little buzz. A mention on the local news, then someone posted some videos of him on social media and then the hashtags started, #OBJrIsLit, #OBJrOnFire, #OBJrClampHands…the list just kept growing. And the interest. Things really took off when he was on the Sports Center Top 10 Plays of the Week. By the time he was in the Top 5, he was getting asked for autographs. But nothing seemed to deter him. He still went to the field early in the morning and stayed late at night to practice. He spent so many hours studying film, looking for a weakness he could exploit. His coaches would comment on how he was almost obsessed with being the best student of the game there ever was.
At the end of his sophomore season he was recognized by getting Honorable Mention for the All-Sun Belt Conference team. He continued to work, both on and off of the field. He continued to push himself…and yes…to exemplify his birthplace and show a different way of living in defiance.
The football success continued for Otis. But that wasn’t enough. He applied himself just as obsessively towards his classwork. He had decided to major in History, Secondary Education. Everyone seemed to be shocked that he had selected that major. His response was so smoothly delivered that it was obvious he had already thought about it. He simply said that he knew he would need a career after football, and if he was lucky enough to be able to make a career of it, then he knew he would not have to worry about money…so why not become a teacher? His love of history was obvious. If he wasn’t reading his playbook…he was reading a history book.
By the end of his junior year, he was 2nd Team All Sun Belt. His senior year saw him break every receiving record in the conference, receptions, yards and touchdowns. The ISFL scouts were at his games, they wanted to make sure the kid from the mountains was legit. But he never changed. He answered their questions, took their tests…and continued to play his game as flawless as if it was second nature to him.
He knew the draft was coming…he knew the scouts would come calling. But first he needed to finish his degree. So after the last game of his college career he headed to the classroom. Yea, he was lucky to get placed in the local high school. He completed his student teaching and saw the same level of success in the classroom as he had on the field.
At graduation he walked across the stage to get his degree. The 1st Team All Sun Belt wide receiver who held 3 conference records had graduated with Highest Honors in History as an Honors Student Teacher with his Manga cum Laude degree in History, Secondary Education.
Next comes the draft and Otis Boudreaux, Jr will find out if the next part of his life takes him to the football field…or to the classroom. He has to be ready for both because who knows what the future holds for this extraordinary young man….
That July day came where he moved into the football dorm for the first time. Yes, he would go on to do it 3 more times, but that first time…it was pretty special for sure. Everyone told him he wouldn’t need a car in Boone so he had let his parents bring him down. He knew that he would be too busy to want to go anywhere anyway, so it made the most sense. As his Dad carried in the heavy stuff and his Mom moved his clothes, he tried to take it all in. It was hot, but not as hot as it was at home. There was a nice breeze blowing and there were other players making their way to their rooms as well. He exchanged handshakes and names, but none seemed to register…it was just a lot to take in.
After his parents had left Ozzy started to unpack and get settled in his room. One of the things he liked about ASU was that the players were given private rooms. It was not that he had anything against sharing, but he had shared a room with his younger brother as they grew up and he knew how, even the best of friends, can get on each other’s nerves in small spaces. So to have his own space for the first time in over 12 years was pretty cool.
After getting the clothes put away, the books on the shelfs and the posters on the wall it was time to take a look at the playbook the receiver’s coach had left in his room to greet him. Damn, it was thick! In high school they had maybe 40 offensive plays…nothing too complex…just enough to get lucky every now and then. Their success depended more on the skills of the players rather than how elaborate the plays were. As he flipped through the book he saw that he would be called on to block, go across the middle, curl into the flats, take a pass in the backfield and work some magic, and stretch the defense as far as his legs could carry him. Would he be able to do all of this? No time like the present to find out!
OB Jr headed down to the practice field. He was surprised to not see anyone else there. But most of the guys were still trying to find their rooms…he thought. So he started running, just like he did at home. He had worn out the pair of hand grippers his Dad had bought him back in elementary school. Then he wore out the next pair…and the next. Dad had gotten him a new pair as he headed to college. It was in the colors of the Appalachian State University…black and gold. To be honest, they did look pretty bad ass.
The first season that OB Jr had in the black and gold was his opportunity to learn. Yea, he did play some, just enough to lose his redshirt…but he needed to learn so he took notes, watched, games and film, and learned as much as he could. By the time his sophomore season had rolled around he was ready to take advantage of every opportunity that he was going to be given.
Yes, he did take advantage of them. It started as a little buzz. A mention on the local news, then someone posted some videos of him on social media and then the hashtags started, #OBJrIsLit, #OBJrOnFire, #OBJrClampHands…the list just kept growing. And the interest. Things really took off when he was on the Sports Center Top 10 Plays of the Week. By the time he was in the Top 5, he was getting asked for autographs. But nothing seemed to deter him. He still went to the field early in the morning and stayed late at night to practice. He spent so many hours studying film, looking for a weakness he could exploit. His coaches would comment on how he was almost obsessed with being the best student of the game there ever was.
At the end of his sophomore season he was recognized by getting Honorable Mention for the All-Sun Belt Conference team. He continued to work, both on and off of the field. He continued to push himself…and yes…to exemplify his birthplace and show a different way of living in defiance.
The football success continued for Otis. But that wasn’t enough. He applied himself just as obsessively towards his classwork. He had decided to major in History, Secondary Education. Everyone seemed to be shocked that he had selected that major. His response was so smoothly delivered that it was obvious he had already thought about it. He simply said that he knew he would need a career after football, and if he was lucky enough to be able to make a career of it, then he knew he would not have to worry about money…so why not become a teacher? His love of history was obvious. If he wasn’t reading his playbook…he was reading a history book.
By the end of his junior year, he was 2nd Team All Sun Belt. His senior year saw him break every receiving record in the conference, receptions, yards and touchdowns. The ISFL scouts were at his games, they wanted to make sure the kid from the mountains was legit. But he never changed. He answered their questions, took their tests…and continued to play his game as flawless as if it was second nature to him.
He knew the draft was coming…he knew the scouts would come calling. But first he needed to finish his degree. So after the last game of his college career he headed to the classroom. Yea, he was lucky to get placed in the local high school. He completed his student teaching and saw the same level of success in the classroom as he had on the field.
At graduation he walked across the stage to get his degree. The 1st Team All Sun Belt wide receiver who held 3 conference records had graduated with Highest Honors in History as an Honors Student Teacher with his Manga cum Laude degree in History, Secondary Education.
Next comes the draft and Otis Boudreaux, Jr will find out if the next part of his life takes him to the football field…or to the classroom. He has to be ready for both because who knows what the future holds for this extraordinary young man….