Off to a Rough Start
Year One: RedShirted
After I knew that Drake was where God wanted me to be, I didn't know much else. I knew that I would redshirt, meaning I wouldn't play for my first year, and I would have to start over again at the bottom of the totem pole. That meant be humble and patient, but hungry. I knew that I was the fourth linebacker in my class, and the other three were the guys they signed instead of me. That meant I had a chip on my shoulder. I knew that God had brought me here to play football at a high level, so I had a lot of confidence.
But things started slow. And crappy.
My first ever padded collegiate practice, in my first ever drill, I messed up my shoulder. I got hit at a weird angle and it immediately started hurting. But I toughed it out and kept going. Well then it got hit a few more times. Then I stepped in as scout team quarterback to throw the ball. Now it was really hurting. Not good. I decided I would wait to until we go to the next drill, and then go see the trainer. So I run over and the trainer is looking at someone else. So while I'm standing there, I figure I'll get a drink.
And then it happens.
The Defensive Coordinator, my coach, looks over and sees me getting a drink while everyone else is in the drill.
"HEDMAN!! WHAT THE **** ARE YOU DOING!? GET YOUR *** OVER HERE!! (and then it got worse) EVERYBODY! CHOP 'EM!!"
If you don't know what the term "chop 'em" means, consider yourself lucky. It means commence torture, the worst, more exhausting punishment in football (IMO). Up-Downs. Chopping your feet until coach blows the whistle, then dropping into a push up and getting back up as fast as you can to continue chopping. I think we did 30. I thought my shoulder hurt before? Now its actually hurt, like strained labram. And I can't say anything now! I'm already too embarrassed that I got the whole team in trouble, as a freshman, on my first day of pads, from getting hurt on my first hit. Not off to a great start. By the way, when I actually go to see the trainer, they say they can't help me but its just gunna hurt like hell until it heals on its own. Great.
Later that day, I have a distinct memory of walking over to sit with a table full of guys at dinner and spilling my entire blue Powerade over the whole table. That was not my day.
But things got better that year. Camp came to an end and I got to play a lot of scout team, which is where the freshman and underclassmen run the opposing team's defense against our offense. This meant no pressure, running around with your friends, hitting people and getting better. One time I really ticked off our running back by just straight running him over. Good times.
A lot of standing on the sideline when you're redshirted.
That offseason I was introduces to the joy that was 6AM workouts. There's nothing like walking a couple blocks in a snowstorm at 5:30 in the morning to go get your *** kicked for a couple hours. That sounds negative. Really, there's nothing like it. Its a really unique and rewarding experience. Mostly because you're doing it with 100 guys that are equally miserable but you're all there for the same goal, which makes it kind of fun.
I was also introduced a big part of my career: coaching changes. Just as I had begun to get to know our Defensive Coordinator, and he had become to be impressed at me by seeing my physicality and winning Scout Team Player of the Week three times, he took a better job. That meant learning a whole new system and, more importantly, getting to know and impress a whole new coach.
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Me and Brandon. This is actually from Sophomore year but this still gives you some context to how young I was.
What I learned that first year was a lot about hard work, patience, and finding your place. I knew I wasn't the big star anymore and I was OK with that. I just had to find my role on the team and fill it. I would need to learn this a lot more in years to come, however. I also began to build some great friendships while also neglecting friendships that could have been built. Although I may not have been mature enough for it at the time, I regret not being as social or as involved in the party scene (even if I didn't partake) so I could have been better friends with my teammates. It was hard to overcome those initial treads and habits.
I think that I felt as if, in High School I talked and goofed around a lot, which made people like me, but not respect me. I thought a lot about the quote by Abe Lincoln, that "It's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you're a fool, than to open your mouth and prove it" and figured if I was more of a strong, silent type, people would respect me more. Turned out, people didn't end up always respecting or liking me, and more often than not, I think people thought I was judging them. I should have just focused on being like Christ (thus being myself) rather than try and be something I'm not. Funny looking back on it.
Seth
Next: Concluding College Ball (Part IV)
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