บท 3: A Personal Guarantee
It wasn't just Lance; Bell was also looking at Burns with eager anticipation. They both shared the same concern:
Could a complete outsider really make the switch to football?
Of course, the NCAA had seen its fair share of crossover athletes—basketball, football, baseball, hockey, track and field, and more. Many athletes excelled in two or even three sports, with extraordinary talent and performances that often led to multiple professional league draft invitations.
But...
MMA?
Was Burns really this confident? Wasn't he worried that he was inviting Lance to join as a fighter rather than a player?
Burns could sense the gaze of both Lance and Bell. He felt a bit flustered and anxious, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead as he awkwardly adjusted his posture. Desperate to explain his thoughts, once he started discussing football in detail, the words flowed out of him uncontrollably.
"Honestly, we're currently in a positive cycle; everything is in peak condition."
"After winning back-to-back national championships in '11 and '12, we fell short of the semifinals in '13 and '14, but last year, we reclaimed the throne."
"The key? Our running backs."
"Everyone knows that our Alabama Crimson Tide is traditionally a powerhouse for running backs—oh, by the way, I'm the team's running backs coach. Last year, after two seasons of honing his skills, Derrick Henry finally had his breakout season in his junior year."
"He rushed for 2,219 yards and scored 28 rushing touchdowns that season, stats that would be considered top-tier in any era. He won the Heisman Trophy, the highest honor in NCAA football, without a doubt."
"And then..."
"After the season ended, Henry entered the draft in April and officially joined the professional league."
"With the new season starting in September, losing our top running back isn't good news. If we're not careful, we might miss out on the championship just like in '13 and '14."
"But that's not the end of it. This is the NCAA; every year, we face students graduating or turning pro. We've been through this, and we know the challenges ahead. We always find a way to deal with it. But this year, the situation is far worse."
"During this month's spring training camp, we lost three running backs to injuries. Now, we have only two running backs left, not even enough to fill the bench."
"Although our top running back is still healthy and ready to play, our second-string running back might need six months to recover. With a bit of luck, he could return mid-season. But we can't take that risk. Not only that, we need to be fully prepared. We're in dire need of running backs."
"Starting the season with fewer than four running backs would make me anxious enough, but now, with only two left..."
"I..."
Burns was both excited and embarrassed—
Even the most skilled cook can't prepare a meal without ingredients.
Although the University of Alabama is a football powerhouse, especially known for its running backs, and Burns is a capable coach, he's facing a shortage of players. With no "ingredients," Burns can't make anything happen, no matter his skill.
The honest man before them was on the verge of tears.
"Principal."
"If you give me four running backs, even if we don't win the championship, I can still get us into a bowl game. But with only two, what do you expect me to do?"
"Forget about '13 and '14; we might fall back to where we were before '07 overnight."
Bell was taken aback: That would be unacceptable.
As a traditional football powerhouse, the University of Alabama's yearly enrollment depends heavily on its football reputation. If the football team underperforms, the consequences could be disastrous.
But if it were just about enrollment, the university has other strong sports programs, so that's not the biggest worry. The real issue lies in broadcast revenue.
Anyone familiar with Europe's top five soccer leagues or the NBA knows that broadcast rights are the most lucrative aspect of competitive sports, and football is no exception.
NCAA football broadcasting is split into two parts: national broadcasts across North America and regional broadcasts.
Naturally, national broadcasts bring in several times the ad revenue, but only strong teams and high-profile games make it to national television.
In other words, the performance of the Alabama Crimson Tide directly impacts the university's finances—
It's a matter of life and death.
Bell looked at Burns, and Burns looked back at Bell. "Principal, we need Lance."
Lance might be a complete outsider, but given the team's current situation, he's a perfect choice—his talent and ability are evident.
Burns believed that with Lance on the team, even if he couldn't groom another Derrick Henry, there was still hope for the upcoming season.
After speaking, Burns turned to Lance. "I'm serious."
Despite the sweat on his forehead and the flush on his cheeks, Burns' eyes were bright and focused, genuinely and candidly laying all his cards on the table.
This time, Lance didn't refuse. "Alright."
Perhaps the key to changing his life and achieving greatness was football.
Even after Lance left the office, Bell looked at Burns with a meaningful smile, both hopeful and a little worried.
"Burton, our goal is to defend our title. Are you telling me that he's the missing piece to our championship puzzle? Does the head coach agree with your assessment?"
Burns was the assistant head coach, but above him was the head coach. They were a perfect team, having worked together at Alabama for ten seasons. So, Burns held a unique position within the team.
But even so, no matter how important Burns was, he wasn't the head coach. The ultimate authority over the team still rested with the head coach.
"Of course, Principal. The coach is aware of today's meeting."
"I won't say that this kid is the missing piece of our championship puzzle, but if we want to defend our title, we must replenish our running back resources."
"I know what I'm doing."
Confident, yet sincere.
Burns was a down-to-earth person. He didn't make grand promises about aiming for the championship or easily defending the title—none of that.
But his words were convincing.
Bell nodded lightly in understanding.
"You'll be judging his performance, and we'll be judging yours. You need to know that from now on, you're his guarantor."
"Coach, I know that defending the title isn't something you can achieve by just saying so. It's complicated and challenging. So, I won't say what will happen if we don't win, but I need our games to be broadcast nationally."
"You know how important that is for the university."
"Last season, we had ten nationally televised games; the season before that, it was eight. I know we've encountered some difficulties this year, so I'm not being overly demanding—at least seven games."
"Coach, seven games."
"If it's fewer than seven, then before I sit down with this young man, I'll need to have a word with you first. Of course, I'll be confirming this with the head coach—I'll need his response."
"And later, you'll be taking him for a tryout, right?"
Seven games—it won't be easy—
Because the NCAA regular season only has twelve games. Even with the conference championship, bowl games, and the national championship, there are only fifteen games in total.
In other words, they'll need to make it to the post-season to reach that number.
Burns didn't respond hastily. Instead, he took a deep breath and solemnly nodded.
Creak.
The office door opened again, and Burns' penguin-like figure appeared, flashing a bright smile at Lance, who stood at the entrance.
"So, how about coming with me to check out the team? The guys are probably waiting for us."
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