The night before the Ole Miss game i couldn't sleep a wink, so i decided to take a walk. As the door shut behind me i had an eerie feeling that something was going to go wrong. As i turned the corner of the building i saw a guy handing keith some money, as Keith handed him a rather large pill bottle. The guy headed in my direction as Keith yelled " Hey punk i said five hundred!!!". I guess this guy couln't see me because he was headed right in my direction. With my jaw wired shut i couldn't yell "Stop!" so i laid him out.

I got up from my knees and looked down at the guy. I knew i had seen him before, but i couldn't tell from where. As Keith approached us i realized that it was the star CB from Ole Miss, he was going to be playing defense on me in the upcoming game. I knew keith would try to weasle his way out of it so i casually walked back toward the dorm, I had decided i didnt need to take a walk after all. As i walked in the door, I heard keith yell something but couldn't hear, or maybe i didn't want to.

The next morning i woke up late, so i grabbed my stuff and sprinted to the locker room. After i was dressed i noticed keith wasnt with us. One of the guys playing linebacker told me he had been caught with steroids and was suspended. Then i retold him about the night before and that it was the cornerback who was going to buy the drugs and the locker room went silent, im talkin dead as a doornail. Another one of the guys told me that when they caught keith he only had half of a bottle, which meant that Ole Miss' star player must have taken the other half. I knew that guy was good but even with drugs he had no chance against me, i didnt say this to any of the guys because they would have thought that i was conceided. I knew Keith was wanting me to lose to Ole Miss, so he could have his spot back, but it looked like it had backfired on him. Cause without him there was no one at the position of Wide receiver who could hold a candle to me.

As i walked onto the field I heard the crowd roar, I loved that feeling, it was unexplainable. I felt so comfortable out on the field, no keith to worry about, no tara no problems at all, its as if nothing exhisted but foorball. Even if we were playing Ol Miss, i did have a lot on the line, i was playing for not only myself, but the group of recruiters that said i was top notch, and Tennessee material.

The first play of the game was a Play Action Fly to me. I caught it at the fifty the star on my heels, but he didnt catch me til about the twenty, where i started to slow down, so he could try to tackle me. He almost got me down when i ripped free. The first play and it was a touchdown. A great confidence had come over me. Our defense didn't do too much and Ole MIss eventually scored.

On our next drive we ran the ball a few times, mixing it up with the half, and full-backs. we got inside the fity and decided to go straight to the endzone through the air. The Cb was playing back a little, as i passed him i felt a pain in my jaw which slowed me down, and he passed me. The ball was already in the air, and way over my head. the CB picked it off and i hammered him.

As i climbed once again to my knees i looked down at him and yelled " You remember being hit like that in the past son??? Yea i was there i know what you did and i could have you supsended, but i wanted to beat you first."

At halftime we were tied at 21. we were kicking so i had a break. The defense again failed to stop their offense and the took the lead 28-21. Our drive we had to settl for a field goal. Then both our defenses stepped up and we remianed tied late into the fouth quarter. we had the ball at the fifty with about thirty-five seconds left in the game. Coach said we would hail mary it 'til we scored or turned it over. The first two plays we didnt achive but five yards and coach said to go to me. Third and five, with less than ten seconds in the game, i knew it looked bad and i knew i had to step up. I didnt make the right choice by going to Tenn. instead of Ole MIss. I knew that, i just had to show everyone else.

The ball was snapped high but still caught, i shoved off of Mr Steroid and was atleast ten yards ahead of him when i caught the ball. Th fifteen i said in my head, the ten, the five, TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!! I did it. I jumped and dunked the ball in the goalpost, and the team dogpiled me in the endzone. I shook hand with a few of our opponents, one of them being a friend from high school, who was playing second string QB. I looked around for the star Cornnerback but he was nowhere to be found. Then out of the corner of my eye i saw the coach dragging him into the locker room bye the ears.

But i had nothing to worry about. I won, we won. I knew Tennessee was where i belonged. And now, so did everybody else. I knew it was going to be a great season. Now it was time to party...

We were slapping helmets, getting ourselves pumped up before the game. Coach walked in and prepared us with his before game speech. It was kinda lame, but coach was an older guy so we let him ramble on. As I put on my elbow pads I noticed Brody sitting in the corner alone. Brody was pretty popular, for a freshman, so this seemed kind of odd and he wasn't dressed. " Brody i thought you were a starter, why arent you dressed. " He gave me the cold shoulder and coach called us into the tunnel. I tried to yell at brody, but the crowd drowned out my voice.

I jumped up and down at the end of the tunnel as the announcer called out the rest of the offense.

And last but not least Starting at wideReciever Number Seventy-Three the true freshman Garrett Cox!!!

I ran into the huddle and Chad Turner, the senior Quarterback psyched us up. We started out kicking so the offense headed to the sidelines. As Georgia reched our thirty-five Brody's brother Adam, a senior Linebacker, intercepted and pass and got us to our forty.

As i ran onto the field, i knew this is what i was meant to do. Chad called a play-action rollout. I took my position wide to the right. Chad snapped the ball and faked the hand off. He hid the ball very well, and the CB that was guarding me ran toward Reed Philips, the Sophomore HB. I couldn't believe it, I was wide open. I raised my hand and called for the ball. I saw it leave chads hand and noticed it was a little high, but after that pass during recruiting it was nothing. I jumpedd and felt it in my hands. I sprinted toward the goal line and noticed the FS was right in front of me coming like a freight train. As he dove for me I juked to the left and he flew right by. By this time i was at the other teams thirty. About the twenty the CB came from the left. I put on the brakes and hurdled over him as he flew into the sidelines. I heard the announcer:

The fifteen, The ten, the five, TOUCHDOWN VOLUNTEERS!!!!!

I dunked the ball on the goalpost and was dog-piled by the offense. The crowd booed, but i know that good reaction or bad reaction, its better than no reaction at all, as long as your not at home. The pace i was at continued and we had the game won at halftime. 31-6, i had 251 rec. yards and 2 TD's. Our pace slowed down the second half because coach told us to take it easy.

We still murdered Georgia and i think i proved everybody i belonged where i was at, with 325 rec. yds and 3 TD's. I told the guys this was only a sign of things to come. They doubted me but still i knew i had their attention. Next week was Ole Miss. one of the teams i got an offer from. This had to be the greatest game i would have all season, and i would make sure of that.

That night we partyed like crazy at some of the guys Frat house. Tara and I bumped into each other at the party. Apparently she was back together with keith and he was lookin for me. I caught up with Brody a few hours into the party. I asked him why he didn't play, and he gave me no response. I found out later that he had got into a fight with keith, brody was defending me and keith's boys from another school jumped him later that night. Brody broke a couple of ribs, and wouldnt be able to play for a few more weeks.

I was sitting on the couch talkin to a girl, I can't remember her name. I was kinda wasted, but anyway Tara comes up and slaps me in the face. She tells me she shouldnt have ever slept with me and all this stuff, then i saw Keith and his boys coming down the stairs. One of them pointed at me and ran his hand across his throat. I wasnt stupid i knew what it meant. I stood up and asked them what the problem was, no answer. Well there was an answer, i think it was a left to the ribs and a right to the jaw, i dont really remember. I woke up the next morning in the hospital with my jaw wired shut.

I knew i had to play Ole Miss. and that was that. I wasnt staying in the hospital, we had practice tomorrow and i wasnt gonna miss it.

When i got home that day i was kind of bummed because i didn't get an offer from OU or Ok. State, but i was still going to a really great school. Tennessee has a great football program and a great coach. Everyone was really excited about me going to Tennessee. I told them i would be leaving in a week or so to get moved in and start conditioning.

When i arrived at my dorm I met my roommate, Brody Richards. He was a freshman defensive back. It seems he was the one that was guarding me during the recruiting. At first we didn't get along to well. He kept calling me a cheat because i pushed off of him, but i remembered he pushed off of me that last time we ran the drill. He must've been mad because i stopped short. He must be pretty good though because Tennessee still chose him.

During conditioning all we did was lift and run. The whole team had puked at one time or another, and most of us had already puked a second time. I couldn't wait to start running drills, so i could show Brody and the rest of the team, including coach, that i was good enough to start. The last week of conditioning wasnt as bad as the first few, because it got easier every day. The last day of conditioning, coach would post the rosters. As the other guys crowded around the roster, i hung back and waited. As I approached the roster after everyone else was gone i searched for my name. Coach had me posted as a Cornerback. I was signed to start, but i wasn't a cornerback, and coach knew that. I ripped the roster off of the board and went straight to coaches office.

" Whats this? " i questioned as i slammed the paper onto coaches desk. " You know im a Wide Reciever coach! " I think he could tell i was frustrated, because he sat back and let me take out my anger.

" Are you done yet? " he asked. " It was a typo 'rook'."

" So im a wide reciever? And i'm starting? "

" Thats right rook, now go hit the showers..."

When i got back to the dorm Brody was headed out. He told me there was a party at a Sorority house and the whole team was invited. I told him I'd see him there, and he headed out. I rushed into the bathroom to get dressed, check my hair, you know the usual. As i headed out i could hear the music from the party. I walked in and saw Brody, so i headed toward him. About half a step later i was grabbed by one of the sorority girls.

" You wanna d-dance??? " she asked with a sort of nervous tone.

" Sure, whats your name? "

" Hi I'm Tara " she answered.

" Hey Tara im..."

She cut me off " Garrett Cox, the true freshman WideReciever, yea i know you."

We started dancing and she took off after the song was over. I again looked around for Brody. I pushed through a few guys and headed upstairs. As I reached the top of the stairs i felt a tug at my arm. I turned to look and was met by a right hand to the jaw. I stepped back and looked up. It was Keith Smith, the former starting widereciever.

"What the *%^* do you think you're doin @$#hole " he smirked as he questioned me " this is my *$^$@!# school and Tara is my ^&#*@!& girl. You got that @$#hole??? " He swung again, this time Brody grabbed his fist and threew him to the ground.

" Thanks Brod " I said looking down at Keith.

" We can't have our starting reciever getting hurt now can we???" He put his arm around me and we walked off. As i was headed out the door I bumped into Tara. She wanted to dance again, because she was mad at Keith. We danced and out of the corner of my eye i saw a flash of a fist coming at my temple. I leaned back and keith's momentum almost took him to the ground. I dropped an elbow into his back and he fell to the floor. I looked down at him and shook my head then walked out the door.

Brody caught up with me about halfway to our room. " Nice moves white boy " he patted me on the back. " You got some good reflexes, now i can see why you're startin as a freshman."

" Thanks B but too bad you're the only one that thinks so. I deserve that spot, and I'll prove them wrong come gametime. You can take that to the bank man, cuz im money."

" Is that right " he said as i unlocked the dorm. He smiled and we headed off to our separate rooms.

I woke up about five that morning in a cold sweat. I had had a dream about the upcoming game against Georgia. I had to prove these guys i belonged on the roster, and in Georgia i would. I heard a tap on the door but thought i was imagining it. I was already awake so i opened the door. It was Tara she said that her and Keith had got into a fight and she needed a place to stay because they were living together off campus. I told her she could take my bed and id carsh on the couch. She refused and said i could sleep with her in the bed. I knew i couldnt say no to a beautiful women. We hit the sack and i could tell she was feelin fiesty. she grabbed one of my hands and started rubbing it up and down her legs and @$#.

The next morning i woke up with Tara's head on my chest and her hand on my $&@#.

" Cox, Garrett ", I heard my name called.

" Yes, sir? ", i questioned him.

" Get out there and show us what you've got " he shouted.

As i hustled onto the field and took my position I was nervous, but who wouldn't be? As the quarterback snapped the ball i took off. The DB backpedaled a few steps and had to turn around to keep up. I knew he was battling for a position, but so was I. It was either gonna be me or him. And it wasn't gonna be me. I shoved off of his shoulder and broke wide open. I saw the ball fly into the air and my eyes lit up. Or atleast i think they lit up because as soon as i saw the ball so did the DB. I took a few steps then stopped short as he kept running. The ball was going straight for him. I knew i couldn't make the catch but i jumped as high as i could anyway. I felt the ball hit my fingertips and i seemed to keep floating. At last I felt the ball right in the palms of my hands. As i started to fall i felt a hard smack at my knees. It was the DB and i knew he'd hit me really hard. I flipped in the air and landed on my stomach, but somehow i seemed to hold onto the ball. I felt a small pain in my lower back but got up and back on the line.

The QB again snapped the ball and i took off. The DB again backpedaled this time for a longer period of time. This time he shoved off of me to get a boost. He did get a good boost off of me but he didn't expect me to stop short. As he continued to run I was wide open and the ball was thrown in my direction. Not a very good throw, but it was catchable. As i caught the ball i could hear the Db running up behind me. I spen to the right hoping he wouldnt be there. And he wasnt, I sprinted toward the endzone. It seemed like everything was in slow-motion. The forty, the thirty, the twenty, and at the fifteen the CB was coming right at me. A juke to the right took care of him as he flew out of bounds, the ten, TOUCHDOWN!!!!

I slammed the ball into the ground and did a little jig. " Nice catch Rook " i heard the coach from USC yell.

I turned and looked as i saw the Running Backs lining up for their drills. After these drills I would find out who was offering me scholarships. I did have a few choices ligned up. I was really hoping on any kind of offer from OU or Oklahoma State.

As the last HB finished his drill we were all called to the 50 yard-line by the Head of the Recruiters. He called a few guys names and told them of their scholarships and they headed off toward the recruiters. He called my name and told me my offers. I got full scholarships to Tennessee, Florida, Ole Miss, and USC. Nothing from OU or Oklahoma State. I knew i wasnt going to play for USC because well after the Orange Bowl last year i couldnt do that to my dad who was a big sooner fan. So i chose the No. 2 school in the Nation, Tennessee.