"Hey, hey! Did you hear? Coach Burns dug up a gem from the school. They say he's a once-in-a-lifetime talent, but he's never played football before. The coach is really invested, even sought him out several times."
"Perfect! I'll give him a proper lesson—a shock on training day so he knows who's boss."
"Hahaha."
"Is that really necessary? We're already short on running backs. Depending solely on Josh, that freshman, I think our offense might struggle this year."
"Josh is fine, and Damien's injury isn't too serious. He'll be back soon. I don't think we need more running backs. What, you think the coach just picked up a random bum off the street to be the Crimson Tide's savior?"
"Savior might be a bit much…"
"I don't know what Coach Burns is thinking. Since when did the Crimson Tide become so casual? Just anyone can join now? If my grandpa heard this, he might have a heart attack."
"I heard it's some Asian kid…"
"Seriously?"
"No way."
"I didn't know they played football in Asia."
"Idiot, didn't you hear? The kid's never played football before. You better keep your mouth shut, or you'll lower the average IQ of the whole field."
It was April 2016, still several months until the new season kicked off in September. The team was in the middle of spring training camp, the last chance for a full training session before summer break.
Rustling whispers and chatter buzzed through the warm-up lines, with a noticeable surge of youthful testosterone in the air. One by one, the players couldn't contain their excitement, their minds disrupted by the morning rumors.
Not just in Tuscaloosa, but across the entire state of Alabama, the University of Alabama football team held unparalleled popularity. With no other professional sports teams in the state, both Alabama and Auburn University football teams held the love of all the residents. These teams' games often had higher viewership than professional matches.
Naturally, the players' pride and sense of honor were immeasurable. Every one of them was thrilled to be part of the Crimson Tide, especially the local residents.
But now, suddenly, an outsider was about to join them—
Instinctively, they were on guard.
However.
Ahem!
A cough from the sidelines silenced all the whispers. No one even dared glance toward the source of the sound; they focused intently on their training, knowing full well that this was a signal from the head coach.
Nick Saban.
One of the greatest coaches in NCAA football history, widely considered to be the greatest, period. This 65-year-old coach, as of 2023, had a career record as a college football head coach of 282 wins, 70 losses, and 1 tie—an astounding winning percentage, unmatched in history.
Despite his unparalleled success in the NCAA, Saban had attempted to transition to the NFL, taking on head coaching roles on three separate occasions, but each time met with less-than-satisfactory results. This included an unfulfilling two seasons with the Miami Dolphins starting in 2005, after which he returned to the college ranks.
In 2007, after his disappointing NFL stint, Saban, along with his coaching staff—including Burns—took the reins of the Alabama Crimson Tide, revitalizing the long-dormant traditional football powerhouse. In just two short years, by 2009, they claimed the national championship, reclaiming the throne after a 17-year drought.
Over nine seasons at Alabama, Saban led the Crimson Tide to three national championships, three national semifinal appearances, and three other division finals. In other words, for the past nine years, they had consistently made it to bowl games after the regular season, cementing their status as one of the best college football teams in North America.
Glorious, brilliant.
Without a doubt, Saban held absolute authority within the Alabama football program.
It's worth noting that Saban was an exceptional coach, and any coach who could join his staff was considered fortunate. As a result, his coaching staff had been poached by other teams over the years, with members coming and going. The one exception was Burns.
Burns, a legendary running backs coach, had previously held the same position at Clemson University, another traditional football powerhouse. After Saban personally recruited him in 2007, the two had worked together ever since.
Naturally, in Saban's eyes, Burns' words carried significant weight. So when Burns said he needed Lance, Saban believed him. He trusted Burns' judgment on this so-called genius, and Saban was eager to see for himself.
Buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
Without needing to turn around, Saban could sense from the players' reactions that the subject of their morning gossip had arrived.
Saban didn't turn around.
This coach had his own style. Whether in games or practices, he always wore a suit. His neatly combed, graying hair slicked back, with his caterpillar-like eyebrows as his signature feature.
Standing straight and serious, Saban didn't move until Burns appeared in his line of sight. After a quick greeting, Saban finally cast a subtle glance at the young man—
Height. Build. Weight.
More than his physical appearance, what really caught Saban's eye was the young man's calm and collected demeanor, naturally exuding an air of intellectualism. On the surface, he seemed calm, but Saban noticed the muscles in his arms and calves, brimming with strength and ready to burst forth.
Saban knew Burns' abilities—his eye for talent, not just for running backs but for other positions as well. Saban's trust in Burns was unique, different from his trust in others.
Still, he kept a neutral expression.
"What?" Saban asked loudly, pulling his gaze back.
Lance repeated his introduction, "Just call me Lance."
"Lance, got it." Saban nodded slightly in acknowledgment. He skipped the small talk and turned to the field. "Why don't we get straight to the point…"
After a brief pause, Saban took in the expressions on the young players' faces—curiosity, scrutiny, disdain, amusement, provocation. Young men were always so full of fire.
Saban thought it over carefully. He needed to see this young man's skills for himself. Only by understanding both his strengths and weaknesses could they accurately gauge his potential and plan for the season—
Currently, the starting running back position was held by freshman Josh Jacobs.
Of course, Jacobs had earned the position through his performance and talent, and the coaching staff had high hopes for his potential. But the fact that a freshman was starting also highlighted the running back shortage.
If Lance could surprise them...
He would need to face off against the starting players to truly gauge his abilities. But there was no need to go all out initially; they should first assess his basic physical skills and then decide on the matchups.
With that in mind, Saban began calling names.
"Foster, Humphrey, Allen, Jackson, step forward."
Roar.
Roar, roar, roar.
As soon as the names were called, the other players immediately started cheering, even whistling, their excitement to see a good show burning brightly.