After the scrimmage ended, Coach Nick Saban gathered the team at midfield. Saban was a legend in college football, known for his relentless attention to detail and his unmatched success. To play for Alabama under Saban meant you were part of a machine—a well-oiled, efficient, and ruthless program. But it also meant that nothing less than perfection was acceptable.
"Good work today," Saban began, his voice calm but with that unmistakable intensity Chris had come to respect. "Some of you showed me you can compete. Some of you still have a lot to prove."
His eyes scanned the group, and for a brief second, Chris felt the weight of Saban's gaze. It was like being under a microscope—every detail of his performance, every movement, analyzed and evaluated.
"We're going to make some adjustments to the depth chart this week," Saban continued. "If you've earned a spot, you'll know soon enough. If you haven't, it's because you didn't do enough. Simple as that."
Chris's heart pounded. He knew this was the critical moment. He had done everything he could, but would it be enough to crack the starting lineup?
Saban dismissed the team, and as the players filed off the field, Chris stayed back, glancing toward the coaching staff. Saban was deep in conversation with Lane Kiffin, the offensive coordinator, but as Chris walked by, Saban called out.
"Carter."
Chris stopped in his tracks, turning to face the coach.
"Yeah, Coach?"
Saban walked over, his expression as unreadable as ever. He studied Chris for a moment, the silence stretching just long enough to make Chris's nerves tighten.
"You had a good scrimmage today," Saban said, his voice even but with that edge of expectation. "You're fast, you run clean routes, and you've got good hands. But this is Alabama. I don't care if you had one good scrimmage. I care about consistency. Can you do that every game, every practice?"
Chris swallowed hard, standing a little straighter under Saban's scrutiny. "Yes, sir. I can."
Saban narrowed his eyes. "We'll see about that."
With that, he turned and walked back to the other coaches. Chris watched him for a moment, knowing that, in Saban's world, a compliment like that was gold. But he couldn't let it get to his head. The journey wasn't over—if anything, it was just getting harder.
Back in his dorm room that evening, Chris sat on the edge of his bed, the adrenaline from the day still coursing through him. He stared at the System interface, the 15 newly earned skill points flashing in front of him like a reward waiting to be claimed.
"Speed: 93/100, Agility: 82/100, Strength: 79/100, Stamina: 91/100, Catching: 85/100."
He pondered where to allocate the points. His speed was nearly maxed out, but his agility and catching could still use improvement, especially since precision would be critical under Saban's watchful eye.
"Allocate 5 points to agility, 5 to catching, and 5 to strength."
The System processed the request, and Chris felt the now-familiar surge of energy ripple through his body, enhancing his muscles, fine-tuning his reflexes.
"New stats: Speed: 93/100, Agility: 87/100, Strength: 84/100, Stamina: 91/100, Catching: 90/100."
That was better. Chris clenched his fists, feeling the power coursing through him. He was ready for the next step. Whatever came next, he would be prepared.
The following week of practice was different. Chris could feel the shift. The coaches were watching him more closely, giving him more reps with the first-team offense. He knew this was his shot to earn a starting position, but it came with a price. The veterans, especially Amari Cooper and Kevin Norwood, weren't going to make it easy.
Amari was still the alpha of the wide receivers group. He was fast, experienced, and had chemistry with the starting quarterback, AJ McCarron. Chris knew that to take a starting spot meant directly competing with guys like Amari, and the competition was fierce.
During one-on-one drills, Amari was relentless. Every time Chris stepped up for a rep, Amari would follow, running his own route flawlessly, making it clear that he wasn't going to give up his spot without a fight.
On one particular play, Amari and Chris lined up side by side, both running deep post routes. AJ dropped back, scanning the field, and fired the ball toward Amari first. Amari made the catch with ease, gliding down the field like a natural.
Chris's ball came next. He ran his route perfectly, creating separation from the cornerback, and AJ lobbed it high. Chris leaped, snatching the ball out of the air with ease. As soon as he landed, he turned upfield, but he could already hear Amari's voice.
"Good catch, man, but don't get ahead of yourself."
Chris smirked but didn't respond. He didn't need to. He would let his performance do the talking.
Two days later, Nick Saban called a team meeting to announce the depth chart for the season opener. The room was silent, tension thick in the air. Every player sat on edge, waiting to hear their fate.
Saban walked in, his expression as stern as ever, clipboard in hand.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," Saban began, his voice hard and unyielding. "We're here to win championships. I don't care how many stars you had in high school, I don't care how many accolades you've got. What matters is what you do on this field, every day."
He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing.
"I'm going to go over the starting lineup. If your name's not on it, that means you didn't earn it yet. But that doesn't mean you won't. We compete every day. The spot's yours if you take it."
Saban began listing off names, starting with the defense. Chris could barely focus, his mind racing as he waited for the offense.
Finally, Saban got to the wide receivers.
"Cooper. Norwood. Carter."
Chris blinked, hardly believing what he had just heard. His name. He had made it. He was a starting wide receiver for Alabama.
"Quest completed: Earn a starting spot. You have earned 20 skill points."
Chris could barely register the System's notification, the reality of the moment hitting him all at once. He had done it. He had earned his place.
Saban's voice cut through the fog of excitement.
"Don't think for a second that this means your job's safe," Saban warned. "We've got work to do. You want to stay on this field, you've got to keep earning it. Every. Single. Day."
Chris nodded, determination flooding his veins. He was ready.
The real season was about to begin.