High School Football Star Runs Out Of Bounds So Freshman Whose Dad Just Died Could Score

I’d love to say, “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” but my eyes are all dusty or something.

1. A few weeks ago at a high school football game in Ohio, St. Clairsville was comfortably beating their rival Edison when they handed the ball off to senior star running back (and future Michigan Wolverine) Michael Ferns.

2. Ferns, who had already scored 11 touchdowns on the year, broke through the line, then broke multiple tackles.

3. It appeared Ferns was headed for number 12.

4. But then he stepped out of bounds at the one-yard-line.

5. The referees attempted to award him a touchdown, but St. Clairsville players argued that their back had stepped out of bounds, and refs acquiesced.

6. It was at that point that St. Clairsville’s coach Brett McLean called for freshman Logan Thompson to enter the game.

7. Thompson’s father had died of a stroke two days earlier. The freshman hadn’t played much on varsity and had never lined up at running back before. So McClean told him the play as simply as possible: “Just follow Ferns.”

8. And that’s exactly what Thompson did.

9. After the play Ferns and Thompson embraced.

(Jeff Stewart)

10. And after the game Thompson took to Twitter to share the moment with his late father.

11. Watch the video here:

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dgz-ObKXaNg.

H/T Jason Jordan at USA Today High School Sports.