When the St. Mary's Academy football players took the field, a wave of gasps rippled through the crowd.
Overall, their guys were built way bigger than Melford High's—noticeably bulkier across the board.
And the standout was their No. 74, Michael Oher. The dude's size was straight-up ridiculous.
He was pushing almost six-foot-five, and definitely over 220 pounds. On the field, a build like that was basically a heavy armored tank.
You rarely see physical gifts like Michael Oher's even in pro ball.
In a high school game? It was like dropping down a dimension to dominate.
Over in Melford's prep area, Coach George eyed the opponent's No. 74 and sighed. "I'd heard St. Mary's recently picked up this insanely talented defensive tackle. Didn't expect him to be that massive."
"But from what I know, that big guy's pretty new to football. We've still got a shot," Coach added, pumping up the team. "Trust me—not everybody's like our Mike, blowing up this fast..."
Thinking about Mike's crazy growth and raw power eased the tension on the guys' faces.
"Yeah! We've got Mike—we're unbeatable!" Little George yelled at just the right moment.
The other players exchanged looks, cracked some smiles, and most of that pre-game jitters faded away.
In football, it's all about team chemistry and that fire in your gut.
The first gets everyone trusting each other for those slick plays. The second lights a fire under you, pushing you to play out of your mind.
Seeing the guys get their confidence back made Coach George smile. Then he laid out the game plan: "Since they're throwing a rookie out there, we're gonna outsmart 'em.
"This game, we're sticking with Aaron and Mike as our cores—running that crisscross offense..."
The crisscross (or infiltration) tactic is all about multi-point attacks, keeping the defense guessing where you're headed next.
It's pure flexibility.
After breaking down the key points again, Coach George barked, "Everybody got it?"
"Got it!" the team shouted back.
As the whistle blew to start, he hyped them up: "Alright, boys—go get 'em!"
As the players headed out, Coach quietly pulled Mike aside and whispered, "Mike, as one of our offensive anchors, protect yourself out there. Play smart..."
He trusted Mike's skills big time, but that No. 74's sheer bulk had him worried.
He didn't want Mike getting hurt from going too hard—only guys who stay on the field can shine.
"Don't worry, Coach," Mike said, eyes burning with fight. "I'll bring home the win!"
The game kicked off, and Melford won the coin toss, getting first possession.
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On the snap, Aaron grabbed the ball from the center, surged forward to draw the quarterback's block, then handed it off to Mike.
As the running back, Mike had already scanned the field.
In a split second, he smartly avoided their heavy left-side defense and burst out to the right, ball tucked tight.
Juke, spin, accelerate...
With Mike putting on a clinic, the crowd erupted in cheers.
"That's it, kid!"
"Go, Mike!!!"
"Run! Run! Run! Crush those !"
...
Those Texas rednecks had their own rowdy way of cheering—pure passion.
Amid the roar, Mike blew past everyone and hit the end zone edge. He glanced back—nobody even close.
So he slowed to a jog, casually strolling across the line for the touchdown.
Boom—the place exploded. Fans were jumping, dancing, celebrating Mike's killer play.
"I knew it, I knew he had it..." Local reporter Jack, in the prime viewing spot, watched his footage with his neck turning red from excitement.
That solo touchdown run was easily top-10 play of the week material.
Once the hype died down, Jack yelled to his intern: "What're you waiting for? Get the banner out!"
Soon, a massive banner with Mike's face on it unfurled in the stands.
Then it got passed hand-to-hand, rippling like a wave through the crowd.
"That's it—do it again! Show 'em our power!" Coach George pumped his fist, yelling to the field.
It was tactical too—starting hot to crush the opponent's morale.
Melford got the extra point attempt, lining up five yards out.
Captain Aaron caught the coach's signal, crouched with the ball, and shot Mike a quick glance from the side.
Mike nodded—he was ready.
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On the kick, Aaron hand-offed it straight to Mike again, then dove at their quarterback.
Mike didn't fake anyone out—he just used his shifty moves to slice through the right side once more and punch into the end zone.
Another touchdown for Mike, tacking on two more points for Melford.
Starting with eight quick points gave Melford a huge edge—both on the scoreboard and in their heads.
"Don't panic, don't get down—forget that damn score. Just play steady, and the win's ours!" Over on the sideline, St. Mary's head coach Cotton was firing up his guys.
Before the game, he'd studied Melford's tape hard.
In his mind, straight-up talent-wise, Melford couldn't hang with St. Mary's.
As long as his team stayed locked in and played to their level, victory was still theirs.
With Coach Cotton's shouts, the St. Mary's players settled down, shaking off the frustration.
After the switch, both teams lined up at midfield again.
St. Mary's went with the classic 4-3-4 formation on offense.
It's all about balance—sacrificing some big-play potential for rock-solid reliability.
Bottom line: perfect for a stronger team looking to steamroll the opposition.