Everybody loves these types of videos: the kind that is shared around thousands of times in August when a once-walk-on player sees his hard work pay off by finally receiving the scholarship that most of his surrounding teammates have gotten for years.
Ball State held a team meeting. As the team gathered, they had a breakaway from all of the sweat-begging practices and focus-required lectures to play a game of The Cardinal is Right. It was more like the game of Taboo and not The Price is Right like the title may have suggested, but I digress.
After the video showed four of his teammates go first, Kyle Seger was up next. He didn’t get the generic words or phrases like them, he got something better. "You Have Earned A Full Scholarship," the screen behind him read. His teammates and coaches were overjoyed and proud of him as they all jumped around in celebration.
Head coach Mike Neu addressed the team after things settled, talking about the example that needs to be set for the younger players and how Seger, a defensive end that walked on in 2012, is routinely one of those "first one in, last one out" types that he’s proud to have on this team. "You talk about putting in the work, a little extra time," Neu said. "It couldn’t have happened to a better guy; he’s earned it and you young guys need to know that."
After the meeting, the video shows Seger on the phone with his parents in the lobby. He puts them on speaker phone to tell them the good news, and they both express their gratitude towards the coaching staff and say how Seger worked so much for that moment.
"I finally did it," Seger said.