University of New Mexico safety Tavian Combs remembers the opening kickoff to the 2018 season as a junior at Randall High School in Amarillo.
The ball came to him and he took off, eager to begin a crucial season with the hopes of attracting college recruiters’ attention.
He ran at an angle across the field toward the sideline, but then saw a hole and he shot through it. From behind, a defender grabbed his jersey to slow him down and then another defender went low on him and crashed into his legs.
His first touch of the ball for that season turned out to be the last in 2018.