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Overcoming Adversity: Zach Darlington


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Sometimes in life it's not always about the final destination but rather the journey. As Zack Darlington walked up to the line of scrimmage in the Music City Bowl to a 4th and 35, he knew he had just reached the cusp of his capabilities -- but it wasn't easy getting to that point. From being airlifted during a nationally-televised high school football game to overcoming the loss of his good friend and teammate, Sam Foltz, Zack Darlington has earned every rep.

 

Zack fell in love with the sport of football at an early age. The game came easy for him, too. By the time he entered high school, Darlington was already receiving interest from schools including the University of Nebraska, Ole Miss, Ohio State, and a number of others. Regarded as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation, he earned a four-star rating and led his team to the state championship his junior year.

 

Just prior to Zack's senior year, he made his commitment to the University of Nebraska. This was before the first of several obstacles were thrown his way. Working to improve for the season ahead, he and his teammates were flipping tires when Darlington was hit in the head multiple times. He was hospitalized as a result. "I developed a stutter from the injury and had to receive speech therapy for a year," Zack said. "But I was determined to get back onto the football field." After just a month of rehab and treatment, Zack was playing again.

 

From that point forward, Zack was intent on accomplishing something that no other quarterback in Central Florida had -- to win back-to-back State Championships. Apopka, Zack's high school, had gained national attention and earned a spot on national television for their season opener. Zack knew his job was to go out and win, but unfortunately, bigger issues were ahead. Early in the game, under center, Darlington rolled out of the pocket to avoid defenders and was ultimately hit near the sideline. "I was told that as soon as I hit the ground, I didn't move. I was knocked out cold." said Zack. After nearly 15 unconscious minutes, one of the best high school quarterbacks in the nation was being life-flighted off the field. Many questioned whether he would ever play again.

 

The day that Zack woke up in the hosptial, he received a phone call from his future football coach, Bo Pelini. He recalled Pelini telling him that he would grant Zack's full-ride scholarship regardless of whether he could continue playing. "He told me he wanted me to go somewhere I can be proud of myself," Zack said. That validated Darlington's initial commitment to Nebraska. Still, this injury managed to flip his world upside-down.

 

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He developed a stutter from a head injury and he's still playing? I'm not sure it's that overcoming adversity or crazy. I'm leaning towards the latter.

 

Hits to the head do "funny" things to your brain that science is only now coming to understand.

 

But to the point of this story, attending speech therapy for over a year to stop stuttering is a great example of over-coming adversity.

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