Four years ago Marc Panu walked on to 菠萝视频鈥檚 football team. He sweated through the sweltering summer training camp. He spent grueling hours lifting weights. He studied game plans and watched endless film.
His reward was slow in coming. In 2009 he didn鈥檛 play at all. By 2010, though, the coaches started to take notice and he made it off the bench in 11 games, playing on special teams and as a backup linebacker. During coach 鈥檚 first year, Panu made the switch from linebacker to fullback and, by kickoff of the 2012 season, not only was he a starter, but he was awarded a full scholarship.
At a team meeting back in August, Panu was seated with the rest of his team watching a tape of the previous day鈥檚 practice. Coach Franklin focused on Panu鈥檚 plays and praised him to his teammates. He then announced that Panu鈥檚 hard work had finally paid off and that he was now a scholarship athlete.
Panu鈥檚 teammates jumped up, clapping and shouting out their appreciation of the coach鈥檚 surprise gift. Panu sat stunned.
鈥淚 had no idea that it was coming鈥擨 just wanted to play football for one last year and enjoy my senior year,鈥� Panu says. 鈥淚t was just a great experience to know that I was respected by the coaching staff. Over the years, a lot of my teammates had said they were surprised I didn鈥檛 have a scholarship. They were really excited for me.鈥�
As thrilling as that day was, it鈥檚 not Panu鈥檚 most memorable gridiron moment.
鈥淧laying against South Carolina in the season opener this year has to be the pinnacle of my college football experience,鈥� Panu says. 鈥淚t was the first time I was starting on offense in an SEC game, and I鈥檒l always remember that.”
Making the transition from defense to offense wasn鈥檛 that difficult for Panu.
鈥淔ootball is fundamentally all the same鈥攋ust blocking and tackling,鈥� he says. 鈥淧laying linebacker was fun, but actually being in the game鈥攏ot watching from the sidelines鈥攊s the most fun.鈥�
Panu works just as hard in the classroom as he does on the field of play. He is majoring in chemical engineering and is on track to earn his degree in May.
鈥淚 try to maximize my time in the classroom,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 focus on actually learning the material in class so I don鈥檛 have to spend as much time studying and reviewing.鈥�
Panu鈥檚 plans for the future are still flexible at this point, but he may add a year to his studies and work toward a minor in managerial studies or engineering management.
With his playing days coming to a close, Panu knows he will miss the game. 鈥淔ootball really takes a lot out of you,鈥� he says. 鈥淓veryone who plays in college loves the game, but it鈥檚 a huge commitment. I鈥檓 not sure what I鈥檒l miss most, but I will definitely miss playing this game.鈥�
Mark Panu鈥檚 story has become an online sensation, also appearing on ABC, CBS, Fox and ESPN.