ODESSA, Texas — The UT Permian Basin Falcons have a lot to celebrate – they ended the season on a high note. The team ran away with their final game 70 to 14 over Texas A&M Kingsville, setting a new season record for the program.
That’s just one part of this story.
The other half carries an important lesson: actions speak louder than words.
Red shirt sophomore linebacker John O’Kelley intercepted the ball from Kingsville and was on his way to score a touchdown, a dream come true for any defensive player, but something else happened. His game-time decision has now been seen by millions.
“I knew before the game I might have an opportunity to get an interception, so I had decided ahead of time that I would try to do something for our seniors,” O’Kelley said. “Then I got the ball out of nowhere. I was running and see Chris out of the corner of my eye.”
In that moment, O’Kelley slowed down.
“I was ready to start celebrating with him,” Hoad said. “But he slowed down and told me ‘don’t fumble the ball!’ he handed it off and I ran it on in for a touchdown.”
A small act that’s speaking volumes about the young men.
“This spontaneous act of selfless kindness really demonstrates the heart of our students,” UT Permian Basin President Dr. Sandra Woodley said. “It really shows who we are as a University.”
Head coach Justin Carrigan echoed that same sentiment – saying actions on the field mimic values they started the program with.
“The guys, the brotherhood starts with them, the bond starts with them. I don't think there's a lot as a coach you can do to take credit for any of that,” Carrigan said.
In less than 48 hours, the play caught the attention of national media. Tonight, it has been viewed more than 8-million times and counting.
