LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- You’ve seen it happen elsewhere, but nobody in the University of Louisville football program could remember it happening quite this way here.
Cardinals’ coach Scott Satterfield got his players together for an end-of-semester meeting Friday night, gave them a pep talk for the offseason, handed out some awards and threw some T-shirts to players who had done special things to earn them.
At the end of his talk, he said he wanted to recognize three more players.
“These guys have done everything they’re supposed to do,” Satterfield said. “They show up on time. You don’t even have to ask them. They’ve brought the juice, the energy. They’ve led. They’ve done everything they’re supposed to do. … They’ve done a great job, with improvement, getting better and better, so they deserve T-shirts as well.”
Then he grabbed a balled-up T-shirt and threw one to Jack Fagot, a sophomore defensive back from Lexington. He threw another to Maurice Burkley, a junior running back from Napierville, Ill. And a third he threw to Marshon Ford, a sophomore tight end out of Ballard.
Louisville coach Scott Satterfield hands out surprise scholarships.
All three were walk-ons before they caught those T-shirts. When Satterfield suggested they take a look at what was on the T-shirts, they saw the words, “FULL SCHOLLY.”
And the meeting room erupted. Players cheered. They hugged. They laughed.
Fagot said he was stunned. He had hoped to earn a scholarship. He had seen walk-ons earn scholarships at Louisville. He couldn’t remember that kind of surprise announcement.
“I’d never seen that done since I’ve been here, so it wasn’t even on my mind,” Fagot said. “These were just exit meetings before break. So I’m really shocked to be put on scholarship today ... I had always had a scholarship as a goal. I honestly thought I might get one sometime, but having it happen today, I’m still surprised.”
Fagot said all three players FaceTimed their parents at the urging of their teammates.
“I did, and honestly they were so happy and excited, tearing up,” he said. “It’s just a huge stress relief and burden lifted from all of us financially.”
Satterfield told his team that he wanted them to note that good things come from hard work.
“I’m proud of these three guys right there. They freaking earned it,” Satterfield told his team. “Ain’t nothing in this program given around here. Everything is earned. Everything is earned. Those wins next fall are going to be earned as well, just like those scholarships.”
The players had a cookout after the meeting, where they played cornhole and other games. They unwound with music, and the players and coaches talked about plans for the summer.
For three guys, the plans now include returning as scholarship players. Satterfield had said in radio interviews this week he might have to rely on some walk-ons. In the case of these three, they won’t be walk-ons anymore.
Fagot said the team knows it is facing some challenges.
“I think things are going well,” he said. “Guys are embracing this new staff and what they want to instill in us. It’s about working hard, and we’re going to do that.”
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