Ben L. Smith High of Greensboro was saddled with a 22-game losing streak in the spring of 2008 when new coach Rodney Brewington sent out an all-points bulletin to the school faculty to be on the alert for athletic-looking youngsters who weren't already on the football team.
"We told the front office and counselors that if anyone remotely looking like a football player walks in the door, you call me immediately," Brewington says. "I'll never forget I got a phone call that here comes this tall, athletic-looking kid and his mom. It was Eric Ebron.