In his senior year of high school, linebacker Lawrence Garner suffered an ankle injury that led the New Jersey native to rethink his college options. Other schools were set aside and Garner chose Bobby Wilder and Old Dominion University, who stuck to their word to give him a scholarship to play football for the Monarchs, regardless of his physical condition. Three years later, Garner is now three starts into the 2018 football season leading the FBS with 14 tackles per game.
Garner’s road to this national success did not come easy.
“I didn’t know when I was going to be able to run, jog or get into pads, but I just put my head down and worked,” said Garner.