Living up to the hype can be difficult for athletes. Most don’t experience that until they are earning money as a professional. But for Rushel Shell, the weighty expectations came early in his high school career.
Shell played at Hopewell High School, where he set the Pennsylvania record for rushing yards. Not only did Shell break all of Tony Dorsett’s records at Hopewell but he followed in the footsteps of the Pro Football Hall of Famer by signing with Pitt.
But Shell’s college career turned out nothing like Dorsett’s. There was no Heisman Trophy storybook ending. Instead, there was a much-publicized divorce after one year, two transfers and zero 1,000-yard rushing seasons at West Virginia, his final NCAA stop after a short stint at UCLA.