Shane Buechele and Connor Gage met in kindergarten and instantly clicked. They became lunch buddies. As sixth-graders, they danced hip-hop together in the school talent show.
Shane quarterbacked the Arlington Optimist Eagles fourth- and fifth-grade teams. Connor was Shane's receiver.
Their bond remained even as they attended separate middle schools. Nor did it matter when Connor gravitated to track and cross country, Shane to football and baseball - on his way, turns out, to becoming Texas' starting quarterback.
Shane and Connor no doubt were destined to be friends for life.
"One of the biggest things I remember is we were always laughing," Buechele says.