West Virginia corner Michael Coats Jr. played running back in Pop Warner, and he was pretty good at it, too. Everyone around Louisville, Mississippi, knew the little back. He had a bright future in football.

When Coats was in ninth grade, he stopped playing football and sports altogether. His future was uncertain.

“I just didn’t have a drive for it,” Coats said. “I can’t tell you why. I just honestly didn’t have a drive for it.”

Instead of spending the afternoons on the football field, Coats worked 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the arcade. After graduating and spending nights selling tokens, Coats had a realization.

“I realized that that wasn’t something I wanted to do with my life,” Coats said.

Coats was on Facebook and saw an advertisement for a tryout with the Eastern Central Community Colle

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