Coach Deal’s vision was about more than just winning games; it was about molding us into men of character. He invested in us not just as football players, but as student-athletes. He would find ways to secure funding for each player to attend different football camps, ensuring we were always competing on a high level, both on the field and in the classroom. His daily message was a simple, yet powerful, one: "Face adversity and have faith." He preached this gospel daily, making it the bedrock of our mentality.