Playing on the varsity football team in its own can be nerve racking, but playing on a team with people who are four year older can be scary. Freshman Jacobi Boykin, running back, seems to have handled the pressure pretty well so far.

Ever since he saw his brother play football, Jacobi knew that’s what he wanted to do, and at the age of six he did exactly that.

“My big brother played and I wanted to be like him,” Boykin said.

Throughout his whole football career, his family has supported him pushing him to work hard in the hopes of one day earning a football scholarship.

Boykin said his dad has come to every one of his games since he was six, and his mother will occasionally come to some of his games. However, his brother is a bad luck charm.

“One time when my brother came to one of my games, he was watching and I broke my arm during the game. So I consider him to be a bad luck charm,” Boykin said.

Being the only freshman on the varsity football team does have its ups and downs, Boykin said.

“It’s hard adjusting to the coaches and doing what they want,” Boykin said. “But being around the team his a lot of fun, especially when we do rap battles in the locker room before a game.”

So far this year Boykin has started in the second and third games of the season as running back, but that’s not the only position he can play. Throughout his football career, the freshman has played a variety of positions including offensive and defensive line, linebacker, and wide receiver.

Ryan Thornhill, head football coach, said as a 6 foot and 190-pound freshman Boykin’s size and athletic ability was what caught the attention of the football coaches.

Since practices have started, Thornhill and the other coaches have seen a vast improvement in his athletic ability.

“He has absolutely improved. He is very mature for his age, and he wants to learn. One of the only things he is working on is his mental game,” Thornhill said.

Thornhill and starting quarterback Daniel Slattery, junior, both agree that the team has accepted Boykin as a part of them.

“I think it’s cool that and different having him on the team since I have never heard of a freshman being on the team,” Slattery said.

However, because Boykin is a freshman, Slattery said he needs to work on a few things to improve his game.

“Since he is a freshman he still has a lot to work on like the speed of the game, strength and speed,” Slattery said. “However, it helps that he is big for a freshman, smart and he knows football.”

Slattery also said having Boykin starting at running back is good and helps the team.