Dede Westbrk hasnt prepared a Heisman Trophy speech for Saturday night. He doesnt think hell need one because, as he put it: Im not expecting to get up there.This has been one of the greatest weeks of his life. A Big 12 championship on Saturday. Heisman finalist on Monday. Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday. The Biletnikoff Award, as the nations top receiver, on Thursday. New York City on Friday.Through it all, Westbrk has been thinking about who hed like to thank.This was never part of the plan, Westbrk said.Two of the coaches who always believed in him -- one he played for, one he didnt -- couldnt be prouder of Westbrk and the role they played in guiding him years before he would become the best receiver in college ftball at Oklahoma. Hes glad Rick Rhoades and Brad Franchione were two of the many who never let him quit.He calls Rhoades, his head coach at Cameron (Texas) Yoe High Schl, a father figure. During OUs Thanksgiving bye week two weeks ago, he went home and met up with Rhoades at a Cameron Yoe playoff game. Rhoades, now the coach and AD at Gregory-Portland, asked Westbrk how he was enjoying his newfound stardom.He told me that when it first started it was really neat that everybody recognized him, Rhoades said. Now its just a pain. He has to send his sister to Wal-Mart if he needs something, because if not, everybody in the world stops him and wants to get a picture with him.Its all a far cry from the anonymity he felt in his final year at Cameron Yoe, when he encountered the first major setback that jeopardized his playing career and future. There would be many more on his winding path to Oklahoma.It was a freak injury. Theres really no other way to describe it.Midway through the 2011 season, Westbrk was playing defensive back against McGregor High. He got tangled up with a receiver when they both went up for a ball.As he came down, he put his knee up to break his fall, and I kind of landed on top of him. Me being on top of him, his knee went up into my stomach and he ruptured my small intestines, Westbrk said.The knee struck him right in between his protective rib pads. Westbrk managed to walk off the field, Rhoades said, but the pain overwhelmed him when he got to the sideline. An operation to repair the injury required 18 staples and and left a six-inch scar from his chest down to his belly button.They were telling me Id never play ftball again, Westbrk said.His senior season was over. He lost a bunch of weight. His grades suffered. The college recruiters started backing off. In some ways, Westbrk had briefly lost his identity.Franchione did not give up on him. The Texas State assistant coach and son of head coach Dennis Franchione kept sending Westbrk letters during his five-day hospital stay and recovery. He came up with an academic plan to get Westbrk qualified. He sold him on the idea of staying closer to Cameron, a town of about 5,000.They were so family-oriented, Westbrk said, and they never turned on me.Westbrk committed to Texas State in November 2011. That spring, his chances of qualifying all came down to an SAT score. And after multiple attempts, he got the score he needed.But it was such an improvement from his previous score, Rhoades said, that the NCAA flagged it and never validated the score.So Franchione called his buddies at Blinn College, a junior college located an hour away from Cameron in Brenham, Texas. Hed been the head coach there for six years and led two NJCAA national title teams, including the 2009 squad starring Cam Newton. He knew the coaches there would take gd care of Westbrk.I told their coach wed sure love to have him back, Franchione said, but it may be a pipe dream.Westbrk got off to a hot start at Blinn in 2012: 12 catches, 428 receiving yards, five TDs. And then he got hurt. This one wasnt major, but it was enough to throw him off course. He quit going to practice. He quit going to class. Rhoades said nobody at Blinn could find him.He dropped out and went home to Cameron. He needed a break and wanted time with his two young children, Vincent and Destiny. He didnt go back to Blinn in 2013.I was done with ftball, Westbrk said. I didnt want to play any longer. Id been playing since I was 7 years old and I was tired of it. I just wanted to get away from the game.Franchione still didnt give up on Westbrk, even when coaches warned him he was spinning his wheels. He kept urging the reluctant star to go back to schl, to think about the bright future he was turning his back on.I told him, Youve got these little ones and want to know how youre gonna take care of them, Franchione said. Youve got a gift on the ftball field. The only way to give that gift to your kids is by doing your classwork and getting to that next level.With the help and convincing of Blinn coach Keith Thomas, who let Westbrk bring his children to practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the receiver returned to schl and to ftball in 2014.I was dying to be back out there, Westbrk said. It gave me that hunger and that mentality that Ill work my tail off because its not promised to any of us.After returning, Westbrk finished with nearly 1,500 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in just eight games. He suddenly had a long list of scholarship offers. He told Franchione he still wanted to go to Texas State. The assistants four-year investment was finally going to pay off.I remember celebrating and probably speaking t sn to our coaches at Texas State that we had him, Franchione said. I kind of regret opening my mouth. I remember some of them lking at me like I was crazy.The next day, Oklahoma came and offered him.What would have happened had he gone to Texas State? Franchione says there was no ceiling. They wouldve built the offense around him and even planned to let him play some Wildcat quarterback. For a coaching staff that got laid off after going 3-9 in 2015, its a difficult what if.Things would be a lot different, Westbrk said Wednesday after landing in Atlanta for the Biletnikoff Award ceremony. No disrespect to Texas State, but I probably wouldnt be where I am right now.When DEDE WESTBRK appeared on his TV screen Monday night, when he saw his mug shot and knew it was real, his jaw dropped.Thats crazy, he muttered.He kept staring at the screen, speechless. He said it again. Westbrk was the last of the five Heisman Trophy finalists announced on the ESPN broadcast. And hell be the most unlikely candidate in the rm Saturday.His life couldnt have worked out much better once he did make it to Norman. Hes won two Big 12 titles. Hes playing in the right offense with the right quarterback, teaming with fellow Heisman finalist Baker Mayfield for 120 catches, 2,200 receiving yards and 20 scores in their two seasons together. Hell get to support his children by playing in the NFL next year.Coach Rhoades taught me on the journey to playing ftball, you also become a better man, Westbrk said.Rhoades feared Westbrk might give up but is absolutely not surprised hes persevered. Franchione has no hard feelings about the one who got away.I know theres a lot of people that really love Dede Westbrk and love to see the success hes having, Franchione said.As Westbrk pondered his journey this week, he just kept coming back to that one word.Its surreal. I still cant believe it, he said. Its crazy. I beat the odds. Now Im a Heisman finalist. Thats crazy. Like ... its crazy. Cheap Custom Soccer Jerseys China . Blackwd, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. Wholesale Custom Soccer Jerseys Online . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he lks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. http://www.soccerjerseyscustom.com/custom-belgium-jerseys-cheap-78x . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada tk control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Custom Soccer Jerseys Outlet . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement.England have touched down in France ahead of Saturdays Euro 2016 opener against Russia. Roy Hodgsons squad arrived in Paris at Le Bourget airport on Monday afternn after jetting off from Luton Airport. Sky Sports Euro 2016 predictor Make your predictions with our interactive wall chart here. England dropped their bags off at their hotel, where they were greeted by the Mayor of Chantilly - and a three-strong brass band dressed in red hunting uniforms - before heading to their training base at the Stade des Bourgognes. Hodgson was the first to emerge from the bus, before captain Wayne Rney led out his fellow team-mates and the England manager admitted it was a relief to finally arrive for the tournament. Englands luxury hotel - the Auberge du Jeu de Paume in Chantilly Its what weve been lking forward to for such a long time, Hodgson told the UEFA website.We qualified quite early so weve had our minds on this moment for a long time and its just great to be here.It will be a very gd tournament with a lot of gd teams taking part. We are relaxed and we think we are in decent form and just hoping we can show that on the field. England manager Roy Hodgson arriving at the team hotel in Chantilly Local amateur side US Chantilly have handed their training base to England during their stay in France and the specially-developed surface is a synthetically reinforced pipe and slit drained pitch.England will have their first training session in France behind closed drs this afternn before returning to take up residence at the Auberge du Jeu de Paume hotel. Andy Burton talks us through Englands plans in France The five-star hotel is located in Chantilly - just half a mile from the Stade des Bourgognes - and it will be the base for the squad during their stay in France.ddddddddddddThe Mayor of Chantilly, Eric Woerth, was on hand to welcome the squad to the town and revealed England could not have picked a better place to set up camp. Hodgson and his captain Wayne Rney boarding at Luton Airport I gave the city medal to the coach and the captain and also a bk, in English, telling the story of Chantilly, said Woerth.It is a very English story. The horses and trainers came here from England in the 19th century and the relationship was built.There is no better place for them to be. This is a small part of England in France. Roy Hodgson and Gary Cahill speak to Sky Sports News after arriving in France ahead of Euro 2016 England are expected to spend their first evening in France either in the hotel or familiarising themselves with their surroundings in the historic town. England will then have their second training session on Tuesday, live in front of the Sky Sports News HQ cameras. Get Euro 2016 Alerts Breaking news from Euro 2016, direct to your mobile England will take on Russia at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille this Saturday before facing Wales on June 16 in Lens and then Slovakia four days later in Saint-Etienne. 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