He stands in line in the math and science foyer awaiting his last schedule pickup. As he stands to the side with all of his friends comparing lunches and classes, he notices one thing is different than it has been the past three years of high school. For the first time he does not have football for both of his third period classes. He has government third period now.

Senior Corey Webb quit playing football this year to pursue his academics.

“I’ve been playing since 4th grade and I love the game,” Webb said. “But as I became older I knew that my education became more important.”

In the next year, Webb would like to go off to college and study psychology. No matter what career he ends up deciding on, football will always be a part of him.

“I wasn’t the best on the field by far,” Webb said. “I love my brothers and they will always be my brothers but I want to see them do well like they want to see me do well.”

With two games down, Webb has been supporting the team from the stands, but his presence on and off the field is being felt.

“No one is on the sideline as hype as him,” Senior Elias Thurman said. “He’s the hype man of the team. He’s my best friend, brother and cousin. I can definitely feel the difference with him not being out there.”

The difference between the boys on the team and Webb doesn’t have much to do with talent, but heart and passion.

“Football is their key to success and books are mine,” Webb said. “That would get me into college. I decided that this year as I entered the hardest year in my academic career with a lot of college courses.”

Even with the separation from his life long friends, they will always be together whether it’s in spirit, or off the field.

“I’m a little disappointed because it’s our senior year and the last opportunity to be a Texas High tiger,” Thurman said. “But football got in the way of what he really wanted to do.”

Webb and the team will continue to support each other in the future whatever it may bring to them.

“I love them, they did great, played a great game,” Webb said. “I will always miss it, but it’s been a pleasure to play alongside them this long.”