John_NP0 Featherstone_NP0 —_PUN better_AV0 known_VVN simply_AV0 as_PRP Feather_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 fiery_AJ0 ,_PUN passionate_AJ0 and_CJC championship-winning_AJ0 coach_NN1 who_PNQ for_PRP three_CRD decades_NN2 ruled_VVD California_NP0 junior_AJ0 college_NN1 football_NN1 ranks_NN2 —_PUN is_VBZ in_PRP a_AT0 memory_NN1 care_NN1 facility_NN1 near_PRP his_DPS home_NN1 in_PRP Redondo_NP0 Beach_NN1 ._SENT 
The_AT0 71-year-old_AJ0 last_ORD coached_VVD football_NN1 in_PRP 2015_CRD ,_PUN last_ORD played_VVD volleyball_NN1 last_ORD year_NN1 and_CJC last_ORD visited_VVD Catalina_NP0 Island_NP0 on_PRP Aug._NP0 5_CRD ,_PUN two_CRD weeks_NN2 before_PRP a_AT0 seizure_NN1 left_VVD him_PNP listless_AJ0 and_CJC hospitalized_AJ0 ._SENT Seven_CRD years_NN2 into_PRP dealing_VVG with_PRP Alzheimer_NP0 's_POS ,_PUN the_AT0 latest_AJS medical_AJ0 event_NN1 further_AV0 hampered_VVN a_AT0 once_AV0 mighty_AJ0 man_NN1 ._SENT 
Physically_AV0 ,_PUN he_PNP is_VBZ mostly_AV0 fine_AJ0 ,_PUN having_VHG now_AV0 recovered_VVN from_PRP the_AT0 seizure_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP laughs_VVZ ,_PUN smiles_NN2 and_CJC even_AV0 dances_VVZ to_PRP old_AJ0 hits_NN2 like_PRP "_PUQ Sweet_NP0 Caroline_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ He_PNP can_VM0 and_CJC has_VHZ thrown_VVN and_CJC caught_VVD a_AT0 football_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP hugs_VVZ ,_PUN he_PNP kisses_VVZ and_CJC he_PNP still_AV0 flirts_VVZ with_PRP the_AT0 ladies_NN2 ._SENT 
Mentally_AV0 ,_PUN he_PNP is_VBZ not_XX0 fine_AJ0 ._SENT He_PNP has_VHZ been_VBN unable_AJ0 to_TO0 use_VVI a_AT0 phone_NN1 for_PRP three_CRD years_NN2 ._SENT Well_AV0 before_CJS that_DT0 ,_PUN he_PNP stopped_VVD driving_VVG altogether_AV0 ._SENT The_AT0 most_AV0 simple_AJ0 tasks_NN2 ,_PUN such_DT0 as_PRP removing_VVG a_AT0 shirt_NN1 from_PRP his_DPS dresser_NN1 and_CJC slipping_VVG it_PNP onto_PRP his_DPS torso_NN1 ,_PUN are_VBB impossible_AJ0 ._SENT Months_NN2 ago_AV0 ,_PUN he_PNP stopped_VVD riding_VVG his_DPS bike_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 beach_NN1 because_CJS he_PNP would_VM0 lose_VVI it_PNP so_AV0 often_AV0 ._SENT 
His_DPS speech_NN1 is_VBZ now_AV0 slipping_VVG ,_PUN and_CJC communicating_VVG with_PRP him_PNP through_PRP FaceTime_NN1 has_VHZ grown_VVN difficult_AJ0 ._SENT Because_CJS of_PRF the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 and_CJC an_AT0 outbreak_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 facility_NN1 this_DT0 fall_NN1 ,_PUN no_AT0 one_PNI from_PRP his_DPS family_NN1 has_VHZ seen_VVN him_PNP since_PRP November_NP0 ._SENT The_AT0 family_NN1 's_POS financial_AJ0 resources_NN2 are_VBB dwindling_AJ0 ,_PUN putting_VVG his_DPS stay_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 care_NN1 home_NN1 at_PRP risk_NN1 ._SENT 
Featherstone_NP0 's_POS situation_NN1 got_VVD tougher_AJC on_PRP Saturday_NP0 ._SENT He_PNP tested_VVD positive_AJ0 for_PRP COVID-19_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP 's_VBZ now_AV0 further_AV0 isolated_VVN from_PRP the_AT0 world_NN1 ,_PUN quarantined_VVN in_PRP a_AT0 separate_AJ0 wing_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 facility_NN1 in_PRP which_DTQ he_PNP 's_VHZ spent_VVN the_AT0 last_ORD several_DT0 months_NN2 ,_PUN his_DPS family_NN1 hoping_VVG he_PNP does_VDZ not_XX0 develop_VVI symptoms_NN2 ._SENT 
They_PNP FaceTime_AJ0 with_PRP him_PNP quite_AV0 often_AV0 ._SENT He_PNP says_VVZ a_AT0 word_NN1 here_AV0 or_CJC there_AV0 ._SENT 
Football_NN1 ._SENT 
Volleyball_NN1 ._SENT 
Catalina_NP0 ._SENT 
But_CJC there_EX0 is_VBZ another_DT0 word_NN1 he_PNP utters_VVZ ._SENT The_AT0 old_AJ0 football_NN1 coach_NN1 reaches_VVZ back_AVP into_PRP his_DPS memory_NN1 bank_NN1 ,_PUN recalling_VVG the_AT0 young_AJ0 baseball_NN1 player_NN1 who_PNQ he_PNP persuaded_VVD to_TO0 play_VVI football_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 software_NN1 salesman_NN1 he_PNP first_ORD hired_VVD as_PRP a_AT0 coach_NN1 ._SENT 
Sark_NP0 ._SENT 
*_PUN *_PUN *_PUN 
He_PNP used_VVD to_TO0 call_VVI him_PNP Stevie_NP0 ,_PUN not_XX0 Sark_NP0 ._SENT 
In_PRP 1993_CRD ,_PUN when_AVQ Steve_NP0 Sarkisian_NP0 arrived_VVD at_PRP El_NP0 Camino_NP0 College_NN1 ,_PUN a_AT0 junior_AJ0 college_NN1 football_NN1 powerhouse_NN1 on_PRP the_AT0 outskirts_NN2 of_PRF Los_NP0 Angeles_NP0 ,_PUN he_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 failed_AJ0 college_NN1 baseball_NN1 player_NN1 who_PNQ 'd_VHD transferred_VVN from_PRP USC_NP0 before_PRP completing_VVG his_DPS freshman_NN1 year_NN1 ._SENT 
He_PNP was_VBD done_VDN with_PRP football_NN1 ,_PUN or_CJC so_AV0 he_PNP thought_VVD ._SENT 
Then_AV0 John_NP0 Featherstone_NP0 entered_VVD his_DPS life_NN1 as_PRP his_DPS new_AJ0 P.E._NP0 professor_NN1 ._SENT Having_VHG watched_VVN Sarkisian_NP0 play_VVI high_AJ0 school_NN1 ball_NN1 at_PRP nearby_AJ0 West_NP0 Torrance_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 coach_NN1 badgered_VVD Stevie_NP0 to_TO0 give_VVI football_NN1 another_DT0 crack_NN1 ._SENT 
So_AV0 during_PRP the_AT0 final_AJ0 week_NN1 of_PRF spring_NN1 practice_NN1 that_DT0 year_NN1 ,_PUN Sarkisian_NP0 relented_VVD ._SENT He_PNP agreed_VVD to_TO0 throw_VVI passes_NN2 at_PRP practice_NN1 ._SENT Two_CRD years_NN2 later_AV0 ,_PUN he_PNP left_VVD El_NP0 Camino_NP0 as_PRP its_DPS most_DT0 decorated_AJ0 passer_NN1 ,_PUN then_AV0 signed_VVN a_AT0 scholarship_NN1 with_PRP BYU_NP0 ,_PUN starred_VVD as_PRP a_AT0 record-breaking_AJ0 QB_NN1 for_PRP LaVell_NP0 Edwards_NP0 and_CJC then_AV0 found_VVD himself_PNX back_AVP in_PRP the_AT0 South_NP0 Bay_NN1 area_NN1 selling_VVG software_NN1 ._SENT 
He_PNP casually_AV0 dropped_VVD by_PRP an_AT0 El_NP0 Camino_NP0 practice_NN1 one_CRD day_NN1 and_CJC there_EX0 was_VBD his_DPS old_AJ0 P.E._NP0 teacher_NN1 ,_PUN relentlessly_AV0 pursuing_VVG him_PNP again_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ Come_VVB coach_NN1 !_SENT "_PUQ Featherstone_NP0 told_VVD him_PNP ,_PUN recalls_VVZ Gene_NP0 Engle_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 longtime_AJ0 assistant_NN1 at_PRP El_NP0 Camino_NP0 ._SENT 
Sarkisian_NP0 began_VVD coaching_NN1 quarterbacks_NN2 ,_PUN eventually_AV0 called_VVN plays_NN2 from_PRP the_AT0 booth_NN1 and_CJC ,_PUN after_PRP that_DT0 season_NN1 ,_PUN was_VBD hired_VVN at_PRP USC_NP0 as_PRP a_AT0 graduate_NN1 assistant_NN1 ._SENT 
"_PUQ The_AT0 rest_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Engle_NP0 quips_VVZ ,_PUN "_PUQ is_VBZ history_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
Sarkisian_NP0 is_VBZ the_AT0 most_AV0 accomplished_AJ0 branch_NN1 on_PRP Featherstone_NP0 's_POS coaching_NN1 tree_NN1 ,_PUN made_VVD more_AV0 certain_AJ0 with_PRP his_DPS hire_NN1 over_PRP the_AT0 weekend_NN1 as_PRP the_AT0 new_AJ0 head_NN1 coach_NN1 at_PRP Texas_NP0 ._SENT It_PNP is_VBZ truly_AV0 a_AT0 second-chance_AJ0 story_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 details_NN2 of_PRF which_DTQ have_VHB been_VBN exhaustively_AV0 reported_VVN ._SENT Fired_VVN at_PRP USC_NN1 for_PRP substance_NN1 use_NN1 ._SENT Checked_VVN into_PRP a_AT0 rehab_NN1 clinic_NN1 ._SENT Cleaned_VVN up_AVP his_DPS act_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC then_AV0 joined_VVD forces_NN2 with_PRP Nick_NP0 Saban_NP0 at_PRP Alabama_NP0 to_TO0 assemble_VVI one_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 country_NN1 's_VBZ most_AV0 explosive_AJ0 offenses_NN2 ._SENT 
Before_PRP beginning_VVG full-time_AJ0 duties_NN2 with_PRP the_AT0 Longhorns_NN2 ,_PUN he_PNP 'll_VM0 lead_VVI the_AT0 No._NN1 1_CRD Crimson_NN1 Tide_NN1 (_PUL 12_CRD –_PUN 0_CRD )_PUR into_PRP the_AT0 national_AJ0 championship_NN1 game_NN1 next_ORD Monday_NP0 against_PRP Ohio_NP0 State_NP0 (_PUL 7_CRD –_PUN 0_CRD )_PUR in_PRP Miami_NP0 ._SENT Across_PRP the_AT0 country_NN1 ,_PUN some_DT0 2_CRD ,_PUN 700_CRD miles_NN2 away_AV0 ,_PUN his_DPS old_AJ0 coach_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 man_NN1 who_PNQ sparked_VVD his_DPS career_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 sport_NN1 ,_PUN cannot_NP0 comprehend_VVB what_DTQ his_DPS ex-pupil_NN1 has_VHZ accomplished_VVN ._SENT 
