Article reposted from Tulsa8
Author: JOHN MOSS
September 17th wasn’t Keevan Lucas’ official return to the field – that came in the season opener against San Jose State – but, it was his return to the end-zone. The senior caught four balls against North Carolina A&T, with three of them going for touchdowns.
Seeing the Abilene, Texas native looking like his old self meant the world to coach Philip Montgomery.
“You’re talking about a kid that has worked so hard to get himself back and ready to play – and to play at the level that he wants to play at. Not just come back and play, but still play at a high level,” Montgomery said. “For him to get in the end zone, have three touchdown catches – the first one was obviously special – it kind of just broke the ice of it all.”
Seeing Keevan find paydirt was also special for senior left tackle Blake Belcher, who was going through his own knee rehab last year.
“I was the happiest person on the field, probably happier than him,” Belcher said. “The struggles we went through with rehab together, it really – a lot of it paid off when you see him blowing past the secondary last week. To see the joy he had on his face – and the synergy the offense had with him – feeling like he’s 100 percent, is incredible.”
What was incredible to those watching is what Keevan did with the ball from his first touchdown – he gave it to TU’s head athletic trainer Dave Polanski as a thank you.
“It’s very special, for someone to really acknowledge what we do,” Polanski said. “He and I obviously spent a lot of time together and it was just real special for him to come over and say thanks. We don’t get that very often, but that makes the job worthwhile for sure.”
Montgomery added that it “kind of goes back to Keevan. He could be thinking all about him, and he wasn’t. Which, is pretty unique in today’s age.”
