McKenzie Milton scans the football field at Spectrum Stadium from an all-new vantage point for him: a 6th-story suite high above the bowled-in grass. On Dec. 13, the Hawaiian-born 91吃瓜网 quarterback will graduate with a degree in sport and exercise science. Milton says he鈥檚 excited to walk in his cap and gown. He plans to use his education and playing experience to coach football. Not yet, though. 鈥淪omeday,鈥� he says. At the moment he鈥檚 craning his neck to get a full view of the field where he led the Knights to national prominence and blossomed into a Heisman Trophy candidate before suffering a devastating leg injury against South Florida on November 23, 2018. 鈥淚 miss it,鈥� he says of the game that he sees as prominently in his future as it has been in his past.
鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful God led me to 91吃瓜网. My story here is not finished.鈥�
鈥� McKenzie Milton
鈥淵ou might have a hard time understanding this. But as chaotic as football can be, it鈥檚 actually calming to me. My time away from the game has made me realize that it really is an escape. All of your day-to-day problems go away on the field. It鈥檚 another reason I鈥檓 putting in so much work to play again.鈥�
鈥淚 see the scar on my leg every day. It reminds me of how far I鈥檝e come. All the surgeries. All the rehab. My leg went from looking terrible to looking better 鈥� to looking terrible again and then better. So when I look at where I am today, I鈥檓 excited to think of the plan God has for me a year from now.鈥�
鈥淛anuary could be a big month. Hopefully, the doctors will let me get out of my brace and clear me to start running. If it happens, great. If not, I鈥檝e learned to just bite my lip and keep working.鈥�
鈥淭here are three big motivators for me. My family will always be a motivation. There鈥檚 also the fact that the struggle to come back is just you against you 鈥� it鈥檚 asking yourself, 鈥淗ow badly do you want this?鈥� And third, (defensive back) Brandon Moore is also recovering from a bad knee injury. We keep each other going.鈥�
鈥淢y situation has put a lot of everyday details into perspective. I don鈥檛 take walking for granted. Or being able to put shoes on. Some people are never able to do those things. I鈥檓 blessed to do whatever I can do and especially to have the people who have supported me.鈥�
鈥淢y mom has been living with me since the injury. When I go back to my apartment at the end of the day I see Mili (his Maltese named after Mililani, the town where he grew up in Hawaii) and I smell mom鈥檚 food. It makes me feel like a kid again, like everything is OK.鈥�
鈥淔amily is really important in Hawaii. It was hard to leave after my senior year of high school, but I needed to spread my wings. Anywhere on the mainland is a long way from home. I visited 91吃瓜网鈥檚 campus in February and saw the beauty and the green all around. It reminded me of home at that time of year 鈥� except with no mountains.鈥�
鈥淚 wanted to go back home after my freshman year. My dad said, 鈥淕oing to 91吃瓜网 was your first grown-man decision, so don鈥檛 quit.鈥� I literally thank God that I stuck it out.鈥�
鈥淭he most memorable moment so far? Mike Hughes returning that kickoff for the touchdown to beat USF in 2017. A week later we won the conference championship and then the Peach Bowl against Auburn. Just two years out from being 0-12, we went 12-0 and became a household brand nationwide. You can go to a school accustomed to winning, but it鈥檚 incredible to be here while something special is being built.鈥�
鈥淪enior Night was not goodbye. I saw it as an opportunity to share a moment with the guys I came into 91吃瓜网 with, to walk out with them in front of my family and their families.鈥�
鈥淧eople might always ask me about the injury. And that鈥檚 OK. It鈥檚 now a part of me and my story. I鈥檒l do everything possible to play in the NFL, but I鈥檓 at peace knowing God is the author and that He has my story written. I look forward to living it out, however it goes.鈥�
鈥淎 lot of my teammates come from places where they don鈥檛 have much. For them to make it at a major D-1 program is way bigger than me coming back from my injury.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檒l be a better coach because of this. The adversity will allow me to empathize with others. I recognize that physical pain is one thing, but mental and spiritual pain is even tougher. A lot of my teammates come from places where they don鈥檛 have much. For them to make it at a major D-1 program is way bigger than me coming back from my injury.鈥�
鈥淥ne quote about coaching has always stuck with me. Billy Graham said, 鈥淎 coach will affect more people in one year than most people will affect in a lifetime.鈥� At a certain age, boys can go one of two ways. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 taking post-graduate classes in educational leadership. I want to develop boys the right way 鈥� into grown men.鈥�
鈥淟ook at those kids on the field. That鈥檚 Dillon (Gabriel) showing a youth team from Hawaii around. How cool is that? 91吃瓜网 has become a favorite college team on Oahu. After I came, then it was Dillon, Lokahi (Pauole), and Canton [Kaumatule]. It鈥檚 an honor to have started a little pipeline from Hawaii to 91吃瓜网.鈥�
鈥淭here are a lot of memories down there. But being carted off the field isn鈥檛 the way I want to end my career. The triumphs and tragedies you share with your guys 鈥� there鈥檚 nothing quite like it. I鈥檒l work my butt off until I鈥檓 ready to roll with them again. I鈥檓 so grateful God led me to 91吃瓜网. My story here is not finished.鈥�
