The boy’s mother and friends called him ‘Man-Man,’ so Tyler Chapel Hill head coach Jeff Riordan did too. Man-Man dusted kids in middle school hurdles. Man-Man didn’t miss a single summer workout in high school. So, despite fielding one of the best teams in Texas, Riordan put Man-Man on varsity as a sophomore.

Only then did his son, Jonah, ask him if he knew what all the other players did: Man-Man’s dad played in the NFL. Riordan typed his full name - Lemuel Stinson - into Google for the first time, pulling up a six-year NFL career. 

“I remember him playing for the Bears and playing DB, beating my Cowboys all the time,” Riordan said.

Some parents, especially high-profile athletes, try to make their kids like them. Lemuel Stinson Sr.’s youngest son may bear his name and football prowess, but he coached him to be his own man. The nickname is the first differentiator; the position is the next. Lemuel liked preventing touchdowns; Man-Man liked running for them.

“I didn’t want to have to hold myself to the standard of being the next ‘him' in my family,” Man-Man said. “I always wanted to be myself.”

Frankly, he wanted to be better than him. And on Thursday night, he’ll get his chance.

Man-Man’s Tyler Chapel Hill faces off against Houston Worthing in the area round of the playoffs, where Lemuel is the defensive coordinator. Lemuel had never coached before three years ago, but he was called to work at the high school he graduated from. 

Lemuel’s mother passed away when he was eight years old, and his father battled a long illness. He was raised by his grandmother, led the district in receiving at Worthing High School, then went on to a college career at Texas Tech and, later, the NFL. He’s a man who made it out of the neighborhood, where the population is 96 percent economically disadvantaged, and he returned to build more like himself.

“I want them to understand, even if they have parents that aren’t there, you still can make a better life for yourself and do the things you need to do to help yourself,” Lemuel said.

Worthing enters the bout against Tyler Chapel Hill at 11-0. And while his purpose in coaching is bigger than wins or losses, he has to maintain bragging rights in his own family. Man-Man is the baby of the family, with three sisters and an older brother, and he’s attempting something none of them have done.

“All my other kids have never beat me in anything!” Lemuel said.

Man-Man visits Lemuel in Houston over summer break and has even made a couple friends on the Worthing team. However, all that will vanish for those 48 minutes in between the white lines. 

“As soon as the ball kicks off, we’re not father and son anymore,” Man-Man said. “It’s straight business.”

Man-Man rushed for over 100 yards in the season opener and is currently the backup running back behind Texas commit Rickey Stewart. But Riordan said Man-Man will get plenty of touches, especially considering what’s at stake for the upcoming family Thanksgiving dinner.

“We’re getting him in the end zone tomorrow night, I can promise you that,” Riordan said.