ATLANTA – Al Hughes knew a young Tashard Choice was special when he watched the current Texas running back coach as a middle schooler in the local area. Hughes, who was the head coach at Lovejoy in Hampton, Georgia, allowed Choice to practice with the high schoolers as an eighth grader in the spring, and then made him a starter on varsity as a freshman. 

Early on in that season, Hughes remembers calling a “choice route” for his star running back. Choice was the third progression for the quarterback, who eventually checked down to the ninth grader, who then raced 70 yards up the sidelines to score a pivotal touchdown. Hughes went to give the young Choice an atta boy as his young pupil jogged back to the bench with his signature smile. 

“He ran right up to me and said, ‘Coach, I love that play. Did you name it for me?’” Hughes recalled with a chuckle. “You never know what a freshman is thinking. I guess we hadn’t properly conveyed what a choice route was to him. We were fine with him thinking it was his play.” 

Choice was a four-year starter at Lovejoy. He was “the dude” on whatever field he stepped on – football, basketball, and baseball. His legendary status at Lovejoy was cemented as a senior in the regional championship game against Newnan High School on a cold and dreary night. 

Hughes was ahead of the curve as an offensive mind. His team ran spread concepts when the state of Georgia was still stuck in the Wing-T. They threw the ball more than normal, but the conditions weren’t allowing for the forward pass to keep Lovejoy in the contest through two quarters. Hughes and his staff huddled up at halftime and made adjustments before relaying them to the team. 

Turns out, those adjustments weren’t necessary. Choice had a plan. As Lovejoy was about to head back onto the field for the second half, Choice pulled Hughes aside and asked him a simple question: Do you want to win this football game?

“I said, ‘Of course, Tashard. Why do you think we’re here?” Hughes remembered. “He said, ‘then give me the pill.’ I could see it in his eyes that he meant it. I pulled all the coaches back into the locker room and told them there was a change of plans. Scratch everything we talked about. Give the pill to Tashard.” 

Hughes instructed his Lovejoy offense to do something rare – play with two tight ends and two running backs. They became a power team in the second half, and it worked. Newnan kicked off to Choice and Lovejoy to start the second half. Two plays and 80 yards later, Lovejoy captured a lead it never relinquished. Choice had made his first in-game coaching adjustment. 

“By the time he was a senior, I should’ve paid him a check as an assistant coach,” Hughes joked. “Even as a freshman, he knew more about our offense than most of the older guys. He’s a true leader. Always has been.” 

Choice is headed home for the second time in December when his Longhorns face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. This time, he hopes the result is different. Lovejoy High School is fewer than 30 miles from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta – also the site of the SEC championship game against Georgia a few weeks ago. 

Choice’s mother, Rosa Hamm, knew her youngest son was destined for athletic excellence. He played every sport growing up, but football was his true love. He went everywhere in cleats, including the house. Hamm grew so tired of her son’s dirty cleats messing up her tidy home that she bought him a second pair. A pair that could only be worn inside. Choice even slept in them some nights. 

Like most younger siblings, Choice cut his teeth trying to keep up with his older brother, Tarus, and his friends. They were six years older than Choice, and never took it easy on him. The bumps and bruises – and tears – made Choice tougher, faster and more resilient.

“One day he decided he wasn’t going to cry anymore,” Hamm said. “His older brother had lots to do with his excellence. Even in the class room. Tashard made all As and Bs.” 

Hamm knows how excited her son is to return home and help the Horns win the Peach Bowl and advance to the semifinals in the College Football Playoff. She expects he’ll eat a lot of chicken wings, fry some fish, and play cornhole while making time to see old friends in nearby Jonesboro and Hampton.

But she won’t be there. That’s because of the only thing Choice cares more about than football: Family. Hamm is headed to Austin while her son travels to Atlanta. That’s because he and his wife, Rebecca, are expecting their second daughter and Hamm doesn’t want her to be alone this far along in the pregnancy. 

Hamm and Hughes are not surprised that Choice has risen to the top of his profession. He made it to the NFL as a player, and he’s on the cusp of climbing another mountain as a coach. Choice loves people. He loves to help. He loves to win. All those interests combine to create a great coach. 

“He’s never met a stranger,” his mom said. “Growing up, I never had a problem with Tashard. Well, maybe one. He wanted to talk to everyone, even when he wasn’t supposed to. I think that’s helped him get to where he’s at.” 

And where he’s at is where it all started. Home.