The Education of Frank Green, Part 2

In part two of this conversation, they talk about Frank being courted by college coaches, the importance of having your academics in order, what ultimately made him commit to East Tennessee State University, earning a starting role as a redshirt freshman, ETSU shutting down its football program, Doug Williams recruiting him to play at Grambling then stepping down as head coach shortly after, reuniting with his old ETSU coach at Pikeville College, taking a year off from football then coming back to earn his sociology degree and more! 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

And now with your athletic prowess and you know, you got a lot of eyes on you on the field. I'm certain there were there were some uh colleges that reached out to you at at some point. So talk to us about what the uh the recruiting experience was like. Man, let's see. I believe the the first interest that I got was uh and I and I'll never for this was I never forget this either. I remember one day it was like going in uh to my senior year, my it's my junior year, it's the end of the year. School's about to get out, you know. I think it was like the last week of school, and I got called to Coach Brown's office like like by on the intercom, you know. I'm like, whoa, like I'm going to coach Coach Brown wants to see me. It's like eighth period or something like that, ninth period. And so I'm scared. I'm like, why? I was like, why did Coach Brown want to see me, man? And so anyway, I I get to Coach Brown's office, man, and uh when I get there, it's actually the one of the recruiters from Wake Forest is actually in the office, man. No kids. Yeah, Wake Forest came knocking. And uh, you know, and of course, we you know, we're talking this is what 19, well this is no, this is 2000, 2001, yeah, 2000. So of course the whole recruiting thing, that's that's that's different, way different era, you know. Yeah, before your internet, before Twitter, before Huddle, before any of that. This is like, hey, you know, somebody, somebody may have said, hey, they got a guy down there at Berkeley, you need to go see him. The recruiters are more recruiters are coming out, you know, they get they're coming out first to see you, man. And so that was my very first interest, was weak forest, man. And uh that was a very surreal moment for me, you know, sitting in the uh coach Brown's office, and this guy got all the brochures and pamphlets and things, and he's talking about weak forest. And you know, I I had heard of weak forest, but and and honestly, man, I was so wrapped up in the football and and and just being and just playing and just in the system. Like I didn't even, you know, I didn't even realize that anybody was even taking a look at me like that. So uh, but when they came knocking, man, uh, like I said, that that's when um then now the letters uh start coming in the mail, man. I'm starting to get uh postcards every week, man. Uh Middle Tennessee State and all kinds of schools, man. They were just sending, you know, they're sending postcards and letting you know that they're interested and all that. And but that that was the that was the the the very first interest that I that I got from from a college, you know, was that and then middle Tennessee State, and then they they stayed in contact with me throughout the season, throughout my senior going into my senior year or whatever. So that's how that went. So when uh when the cultural and when the recruiters come in to uh talk with you, what's what was that uh no of course now and that's a great great question, man. And and um of course, if you know anything about Wake Forest, not only is Wake Forest a great athletic school, they're a huge academic school. Right. And so for from my experience, you know, we can you can you can put candy on it, sugar coat it, confetti on it, how you want. Uh, these colleges want to know what type of student you are, first and foremost. And uh so that that's that, you know, they're we're talking, they're already talking PSAT score, SAT score, you know, because they gotta do these, and they were one of those colleges that were by the book, you know what I mean? Like you gotta have these type of things to even be allowed to for them to even offer you a visit. And honestly, in my situation, I was so lost to that, man. Like I was not, you know, I hadn't gotten to that point yet, like where I had a PSAT score on file, or I had I hadn't taken the SAT yet, or any of those things, man. And so that was really eye-opener uh for me because that was one of the first things that he that that they mentioned to me before you know uh we even got into the athletics. But and then also, you know, that when these recruiters come, um, and and and this is uh, you know, and I hope you know any younger people that are watching this or get an opportunity to see this, man. Guys, make make sure that you're keeping up with your grades, man. Make sure you're staying on top of those things, man. Because if you're talking about getting a hinter from college, like you can't be walking around with a 1.7 GPA, or you can't be walking around like not you haven't taken the SAT or the ACT or whatever they're they're requiring for you now because you're gonna sell yourself short in that. But it in my experience, that that's what it was, man. You know, even back then, they wanted to know what type of student you were. And then some of these recruiters will even go as far as going to talk to your middle school teachers, man. Really? Yes, to find out what type of what type of student was. Wow. Yes, they're really doing their due diligence. Absolutely. You got to think about it, man. At that point, when you're talking about a school trying to offer you a scholarship, dude, you're an investment at that point. That's a great way of looking at it. You're in you're an investment. There's no way, it's no way to sugarcoat that. You know what I mean? Like that's the college football is big business. You know what I'm saying? And they want to know what type of individual you are. What what what type of, you know, what type of player are you gonna be, what type of student are you gonna be, you know, and and that's just that's just that's what it is. And I I can't even I can't even put it any other way. You know, they these colleges, they the recruits, they come out and they they find out, you know, they go talk to people, they talk to the principal, they talk to everybody, they come talk to your parents, talk to you, they might, they might even go walk over talking to your neighbor just to see what type of person you are in the community. So it's uh yeah. You and especially if you're talking about some of these notable programs that we know about, like across the country. Absolutely, those guys are doing things like that for sure, for sure. So, which which schools pursued you the hardest? Well, now I gotta I I I gotta I gotta take you down a take you down a pathway now. Okay. So because I did not have what Wake Forest was looking for, Wake Forest, they were out the window at that time. They they they went on, they moved on to the next guy. And so I went on and played, you know, in uh and played that season, you know, my senior year we were just talking about. And a very interesting thing happened, man. And you know, and we're gonna talk about this, and uh, and and some of this may ruffle some feathers. And at this point, bro, I'm I'm 20 plus years removed, so yeah, we're gonna ruffle, we're gonna ruffle some feathers. But so go my senior year, right? I ended up not being a first choice for the North South uh All-Star game. And to the people who are, you know, who watched this and they're privy to that information, a lot of that had to do with Goose Creek's head football coach at the time. He had a personal beef with Coach Brown, and it came out afterwards, but it was because he felt Coach Brown disrespected him my senior year because we were beating them very bad and we had our starters in the game. And so, you know, through the football channels, it was put out that uh he wasn't gonna select anybody from Berkeley High School because Coach Brown had the starters in the game against him. I think we were up like 40 something to like maybe six or seven or something like that, or whatever. We we we we we beat them, we were beating them bad. And so they they weren't gonna select anybody from Berkeley for the North South All-Star game because Bruce Weeks head coach, and I can't remember, I think it was Coach Reedy, maybe at that time, Chuck Reedy. I I think, if I'm not mistaken. I can't remember for sure who the coach was, but he was the he was selected for the head coach of the South Squad. And like I said, through the football channels, uh that's what that's what came about. He he felt disrespected by us keeping our starters in the game, and he didn't take anybody. And so I I you know, you know, there's an old saying that we got in the country, man. And I think you probably heard this saying before, but it's a saying that your grandmom did probably say what's for you is for you, and nobody can take that. And so I say that because an interesting thing happened after that. Because I remember uh Coach Sweeney, Brian Sweeney, shout out to Coach Sweeney. Shout out, yeah. I I remember Coach Sweeney coming up to me in the hallway my senior year, and he handed me a note. And the note was written on the roster for the All-Star game, for the North South All-Star game, the note that he wrote. And I believe the note was something like, You and I both know you're supposed to be, you know, on this list. And, you know, and and you know, Coach Winnie, shout out to Coach Sweeney because, you know, he Coach Mooney was he's been teaching us since we were like seventh grade. He's been a teacher and he then he got into sports and he kind of you know followed us on through our senior year, man. But uh, you know, he was trying to uplift me. And as a coach, you know, he went out of his way to do that, and I appreciate that. And an interesting thing happened though. So the guy who they selected over me, right, for the North South All-Star game that year, he broke his leg the week before. Wow. And so the week of the North South All-Star Game, I get a call asking me to come to Murtle Beach. No kidding, yes, man. And a lot of people don't know that story, but that's how I got to the North South All-Star game. And I believe the guy who they took over me, I'll never, it was a guy named from James Island. Shout out Tony Byrd, man. I believe that's it. That was his name, receiver, Tony Byrd from James Island High School. It was him, and I believe yeah, he got injured of some sort or whatever, and he couldn't make it to the All-Star game, and I was called, and I reported there the week of the All-Star Game. And and I'm gonna set the tone for this too, as well, because when I got there, of course it was a very awkward moment because now, you know, we get because there's a lot of things, so all the people who played in the All-Star game, you know, or you heard about it, you know, you get to leave school for a whole week and you go to Myrtle Beach. I mean, it this top-notch treatment, bro. You look nice hotel, they're feeding you every day, you know what I'm saying? Uh, you're you're you're out of school, kicking it with the kicking in with the best players in the southern part of South Carolina, man. You know what I mean? A lot of a different type of camaraderie is being built in that environment, but it was it was it was an awkward moment uh when we when we have the meeting greet for the uh players and the coaches. So I can imagine. You know, Goose Creek's coach there, the guy he got his boy there. I can't remember the other receiver, he got his boy there. And and I remember, man, this dude, he couldn't even really look me in the eyes, man. He couldn't look me in the eyes. And and you know, come on, man, we're kids at this time. I'm adult now. So, you know, we I we I'm not even understanding, you know, at that age, like what's going on or whatever, man. But it was I knew it was awkward for him because you know, Frank Green is in the building and I'm from Berkeley High School, and it was said that nobody he didn't want to take anybody from Berkeley. And so now I'm here. And uh it leads me to now you asked about the colleges that were pursuing me. So the colleges didn't start pursuing me until I really got to the to the all-star game. And so they do this thing, and I don't know how it is now, but they do this thing what they call a walk and talk while you're at the all-star game. So, like after practice, you have you can while you're walking off the field, scouts can talk to you, right? But as soon as you get to the fence and you're out the gate, they can't talk to you anymore. So we got this walk and talk. And the and the funny thing is, man, I was just on the phone with the coach who offered me my first scholarship uh just the other day, man. We still stay in contact to this day. Shout out Jerry Monet, man. My my uh Jerry Monet, East Tennessee State. He uh big shout out to him, man. He's he was another real influential coach in my life. But the very first practice at the All-Star, Jerry Monnet, Coach Monet comes up to me. He runs up to me while we're doing the walk and talk. He runs up to me, he's like, I'm I'm coach, Jerry Monett from East Tennessee State. He's like, dude, I want to offer you a scholarship. Like right out of the gate. The very first practice. Wow. And me and and we just talked about this the other day, and I reminded him, and he told me, he was like, dude, out of all the wide receivers that I watched today, he was like, You were the only receiver that caught the ball with your hands, naturally. And he's like, That's why I'm offering you a scholarship to East Tennessee State. Wow. And so that was the that was that offer right there, and then it became a kind of an up and battle between East Tennessee State and Middle Tennessee State University. So to answer that, to answer that question, but I I needed to paint that picture for you because that's when it really jumped off for me was during the North South All-Star Game. That's when when the colleges, you know, when they when they really started pursuing the parts. Yeah. But uh interesting journey. A lot of people don't know that know that story about me with the All-Star game, and uh, yeah, that's how I that's how I got there. Yeah, man. That's how I was selected. So when did you when did you uh realize in your heart that East Tennessee State was the place for you? It would have to be after my official visit. And and that's why uh when I talk about a guy like Jerry Monnet, man, Jerry Monnet, he went the extra mile, man. He really did for the guys that he was recruiting. Because this guy actually rented a car and came, drove to South Carolina. Wow, drove to South Carolina and uh picked up all his recruits and drove us back to Johnson City, Tennessee, man.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Really?

SPEAKER_00 12:53

Yes, he did. All the way from Little Beach. No, from from coming from Tennessee. Okay, so he came. So after the, you know, after the All-Star game and all that or whatever, you know, now it's time, you know, you're talking visits and different things like that. Uh, you know, and honestly, no, no, no disrespect to Middle Tennessee State. I wasn't really, you know, aware of what of Middle Tennessee State or whatever. I never really they were sending me postcards all the time or whatever, but they never really came out to see me. And but Coach Monnet, he did, you know, and and and I also gotta point this out. Coach Monnet, uh, he loved the low country because he also got two guys, two other guys from Berkeley that you know that I gotta mention. He got Daenerys Malls and Eric Cooper. So both of them played at East Tennessee State before me. But East Tennessee State, the the real thing, you know, not only Jerry Monnet, but their coach, Paul Hamilton at the time, he was from Johns Island, South Carolina. Really, yes. And so by the time I'd gotten there, but by the time they were taking interest in me, I think Coach Hamilton had been there probably at least 10 or 12 years already. So he they recruited heavily in the low country. But uh back to your initial question when it went in East Tennessee State, but it was really after that Coach Monik come in to pick us up, he drove down, picked up all the guys that he was interested in. We went up there for the visit, for the official visit, met up with all the other guys. Lots of guys from South Carolina was up there. There were a lot of guys in Tennessee. And the guy who actually uh ended up becoming my roommate, shout out my guy uh Tyrus Ward, he's from uh Chattanooga, Tennessee, went to Brainerd High School in Chattanooga. Bro, me and Tyrus, we we connected on the on the recruiting trip, and uh we we stayed in touch and uh we would call each other, man, and he and I remember Tyrus called me one day, he's like, bro, it's like if you sign, I'm gonna sign. And I was like, bro, I'm coming. And he was like, I'm coming, I'm gonna be there too. And that was my dude, man. And you know, the whole recruiting, uh, you know, the the official visit, and you know, you get with the, you know, they they pair you up with a with you know, with one of the upperclassmen, and they take you around, they show you the city, they show you, you know, the campus, it, you know, got all that in, you breathe all that in. East Tennessee State, um, just a very scenic, beautiful place, beautiful area, Johnson City, just just a lovely area, man. And, you know, knowing that there were a lot of guys from the low country uh there already that you know that were there, that's what really kind of between, you know, that's what really kind of sealed the deal for me with East Tennessee State. And uh, they were honest, they were upfront. Coach Miley was very upfront with me about the whole process and what it would look like for me. And then, you know, like I said, it was a lot of us from South Carolina there, man. So that's what kind of sealed that deal for me, man. And and and I I signed with East Tennessee State and the rest of the history of shit. And so let's transition into the collegiate experience. So, what was East Tennessee state like for you? Because we were talking about like we were just talking about you, uh the circuitous route that you took. So let's start with you know not East Tennessee state. No, my college football career is probably one for the history books. I I I probably had the most adversity that I can think of in my life during my college football career. Now, so I go to East Tennessee State, right? Signed a full scholarship there, I redshirt it my freshman year. And I and that's how we were talking in the last segment, how we talked about Coach Brown. I gotta give Coach Brown his flowers because Coach Brown's philosophy and how he you know trained us, you know, in in athletics and in making sure our academics were on the point. It helped me to transition into college and become a wrench fan. Because now, you know, when you're a wretcher, the whole ideology behind that is to get bigger, stronger, faster. You know, learn the campus, you know, get up on your academics, make sure everything is straight so that you can, you know, be so you can be in the running. And so coming out of a coming out of the Berkeley umbrella, nobody had to tell me to go get bigger, stronger faster. When the team was going away for games and different things like that in their practice, I was in the gym getting it in. I was in the weight room getting it in. I was running routes, I was running sprints, I was getting it in. But that whole red shirt process, you know, interesting experience there, went through that and put myself in the running for a starting job the next season. And I did. I became a starter after my red shirt year. East Tennessee State, for those who are familiar with that story, or if you're not familiar with that story, in 2003, East Tennessee State cut their football program. They dropped football from a Division I program, and that was kind of unheard of uh during that time. Yeah. And uh I got caught up in that. So long story short, I ended up playing, I ended up starting all what 10, 11 games for them that year. Kind of like midway part of the season, just unannounced. They come to the team and they tell us that football would not be played at East Tennessee State next year. And so we all have to leave. You talk about a raw deal, man. And and I know a lot of people who probably were following my football career, um, because I ran into several people uh years later that actually mentioned this to me. It's like, dude, like what happened to you, man? And for those of you that that that don't know, that's what happened. And that's what kind of set my football career on a on a on a roller coaster ride that I would have never imagined, man, because because they did drop the program, we had to get up out of there, man. And that was such a bro, it was such a crazy experience to be going through at a young 18, about to turn 19 years old, man. You're thinking, you know what I mean? You're thinking you're coming here for four years and then they pull, they pull the plug. And so when that happened, our coaching staff, uh man, you know, now that I think back about it now, and now that I understand more about college football and I understand the business, that was a raw deal for the coaching staff too. So you gotta stop and put yourself in their shoes. You know, the program's being cut. Now, this is how these people provide for their families. This is how, you know, this is this is their livelihood. Yeah. And so uh I don't I I think that a lot of things, a lot of decisions were made out of panic, out of, you know, stress and and all of that. But uh, there was a lot of things that was done that somebody pulling the lid off and looking in from the outside probably would be like, man, you know, that wasn't right or that wasn't fair or whatever. But of course, you know, I'm young, I was just a red shirt sophomore at that time. So they were trying to preserve the best players the best way that they could.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

And uh, and what they did was during that time, they didn't allow anybody to come in and recruit us until the last week of the last game of the season. So, yeah, really, yes. So we weren't, we nobody uh they didn't allow us to officially talk to any coaches or allow any coaches to come in and see us until the last week of the last game of the season. And I'll never forget that, man, because we were playing at Citadel that last week for our last game in the schools in that time period, in that era. And dude, you talk about everybody's trying to get up out of there. We got college coaches from all over the country. And and to the folks who are you know who know about East Tennessee State, at that time we were playing in the dome, one of the only one of the very few college teams that actually played in the dome. Yeah, and East Tennessee State was one of them. And so I remember them packing the dome with all of these scouts. Dude, man, it's the dude. We're going 300% trying to kill each other because everybody's looking to try to keep their college career going. Yeah. And so, you know, like I said, some people may say, hey, you know, that wasn't fair or that wasn't right. But, you know, you think about all the distractions and things that possibly could have happened, you know, during that time, you know what I mean, you know, the programs being cut, the media, everybody trying to find out what's going on. We still got games to play. So they were trying to, you know, trying to just keep us focused as best as possible when I think about it, when I look back at it now. But uh, but that that's what happened, man. All types of schools coming in the last week of the last game of the season. And uh that was it was just a rough situation, man, because we had to leave, you know, and you know, they also gave us the option, like if you wanted to come back there and just be a student, we could just be a student and they would honor your scholarship, you know, for for that fortune of time. Uh, you know, and and and and you know, and and honestly, man, you know, I don't think there's really been a lot of players that have actually had an opportunity to uh to speak about this, man, you know, and to give it from the player's perspective. Yeah, uh it's been a lot of hearsay, a lot of things of why, why they cut the program, what happened, and all of that, man. And and and to this day, I've just heard a bunch of hearsay, man. I don't even really know the in-depth, you know, I've heard a lot of different things. It was funding, and you know, they had some leadership issues or whatever. But what I can tell you is, man, is that as a player going through that and and and you know, it It really disrupted me and my teammates. It disrupted our livelihoods. I can imagine. It really did, man. Some of my teammates never played football again after that. You know, you gotta think, what if East Tennessee State was the only school that was recruited? You know what I mean? At that time. You know what I'm saying? And and so it was it was uh it was a lot to be going through at a you know, you know, we're young, young, we're not even adults, we're young adults at that time, you know what I mean? We're not even fully mature yet. We don't even really know what's going on, and and life is happening, life is still going, man. But that was a a very, very, very uh surreal moment in life. But like I said, it it canterpulted my football career down a rabbit hole, man, that I that I didn't know. I wasn't expecting. And so after that, you know, they dropped the program, schools are coming in. So I got now it's all kinds of schools trying to get me now. Uh from the North Carolina States to the uh University of North Carolina, University of Memphis, Coastal Carolina at the time. Uh shout out uh Kevin Brown. I remember yes, shout out Kevin Brown, man. And and and Kevin hindsight is 2020, man. I mean that's what we say. What is it? Hindsight of 2020. Kevin, if you if you get a chance to see this, I should have came to Coastal, man. I should have came to Coastal because Kevin came, man, and and and and you talk about Proud Stag alumni. He came to Coastal for me, like I mean, excuse me, he came to East Tennessee State for me several times trying to get me to come there. But at the time, this is when Coastal Carolina had just started the program. Okay, and so everybody was a red shirt at that time. So I was looking to go play. Impulse, I made some impulse choices in that, in there, you know, at a young age. But shout out to Kevin Brown, man, because he definitely came to get me. But uh, yeah, I had several schools, man, several schools trying to get me off the recruiting block again. The most memorable thing that I do remember out of that journey is that one day, man, I'm sitting in the dorm, and then I'm I'm gonna forever hold on to this. But I'm sitting in the dorm and I get a phone call on my dorm phone, and uh I answer the phone, and the person says, Hello, this is uh this is Doug Williams from Gramlin State University, and I'm calling to see if you want to come be a Gramlin Tiger. And I was like, I was like, man, y'all boy stop playing, man. I was like, this ain't no Doug Williams, man. And I hung up the phone and uh he called back, and I was like, Because now mind you now, and I'm some of my teammates jokingly, because we all were trying to make the best out of situations, they were calling, we were calling each other's dorms, dorm rooms, pranking each other like they were coaches or whatever. So that had been going on all week. So I hung up on the Doug Williams. And for the people who don't know who Doug Williams is, let's put Doug Williams, the Doug Williams, Grandma State University, the Doug Williams, the first African-American quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl. Called me and I hung up on him. So I have not shared that story many times, man, but I hung up on the Doug Williams, man. Uh but he got me, he got me back on the phone, and he's like, son, this is Doug Williams from Graham State University. He's like, son, I'm calling to offer you a scholarship. And I'm like, for real? You know what I mean? And so now at this point, I got Doug Williams on the phone. We got they got their offensive coordinator on the phone on three way. All of them are on a conference call, on three way, and the starting quarterback. And so, as a wide receiver, right, to get a phone call from the Doug Williams saying that I think you would fit my program, I will forever hold on to that, man. Because that that that is a a huge part of my college football career and my story is is is uh you know getting that phone call from Doug Williams. Um, but it out of that situation, it wound up being Grambling State University and Howard University. Wow. Those were the two. And I remember Howard University was actually uh recruiting in Monks Corner, and the coach got my address and came and came to my mom's house, came where we are right now. Yeah, he came in and and told my mom that uh he couldn't get a hold of me at East Tennessee State and that they wouldn't give them any film and all of that, and they were interested in signing me. And and so long story, man, out of that situation. It wound up like after East Tennessee State dropped the pro East Tennessee State dropped their program, it ended up being I had to make a decision between Grambling and Howard. And I leaned more towards Grambling because Grambling wanted to bring me in in the spring, and Howard wanted me to come in in the summer, and I wanted to keep playing. And so, and then I also leaned more into Grambling because uh and I had an opportunity to tell Doug Williams this, but I remember, I don't know if you guys remember this, but you remember on Saturdays, I used to go to man when the old Mackey, old Green's barber, the Mackey's barbershop was on Main Street right there. We used to go there on Saturdays. I used to get my hair cut there, man. Shout out to Mac, shout out to Mr. Mackey, man, and Greens and all those guys. Legend, yeah uh barber legend, man, in town. But I remember us going there, you know, on Saturdays, they would be playing Soul Train. And during those Soul Train commercials, uh, they would play like the old, they would you get the Coca-Cola commercials and the old Burger King commercials. Grambling State University's band were all was always featured on those commercials. And so I remember sitting in that barbershop as a kid, watching that band play on those commercials, and I was able to tell Doug Williams. I was like, man, Doug, I said, I said, because of that, me sitting in the barbershop looking at that at all, just for that experience, that is why I chose Gramlin State University, man. Wow, yes, and so shout out, like I said, shout out to Mr. Mackie Green's barbershop. Y'all don't even know y'all played a part, playing it, played a part in me making the decision of uh going to Gramlin State University, man. And so ended up ended up there, man. Ended up transferring in after after that season, ended up going to Gramlin. And uh, bro, the story just gets deeper and deeper and deeper down that rabbit hole. Let's go. It just does. So I end up going to Gramlin, right? Go to Grambling, come in, throw about three weeks later. I'm in a press conference at Gramlin State University, and Doug Williams announces that he is leaving Gramlin State University. What? Yes. He left Gramling to go take a front office job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wow. So the people who are familiar with that, you know Doug played for Tampa Bay before he went to the Redskins. He he played for Tampa Bay. And so Doug Williams recruits me, brings me in, and then leaves. Whole game, boy. Bro, so when I tell you, when I'm when I'm start talking about the adversity that I went through with with college football, man, now you talk about here you got a kid, you bring in, and now the coach who brings you in, he leaves. And you know, the HBCU world experience, now don't get me wrong, Ramling, one of the most prestigious HBCUs in the country. A lot of prestige, a lot of publicity, a lot of press, all of that, from BET to NBC, ABC, the Bayou Classic, all of these things. I I I I experienced that. It was the greatest as the African American male African American period, to go to a school of that notoriety, it was probably the greatest experience of my life to go there, man, and and and be a part of that a winning tradition. And and you know, not only uh Doug Williams, but the Eddie Robinson. Because I didn't even get the chance to mention that. The Eddie Robinson. I got a chance to sit in the Eddie Robinson's living room and meet him, man. One of the most winningest football coaches in in history. I got a chance to meet this man before he passed away, man. But now you're talking about how I mentioned uh college's big business. Because it is, and and you know, and like I and to all my young folks that are watching, man, you know, please go back and watch this again. You know, watch it again and and listen and take note and because I'm dropping, I'm gonna try to drop some gems on you, man. But now a transfer comes in, your coach that brings you in leaves, a new coach is appointed. In certain situations, it's not always guaranteed that that new coach is gonna be. And that's a harsh reality. And you know, honestly, what happened in Doug's situation, Doug Williams's situation, the guy who he who was his successor actually was a good friend of his, actually a college, uh uh one of his uh buddies from college, but he was an Alcorn State alumni. So in that HBCU realm, bro, that's frowned upon. That you would let Alcorn State uh alumni lead the Gramling State Tigers? Man, that caused so much controversy at Gramlin, man. So much controversy, man. People stopped coming to the games. Really? Yes, those people, listen. Shout out to everybody who went to an HBCU, man. You know what I mean? Because the people who did it, you know who did it for four years, I know you understand what I'm saying. Those folks take pride. They take pride in every aspect of the HBCU world. And so when Doug left, and they left the Alcorn State alumni, that caused havoc at Grandpa. And so it kind of had me up in the air about, you know, hey, what's gonna happen? You know what I'm saying? And, you know, I'm like, man, I had a decision to make. And, you know, uh also being transparent in that situation, in the midst of all of that, I became a father at a young age in that experience as well. And so my daughter at the time, she was in back in Tennessee. And so now I got all this going on with the coaching staff, changes and all that, and I got a kid in Tennessee. I made a decision and I left. Some people, a lot of people question why I left, but it was just it was all over the place, man. Yeah, uh, and the move was kind of impulsive, it was, but I felt like it was it was satisfying for me to be able to go and you know be closer to my daughter's life. I I wanted to make sure, you know what I'm saying? And plus my parents, they they weren't having it, you know what I mean. Regardless of what I had going on as a student athlete, I got a kid out here, yeah. And so, yeah, they weren't having that. And I wasn't raised like that. So, you know, I was gonna be in my child's life regardless. And so, yeah, I made a I made a decision to leave Grambling, man, after that. And um, you know, I made the decision and stuck by it, but uh traveling down the rabbit hole even more. You heard me mention Coach Jerry Monet uh earlier. Um the interesting thing is when I made the decision to leave Grambling, I actually reconnected with Jerry Monet again uh because when East Tennessee State dropped the football program, he he went to which is now called the University of Pikeville, but it was called Pikeville College at that time. And so when he got wind of me wanting to leave Grambling, man, he called me and offered me a scholarship over the phone. Wow. Yeah. He called me, and and that's why I say Jerry Jerry Minor will always be uh a top-notch coach, a top-notch guy person in my book, man, um, because he believed in me, you know what I mean? And uh and we got an opportunity to get back together again. Yeah, and so he he called, uh he offered me a scholarship over the phone, started my paperwork over the phone, and and I left, and and I was on my way to Kentucky to Pikeville, which like I said, which is now called the University of Pikeville. And so that's how it happened. I left and went to when to go went to play for Jerry Munnett again. That's a solid dude, bro. Yes, he is, man. Yes, he is to this day, he's a solid dude, man. But traveling down the rabbit hole even more, man. Um so now this is about two thousand, this is the spring of 2005. I report to Graham, I mean, excuse me, to Pikeville, Pikeville College. And uh, and and I want to throw this in there, man, because I'm talking to another Berkeley High alumni, and um, you know, and and also again, I'm I'm I'm gonna tip my hat to you again for for this platform and and what you're doing, man, because this has given us given you know people from our umbrella an opportunity to become a speed man. And so I'm gonna talk a little bit more about Jerry Mining and how and how much of a real one he is, man. When during my process of me, you know, saying that I was gonna go to Pike Dro, I remember Coach Minic calling me and asking me about were there any other guys around Monks that I thought that would want to go to football. Yeah. And, you know, I thought there were there was there was a circle of people that I ran with during that time that you know that didn't get a scholarship opportunity like how I got, but I knew that they were great athletes and I knew that they could play at the college level. And so when Coach Mike when Coach Monet asked me that, I instantly started thinking of these guys. And and I and you know, and and and I'm gonna mention some of their names or whatever, um, because these are these are my guys, these are my bros, man. And but uh I'm gonna mention Larry Shaw, God bless his soul, Arthur Carwell, Ashley Ellington, Bruce Ellington's older brother, big chief chief, Darius Lloyd, my classmate, my boy, Wall Street, Lloyd, yes ah, I remember him. Yes ah, Miss Fever Grant, shout out to Miss Fever, I love Miss Fever who else? Sean Stevens off of Whitesville. Shout out to Sean Stevens. All of these guys, man, and I feel like I'm missing some my bad and and my guy from my section from over in Shannon Wood and Bradley Road, Akeem Johnson, Akimi. Shout out my guy Akimi. These guys, man, I I thought about these guys individually and what it would mean to them to get an opportunity to go play at the next level. Yeah. And so when Coach Monnet, when he asked, when he asked me, those were the guys that I reached out to. And big respect to those guys. Whatever those guys had going on, they dropped what they were doing to come to Pikefield College with. Really? Yes. And so a lot of people don't know that story, man. But all of us went to Pikefield College together, man. We left Monks going in like three cards deep. Wow. I did not know that. Yes, man. And you know, Coach Minet, like I said, man, he that's how much he believed in the low country. That's how much he believed in Berkeley High School and the type of athletes that Coach Brown was pushing out. That he went on my word alone. Frank, find me some guys. And now, mind you, and just keeping it just into perspective, not everyone was on a full scholarship. Some people got partial scholarships, but he put everybody in position to be successful and to get an opportunity to get higher education and to play ball. And so that's why I say I will forever have love for those guys, man, because whatever they had going on in their lives at that time, they stopped what they were doing and they came in. And we went on that journey uh together to fight through college. So, like I said, a lot of people don't know that story, man, but that that's how it went down. And so we all we all went there, man. Left monks going to three cars beat, man. And we all went there and we we we got after it, man. You know, that was a great, great journey, great experience, man. I love those guys to this day, man. For that, you know, and I I I miss my guy, Arthur Carwell, man. You know, I miss him, and you know, um, shout out to his dad, his family, his mom, and his brother in all with the man, because they were like they feel like my second family. But um, you know, Arthur went on that journey, he went on that journey with me. So I will forever hold on to those memories of that. We we had a heck of a journey doing that. But traveling down the rabbit hole again, man. But I just wanted to uh to put that in there, man, and talk about that. But traveling down that rabbit hole, I go to Pikeville, bro. I my first game of the season at Pikeville in 2005, right? I get hurt. And one of the first injuries that I've ever had that actually stopped me from playing, um, I spent some tendons back behind my behind my knee back here. And so I ended up missing about six games of the regular season at Pikeville. And uh I came back in the last four games, like not even a hundred percent. Me and Coach Mani were just talking about this just together to give about two games ago. I was I was just sharing this story, we were sharing stories about this. I came back not even a hundred percent, man. And in four games at Pikeville, I had 40 catches, four touchdowns, and four games in the last one. Wow, and made all confidence in four games. No kid. Yeah, and in four games. But I'm I'm setting the stage for the rabbit hole because the rabbit hole, we we're gonna get to the rabbit hole. I'm setting the stage for it. All right, but yes, amazing season at Pikeville College, man. And shout out, just big shout out to all my guys that played on that 05 team. My guys, uh my Anson County guys, big Antoine Mars, Moto, Q, all those guys, man, Ryan Hayes, all my guys, man, that played on that team because that that was bro, we were a solid team. And that team, actually, we are we were inducted in 2019. We were inducted into the Pikeville Hall of Fame because we took Pikeville College to the playoffs for the first time in school history. Wow, yes, man. Yes. Shout out to those guys, man. Uh, and I shout out my guys, uh, Jamal Underwood, EJ Underwood. I hope you guys get to see this. Um, but shout out to all those guys, man. We had two guys go. That's an NAIA school now. You know what I mean? Two guys, we had two guys go to the NFL, big Antoine Marsh went to the Colts. EJ Underwood, he went to the New York Giants out of an NAIA school, bro. We were wreaking havoc in that league. Um great season. Those are my bros for life. I'll forever remember that. But after a great season, first time in the playoffs, take the school to the playoffs, the first time in school history. Now, this is where me and Jerry Monet bump heads. Okay, and we talked when we talked about this. So Coach Monnet decides to quit coaching football. After our amazing season, man, and and I get and I get on him about this to this day, he quit coaching football and left us there. And and and and to his defense, he talks about it all the time when we talk, man. Frank, I'm sorry, I I left you guys there. He apologizes for it uh all the time, man. But you know, and when we travel down the rabbit hole some more, we'll we'll talk about how he made up for that. But that happened, man. So another coaching change happens for again, and I had to make a decision. Again, he leaves, things get a little sticky at Pikeville, new coaching staff, adversity, more more personal adversity with me, you know, with that whole Pikeville situation, a lot of a lot of adversity there. And I I made the decision, man. I sat out, I actually sat out of football for a year, came back to Monks Corner, kind of, you know, had some had some personal struggles going on there while I'm sitting out, and you know, I'm here back in town, like while all my boys are in in school and you know, whatever, trying to figure it out. And which 2006 was supposed to be my senior year, actually 2007 ended up being my senior year. But as we travel down this rabbit hole, I'm here at the house one day. I get a random phone call from Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky, in which at Pikeville, they're in our conference. We play each other. So they were like our rival. Yeah. So I get a call from the Ryan school. Hey, let's call and check on you, see how you are, you know, how's everything shaping up with life? And, you know, got a scholarship here for you. I'm right here in Monsona, man. After sitting out a whole year, wow, get a random phone call. Georgetown College. And so as we travel, get to Georgetown College for my official visit. And this is this is how Coach Minor made up for it. And this is how, and this is why I tell you he's a real I'm sitting in the office with a coach from Georgetown College, who's I think at the time Bill Cronin is his name. Sitting there talking to Coach Cronin. And he tells me, he says, Frank, he says, you know why we offered you a scholarship? I was like, ah, like, well, I'm not because I was a good athlete. He's like, yeah, you're a good athlete. He said, but I got a phone call one day from Coach Jerry Montet. And he said, Coach Monty told me that if he was to start a football program tomorrow, you'd be the first player that he signed. And he said that was enough for me to be like, you know what, I'm gonna give this guy a shot. I'm gonna get this guy out. And so Coach Monty, even after he left, he still was helping us out, still calling coaches and calling schools and telling them to give us out. And so that's how I got, and so I ended up after that season at Pikefield, ended up going, transferring to Georgetown College. And for the people who are not familiar uh with Georgetown College, Georgetown College is uh it's in Georgetown, Kentucky. It's actually me and the coach that was at Wafford for a long time, Mike Ayers, we share the same um memorto. And Mike Ayers is actually from Georgetown, Kentucky. He's at Georgetown College. So shout out to Mike Ayers, man. Yeah, it is, man. It is a small, very small world, but shout out to Mike Ayers, uh, my fellow alum from Georgetown College, uh, Wafford. He was at Wafford all those years. But and then up, and and then also the thing about Georgetown College for people you know who don't know about it, Georgetown College is also where the Cincinnati Bengals did their training camp at about 15 years. So the Bengals, you know, so Georgetown, Kentucky is about 45 minutes away from Cincinnati, Ohio. Right. The Cincinnati is right there on the uh right next, like soon as you cross from Kentucky into Ohio, Cincinnati right here. Yes. And so when we were moving out in the summertime, the Bengals are moving in. Okay, and I'm watching them paint the NFL load roll on the field that I just got finished playing. Yeah. And so, yeah, training camp is going on. So great uh shout out to Georgetown College, man. My alum, go uh go Tigers, man. Great school, man. Great, great, great school. Um, but I ended up transferring there for my senior year. And to wrap this, kind of wrap this rabbit hole up a little bit. I go to Georgetown College after, you know, after all the adversity that I've gone through, Georgetown College is actually where I ended uh my college football career. And, you know, great journey, a great school. Uh Georgetown is up there like in a big fraternity of like liberal arts colleges, very, very big on academics. Um, I I learned a lot there academically. They very they really challenge you there academically. Uh and athletics-wise, they have everything there, man, from men's volleyball to lacrosse, football, golf, they have everything there. Great experience, man. Ended up finishing up, finishing up there, uh graduating and getting my degree. I I got my undergrad in sociology, minored in psychology. And that's that's kind of that's the the the kind of the shortened version of the the Frank Green story, man, of of of how I transitioned through college. So for the folks who kind of wondered what happened to me, and I because I did kind of get lost in the sauce per se, man, because of all of the transitions that I made. But um that's that's where I ended up, ended my uh my college football career with uh Georgetown, Kentucky. Boy, that's a hell of a ride right there, man. Bro, I you know, you know, when I look back at, you know, when I look back at it, you know, there's a there's a saying that they that they have out there, it's it's it's not about the destination, it's the journey. Yeah because the the destination is for every evolver. And and that's true, man. Every destination that I can think about, it there was always it there was there's always evolution, some evolving going on there, man. But when I think back about that journey, man, and kind of how things are me now and where I am now, I was being prepared for what I'm doing now.