- [Shawn] It's the game

that Old Dominion University football fans

are going to be talkingabout for years to come,

the day the Monarchs upset the top-ranked

Virginia Tech Hokies, 49-35.

But the underlying story

is that of quarterback Blake LaRussa,

who came in off the benchto lead his team to victory.

As a walk-on in 2015, hiscareer started out a bit rocky.

He won the starting job in 2017,

only to lose it after just two weeks.

But during the game against Virginia Tech,

his number was called once again.

He recalls what happenedleading up to the game,

starting with the sermonhe heard from a pastor.

- And what he was sayingwas, talking about David,

he said, "I didn't come thisfar not to throw my rock."

Talking about David and Goliath here,

which a day before, Sunday morning,

I wake up thinking about,

you know, I hear our chancesto beat Tech like 1%.

I remember thinking to myself

I bet that's what David'sodds were to beat Goliath,

pretty much nothing.

And now, it's like, whoa God,

are you speaking to me right now?

Just thinking to myself, if I get in,

I'm gonna throw that rock.

- On the second drive of the game,

Blake went in and the rest is history.

He threw for 495 yardsand four touchdowns.

You threw a whole lotof stones, my friend.

And they caught 'em and brought 'em down.

- I really can't take all that credit.

Those guys are incredible.

Travis Fulgham, Jon Duhart,they played their tails off,

Jeremy Cox, and we literally had

all the cylinders roll inthat game, it wasn't just me.

- ODU quarterback Blake LaRussa

stunned the college football world

when he led the Monarchs toa victory over Virginia Tech.

But the biggest surprise cameat the end of the 2018 season

when he dropped abombshell on his coaches,

letting them know that he was switching

from reading defensesto studying the Bible.

- And I remember I was inthe library here at ODU

and I was doing my reading for the day

and I had my Bible and Iwas reading through Acts 18.

But the second I was done reading,

within me, I heard this Iwant you to go place to place.

Those were the words the Lord spoke to me

and I had this new calling thatwas nothing what I expected.

- [Shawn] Blake never anticipated ministry

being added to his playbook.

He wasn't sure what thatmeant for his football future.

- I remember talkingto some close friends,

close pastors of mine,

and I remember speakingwith them about it.

And they all gave methe same but wise advice

of right now you're here.

Just focus on the here.

God will show you the pathdown the road when he needs to.

- [Shawn] Blake's performanceduring the 2018 season

ensured that the startingjob was his to lose.

But once the season was over,he felt a shift in his heart.

- I noticed withinmyself, all I want to do

is go into ministry right now.

Yes, do I love football?

Did I love football the whole season?

Absolutely.

Still love football so much.

But as far as my passions going forward,

it's all into ministry.

- [Shawn] Blake begansearching for a degree

that matched his desired area of ministry.

- I come across a degree

in exactly what the Lord had called me to.

The degree was itinerant evangelism.

And itinerant meaningtraveling from place to place.

- [Shawn] It was then that Blake decided

to forego his senior seasonto enroll in seminary

to pursue his Masters of Divinity.

Of course the biggest question

on everyone's mind was why now.

- What I can say totry to be as most clear

as I can about it iswhen you know, you know.

And so it was something where I just,

I knew with everything in me

and I didn't need everybodyto fully understand it either

because, you know,something that God taught me

throughout this process in December was

whose voice are you gonna listen to more?

Are you gonna listen to my voice more,

or are you gonna listento the people more?

And obviously, God givesus people in our lives

to give us good, godly advice, for sure,

but I came to a point where Iknew that I knew that I knew

this is where God's taking me,

I know that from what I'm hearing from him

and I know that frommy own heart's desires.

- [Shawn] When Blake told his coaches,

they were in full support.

- You know, your naturalreaction, selfishly,

and I'll admit, you know,I think all of us coaches,

I'll just admit, selfishly, is

how do I get this kid to change his mind.

Once I knew that he was comfortable,

that he would never have regret,

then I was fine on my end.

- 'Cause I said, "Blake,you're 23 years old."

I said, "You're gonna live till you're 90.

"I know you are.

"You're gonna live till you're 90,

"so you've got 67 years to serve."

And I said, "Just take a week to reflect

"and let's come back andlet's visit again next week."

And when he came back the next week,

he was still very muchstrong in his conviction

of what he wanted to do.

And I respected that.

I appreciate that.

I don't have any remorseor any negative feelings

towards his decisionbecause he's doing something

for the right reason.

- [Shawn] Now with the supportof his teammates and coaches,

Blake is focused ongraduating in spring of 2019.

And though he hasn't announceda seminary school yet,

his eyes are set on the routethe Lord has for him to run.

- My passion, my greatest desire,

is to tell people aboutJesus, to preach the gospel,

to let people know who thisJesus is that loves them,

who died for them on the cross,

and then put their faith in him,

and that's my greatest desire

and I want people to know that.