After what seemed like a simple and easy deed by Eastern Michigan University offensive lineman Brian Dooley that caught the attention of the college football world, Dooley was presented with college football’s 2023 Disney Spirit Award.
Dooley was put into the spotlight earlier this year when he decided to give his football scholarship to walk-on offensive lineman Zack Conti after witnessing the struggles Conti went through to continue to pursue his football career.
Disney’s Wide World of Sports Spirit Award was created in 1996 and is handed out every year by Walt Disney World Resort to the most inspirational figure in college football.
The announcement was captured in a video that garnered more than 13,000 views on the team’s YouTube channel and has since made its way around social media, gaining attention from media outlets like ESPN, Good Morning America, and ABC.
Conti, whose mother is battling polycystic kidney disease and needs a transplant, has been working multiple jobs, including landscaping and pulling floor tiles, while also donating his plasma so that he could pay for school while pursuing his football career.
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Dooley said in a press conference earlier this season. “If it helps him more then by all means, I'm gonna give it to him and hopefully I can later down the road help him out even more."
Dooley was highlighted for his generous donation as he was presented with the Disney Spirit Trophy during the "Home Depot College Football Awards" on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 8.
During the interview, Dooley was accompanied by assistant head coach, Sean Coughlin, who spoke about Dooley’s selflessness and leadership:
“To give up his opportunity to be on a full-ride scholarship to take care of one of his teammates, I think the guys just saw that and understood the sacrifices he made as well as how important the program is to him,” Coughlin said during ESPN’s presentation. “To get the opportunity to work with someone like that, it’s all love and you know how important he is to your teammates and players.”
See also: Brian Dooley surrenders his athletic scholarship for walk-on Zack Conti
