Students constantly wish for that day to come where they finally graduate, freed from all scholarly responsibility, whether it be for the rest of their lives or simply for a summer. While each graduating class is full of excitement in wake of their future opportunities and endeavors, the underclassman revel in being one step closer towards their own commencement.

Brandon Fouts, a 2017 Windsor graduate,  is diving head first into his new adventure.

With Fouts’ sights set on playing Division I football, he decided to walk on at Southeast Missouri State University.

“I’m liking it a lot so far. The one thing that has been tough is going from being ‘the man’ to being absolutely nothing. Having to restart the whole process of working your way back up the food chain and earning your spot is always hard especially at a Division I school, but I knew that was going to happen going in so I was prepared,” Fouts said.

Last fall, Fouts was “the man” at Windsor.

As a senior at Windsor, Fouts ran for 2,115 yards and scored 25 touchdowns. Those numbers put Fouts among the leaders in the St. Louis area. Now, Fouts must prove himself once again as a redshirt freshman at SEMO. 

Fouts said there are several differences between high school and college football.

“Everything (is different) really. The expectations are much greater, for us as players and for our coaches, the training is harder and the approach to the game is much different. The biggest difference in playing for SEMO is that the holes close so quickly, and the defense hits much harder,” Fouts said.

Playing football in college, particularly at the Division I level, is especially difficult. Over the past several years, there are only a handful of Windsor football players that have played at Division I or Division II programs.  Over the past decade, Damian Smith, a 2006 Windsor graduate, started at SEMO and Brandon Campbell, a 2010 Windsor graduate, started at Truman State University.

“Those two (Smith and Campbell)  were both very good high school players and I’m proud to have coached them and help them get to the next level,” former head football coach Kevin Stoffey said.

With all the thrill of college, one might think that a college athlete, such as Fouts, would not miss what Windsor offered.

Fouts said, “I miss Windsor football so much. We didn’t have the best record my senior year. We only went 4-6, but it felt like we were a winning team just because we made every single game exciting and we put up so many points. I miss all of the teachers a lot too. I love how in high school you actually develop a personal relationship with your teachers. In college, it’s not like that.”