We’ve seen this story over and over.

A once promising football career for a young player is snatched away via a gruesome injury. The football Gods can be utterly ruthless and cruel — something Mizzou OL Adam Ploudre knows all too well.

Many players have transitioned from a walk-on status into a scholarship role. However, Ploudre’s story is far from the norm.

At the beginning of his junior season, Ploudre was a known commodity in recruiting circles. He had began to receive offers, and appeared destined to sign with a big-name program.

However, he suffered an incredibly gruesome injury during a game — in which his leg sat at a 90-degree angle. Three surgeries and one titanium rod later, and doctors didn’t know whether Ploudre would ever play — let alone walk again (per Power Mizzou).

The tibia and fibula were completely obliterated. The rod then became infected, and once the possibility of an amputation came into play, Ploudre had yet another surgery (his fifth) to take the rod out.

Due to his determination and perseverance, Ploudre walked-on at Missouri under former head coach Gary Pinkel. His mother was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in 2014. This motivated Ploudre even further to get on scholarship as a means to ease a financial burden on his parents.

In August of this year, Odom told Ploudre — a redshirt junior out of Ballwin, Mo. — that he’d be awarded a scholarship.

Ploudre has started the past two games at right guard for the Tigers. He’ll continue to be a staple along the starting five for the foreseeable future.

The drive, commitment, and determination demonstrated by Ploudre is simply inspiring. It’s just one of the many examples of how special the game of football is — and how it can truly impact someone’s life for the better.