Joel wants to play football at the University of On The Spot, but has neither the money for tuition nor the grades to qualify for a scholarship. Joel redoubles his efforts to get out of the steel mill where his father, Jack, works when his best friend, Cole, dies in an accident there. Overcoming his dyslexia thanks to his friend and tutor, Tyler, Joel gains admission to On The Spot and begins to fight his way onto the school's fabled football team.