A.J. Ouellette had just ripped off a 40-yard run into Texas State territory mere seconds into Ohio's season.
That carry was his first of the year. Ohio's star running back looked primed for a breakout game and maybe even a breakout season.
But then Ohio's season changed for good.
Ouellette took a handoff on Ohio's third play of the season and tried to cut upfield. There was nothing. He had no power behind his once-commanding strides.
“I just tried to cut up like I did before, and my foot just said ‘nope,’ ” Ouellette recalled.
He tried to shake it off — it was what the former walk-on prided himself on. But on the fourth play, he was done for good. He ran to the right and collapsed.
“Felt shaky, probably should’ve went to the sideline, but I was like, ‘ah, it’s probably nothing,’ " Ouellette said. "Tried to run a sweep to the right, foot just gave out.”
The diagnosis was a Lisfranc tear. Ouellette had torn the three ligaments on the top of his foot and needed surgery. His season was over.
The hair
Ouellette unbuckled his chinstrap, lifted off his helmet and flipped back his hair. To those who know him, he looked like the starting running back for the Ohio Bobcats. To others, he might as well have been a rock star.
His blonde mohawk-mullet extended through the back of his helmet, hair flowing in the wind when he plowed through the line of scrimmage.
"(In) high school, if your hair was out of the helmet, coach was cutting it," Ouellette said. "Wanted to grow it out when I got here, saw the 30 For 30 about The Boz, so I had The Boz for a little bit."
Ouellette has recently taken the advice of his old high school coach, though — the haircut is now a buzz cut. But for the first two weeks of spring practice, Ouellette's hair was the longest on the team.
“I got half of people depressed that I’ll have to talk to, make sure that they’re OK," Ouellette joked of his haircut. "The other half loved it, the old-school people.”
What started as a tribute to college football great Brian Bosworth transformed into something in its own right. Last September, he had plans to paint lines on the side of his head, just like Bosworth once did at Oklahoma. Ouellette's foot, however, had other plans.
“In the summer I had the lines, in each game I was going to progress in the green, white and black stripes," Ouellette said. "That would’ve been sweet.”
It even had some of the coaches jealous.
"Back in the '80s when I was rolling, that’s what I looked like," offensive coordinator Tim Albin joked. "Long hair, I’m jealous.”
There aren't any plans for a return of the mohawk-turned-mullet, however. For now, he'll keep his buzz cut.
It may be the first thing anyone saw, but Ouellette's long hair was noticed on his first day back when he drove through the offensive line and into the secondary. His cuts are once again powerful. His speed and strength is back. His hair just brought it out.
Off-script
Ouellette's junior year was supposed to be a breakout season for him. Entering 2016, he had already been a starter for three seasons. In his first two years, he had rushed for 1,472 yards and 13 touchdowns. His powerful running was exactly what coach Frank Solich and the offense needed.
Ouellette had an experienced line in front of him. Greg Windham was at quarterback and the receivers had playmaking ability. The defense was top-notch.
It wasn't unreasonable to think he could've helped lead Ohio to the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. Maybe he would've gotten those 37 yards the Bobcats needed in Detroit.
Instead, he was on the sidelines for his junior year.
For Ouellette, things have never happened as they should have.
On Aug. 30, 2014, Ohio traveled to Kent State for a rare conference game to open the season. Ouellette, a true freshman at the time, had made the travel squad as a special teams player. He was the fifth-string running back.
"Not planning on taking any snaps at running back," Ouellette recalled. "(I) had a great first kickoff, set the tone, let me know that I could play college football. I had a de-cleater. After that, my energy was high."
But then, Tim Edmond fumbled. So did Daz'mond Patterson. Then Patterson again. Dorian Brown fumbled, too. Papi White entered the game but left after an injury. Up came the former walk-on from Covington.
It would be the freshman Ouellette, Ohio's fifth-string running back two hours earlier, lining up at running back on the last drive of the game.
Ohio and Kent State were tied at 14.
"After that fourth (fumble), they told me to stay warm on the sideline," Ouellette said. "That’s when the emotions start going, you’re getting all tingly. You’re about to do what you came here to do. They gave me the opportunity, I just kept running.”
He finished the day with 28 yards on six carries, all in that final drive. Ohio won 17-14 on a Josiah Yazdani field goal as time expired.
After entering camp as a walk-on and earning a scholarship, Ouellette proved he deserved every penny of that. Ouellette only entered the game against Kent State because of Ohio's fumbles, but three weeks later, he ran for 132 yards on 27 carries against Idaho. He wouldn't carry the ball fewer than 11 times in a game the rest of his freshman season.
Through 314 career carries, Ouellette still has never lost a fumble.
The return
Ouellette runs like a man who's been a college football player for years. It sure feels like it.
But through different haircuts, quarterbacks and injury, Ouellette still remains. He's the constant that Ohio has needed throughout the past three seasons. He even remained a team captain last year, despite his injury.
And now Ouellette has returned to the field. His starting running back spot was waiting for him.
“He’s a key element to our running game," Solich said. "He’s looking good right now, he’s not allowed to have contact, but he’s moving well, seems to be cutting pretty well. With more rest and strengthening, I think he’ll be able to come back very well.”
Ohio redshirted Ouellette after his injury, so he'll enter the 2017 season as a redshirt junior with two seasons left to go.
The Bobcats will likely use a backfield by committee next year, with no one player getting a commanding share of the carries. But it will likely be Ouellette that takes the first carry of the season.
“A.J., Maleek (Irons), Dorian, Dylan Wears, I’m very, very excited about the group that I have," Albin, who is also the running backs' coach, said. "I’ve got a good group, I’m excited about it. We’re not ready to play a game yet, but I’m pleased.”
Come Sep. 2 against Hampton, Ouellette will probably take the first string snaps and he may even score Ohio's first touchdown. But with Ouellette, it's impossible to predict what might happen.
The easiest thing to do would be to watch Ouellete's 5-foot-10 frame plow into the second-level, now healthy left foot grinding up yards. Come next September, he might even have the mohawk back.
"Right now, I feel like I didn’t miss a season," he said. "I’m just ready to go.”
