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phillip lindsay touchdown vs. arizona 2017
Photo by: Joel Broida

Buffs' Lindsay Took Dedication, Work Ethic To Classroom As Well As Football Field

May 09, 2018 | Football, Herbst Academic Center, Neill Woelk

BOULDER — Just about anyone who follows Colorado football on even a casual basis knows the story of Phillip Lindsay, the lightly recruited player out of Denver whose dedication, discipline and hard work made him one of the most productive running backs in Colorado history.

Lindsay's success, his love for CU and his home state, and his unmatched fire and enthusiasm made him one of the most popular Buffs — in any sport — in recent years.

But what most folks don't know about Lindsay is this: it was that same dedication, discipline and work ethic that made it possible for him to earn a degree at CU. He did it under extremely difficult circumstances, and the result was every bit as gratifying as anything he accomplished on the football field.

"It was hard. Incredibly hard," said Lindsay, who earned his degree in communications this year and is now a handful of hours away from a second degree. "Out of everything I've done — football, other sports, everything — school was the toughest. I was very proud to get that degree and my mother is probably even more proud. School isn't my strong suit. I had to grind, I had to work, I had to dedicate myself to it.

"But in the end, it was worth it."

As we all know, Lindsay's dedication in the weight room, meeting rooms and on the practice field helped make him a standout college football player.

But what most people aren't aware of — even the most ardent of CU fans — is that Lindsay was at an extreme disadvantage when it came to his schoolwork.

"I have a learning disability when it comes to certain things," Lindsay said. "Most people don't know that. I have to work extra hard to do things that are easy for most students — taking notes, writing, things like that. Things that are simple for some people were tough for me."

When Lindsay left Denver South High School, he knew of his limitations in some of those areas, as he had been involved in South's Individualized Education Program.

But when he got to CU, he didn't tell anyone. No one — not his head coach, not his academic advisors — knew of his situation.

The results were understandably not good.

"I didn't say anything to anyone," Lindsay said. "I just went about my business, tried my hardest, but I was barely passing some of my classes and not passing some others. I just didn't want to say anything."

But Lindsay's mother, Diane Lindsay, finally stepped in and called the athletic department's academic advisors.

"My mom had to light the fire under me," Lindsay said. "It's not like I thought my disability was a weakness or anything, but I just didn't want to ask for help. I learned that it was OK to ask for help — whoever you are."

That's when Lindsay began working with Michelle Brannigan, an associate director and senior learning specialist with the Herbst Academic Center. Brannigan helped Lindsay obtain some classroom accommodations — which are available to all CU students who qualify — and then began the process of teaching him how to study and how to learn.

"When I first started working with him, he wanted to rush through everything and get it all done," Brannigan said. "He didn't care what it looked like, he just wanted to get it done. We had to go through a process of teaching him that that's not OK. I had to tell him, 'That's not going to get you the grades you need to get and I'll help you through this process.'"

Lindsay listened.

"I didn't look at my disability as a weakness," Lindsay said. "I looked at it as something that was going to help me become stronger. I needed help learning how to study, learning how to take tests — learning how to learn."

Perhaps most importantly, he discovered that it was acceptable to seek assistance.

"A learning disability doesn't mean you can't learn, you can't read," Lindsay said. "Maybe you just have a hard time focusing, maybe a hard time understanding things, or maybe you don't know how to develop study habits. There's a lot of kids that go into college that have those issues and you can learn to deal with them. It's not a bad thing — you just have to learn how to learn. It's like anything else in life. If you work hard, you can get there."

Brannigan worked closely with Lindsay, teaching him classroom and study skills. She taught him that schoolwork — like football — was a process that required a daily investment of time and effort.

"He began to absorb those skills and put them to work," Brannigan said. "Once he started seeing success in the classroom, we built trust. We developed a trust in each other that was crucial to what we were trying to accomplish, and then he became that much more invested in learning."

It didn't happen overnight, but Lindsay's grades soon began to improve.

"In the beginning, it didn't matter — he was all about football," Brannigan said. "But then he realized that to succeed in the classroom, which he had to do in order to play football, he was going to have to invest in it. He was going to have to put some time in."

And, Brannigan taught him a skill that does not come natural to many people who have experienced success in any arena — the simple ability to ask for help, a trait that is often mistaken for a weakness.

"Asking for help doesn't come natural to student athletes," Brannigan said. "They've been successful in their lives and many times they don't want to ask someone to help them. I helped Phillip become comfortable with things like going to a professor's office hours, things that other students do regularly. When he got comfortable doing those types of things, he started to succeed."

Lindsay got the message.

"When you talk to the teachers, they understand," he said. "They are willing to help you learn. They want to help you — but they have to know. They will slow down and help you understand, but you have to ask questions, ask for help. When I did that, I had some success."

Not that it ever became easy. As Lindsay puts it, he had to "grind" every day. But he also learned that in some respects, the classroom and football were the same — a strong work ethic, good habits and dedication will produce results.

"It's about being able to talk, not be afraid to ask questions, learn," Lindsay said. "Being able to hold a conversation with your teacher, your classmates. It's the same as with a coach and your teammates. You are learning, you are focusing. Being able to study is an art, just like studying film is an art. There are ways to do it."

And, just like in football, it took a special coach — Brannigan — to help him understand the process.

"When I got with Michelle, she really opened up my eyes to different study habits, how to devote my time to my classes," Lindsay said. "She taught me that if I devoted time every day in the week, I could be done by Thursday and have Friday and Saturday for football. I could go into the weekend with my mind clear, knowing that I had gotten all my schoolwork done."

Brannigan remembers when that realization struck home. Instead of Lindsay letting school assignments drift into the weekend, he began to complete them early, even if it meant spending every free minute possible on Wednesdays and Thursdays getting them finished.

"He got in the zone of, 'I want to take care of my business in the classroom,'" Brannigan said. "He wanted to have his head clear. He wanted to be done with academics by the weekend so he could compartmentalize and put all his energy into a game on the weekend. He got to the point that he consistently got his work done so he could then focus on football. He learned how to take care of business here so he could take care of business on the field."

Lindsay also credits CU head coach Mike MacIntyre with stressing the importance of academics. From little things like sitting in front of the class to asking questions and taking part in class discussions, Lindsay said MacIntyre regularly addressed the players on how to succeed in the classroom.

"Coach Mac does a great job of putting in our heads that there is life after football and making sure we understand that," Lindsay said. "Football's not going to last forever, but your degree is with you forever. He always told us, don't let football use you —you need to use football to reach your dreams. That's the truth. We're out there, using our bodies up. We're getting hit all the time. Your body will only last so long, but that degree is forever. You have that opportunity here and you have to take advantage of it."

There's also no doubt Lindsay has a special place in his heart for Brannigan. Last fall, when the Buffs recognized their seniors at the final home game of the year, Brannigan was on Folsom Field with Lindsay's parents.

"She pushed me," Lindsay said. "She made sure I was always on top of things. She was like a coach and a mother. Her presence alone made a difference.She encouraged me, she pushed me, she helped me and she taught me that you have to do the right thing. That made a difference."

Brannigan, though, said she merely opened the door.

Lindsay did all the work to walk through.

"He was persistent and stayed with it," Brannigan said. "He saw that I was willing to work hard with him and in return, he worked hard because he has that kind of loyalty. He worked his tail off. He really, really did. He learned how to manage what he wanted to accomplish in the classroom."

But the biggest piece of the puzzle?

Not coincidentally, it was exactly the attitude Lindsay has always carried with him on the football field.

"He loves winning," Brannigan said. "He found out what it meant to win in the classroom and that's what motivated him. He wanted to do whatever it took to win."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu