Indiana football offensive lineman Carter Smith does one thing before every game that centers him: he kneels in prayer.
“I always try to have that moment right before kickoff is where I just go right into the end zone and I get down on my knees and I give all the honor to Him,” Smith said on “The Walk” podcast.
“You know, when I’m there, it’s just a conversation between me and Him. All the cheers — I try to quiet it out and silence my mind, just so that I can appreciate the moment that I’m in and give all the glory to Him before we go out and play,” he explained.
Smith’s heart for glorifying God continues a trend set by several of his teammates, including last season’s National Championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the team with his talent and faith.
“That’s one thing about our team. We’re always going to put it all on the line, and, you know, I want to give all the glory and thanks to God there,” Mendoza said after the Hoosiers won the National Championship. “My offensive lineman blocked perfectly, and we were able to execute as a team towards a common goal. Had the Indiana Hoosier synergy to score and then give our team a chance to win the game.”
Related: Fernando Mendoza Glorifies God After Historic Season, Heisman Win
Before the game, Mendoza praised God for his incredible season.
“I really give a lot of what I have accomplished this season in my life to the Lord, and really give thanks to God,” the athlete said, per Christhlete.
Another faith-filled Hoosier is wide receiver Charlie Becker.
“I’ve been blessed by the Lord in so many ways,” Becker told the Daily Hoosier earlier this season. “I’m just forever grateful for all the positions that He’s put me in.”
After they won the National title, Becker talked about the strong bond he and Mendoza shared, a bond built on faith and a commitment to hard work.
“We’re so blessed to be able to come out here,” he told FOX Sports. “All glory to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible, so all glory to Him.”
“You know, it all started from the summer workouts when we all came together and we had a brotherhood,” Becker continued. “You know, we’re all really close, and that’s what creates a good culture and a good team. It’s what the coaches came in here and did.”
“As soon as Fernando got here, me and his brother, we’ve been roommates since our freshman year when we first got here,” the athlete added. “So, as soon as his brother got here, you know, we were already super close. And every single spring at 5:30, 6:00 in the morning, we would go to the indoor, work on that connection, and it’s amazing to see it pay off.”
For the Indiana Hoosiers, from Smith’s quiet moments on his knees in the end zone to Mendoza’s and Becker’s public thanks, faith is the foundation of a brotherhood that carried them all the way to a national championship and continues this season.
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