Touchback 2012

Scott Murphy is a former high school football hero, renowned as the top Ohio quarterback of his era and earning the nickname “Mr. Football.” A devastating leg injury during the Ohio State High School Championship shattered his dreams of a college scholarship and a possible professional career. Twenty years later, he remains in his quiet hometown of Coldwater, Ohio, living a life defined by hard work and duty. He now farms the land, serves as a volunteer firefighter, and is deeply rooted in a life that never quite fulfilled his early ambitions. He is married to Macy, a shy clarinet-playing band member, and together they raise their two daughters, a family that anchors him as financial difficulties press in on the farm.

The pressure mounts as a poor harvest, coupled with mounting bank obligations, threatens the family’s livelihood. An upcoming football game offers a chance to honor the quarterback who once carried the town to a state championship, but Scott feels the weight of past regrets and present fear. The return of his old friend, Hall, who has climbed to the NFL and married Scott’s former girlfriend, only deepens his sense of inadequacy and despair. An early frost and a broken soybean combine header ruin the harvest, pushing Scott toward a desperate decision. His wife offers a spark of practical hope—harvesting the soybeans by hand so they can still be sold—but the task seems almost insurmountable given the scale of the fields.

Facing an unbearable future, Scott plans to end his life by carbon monoxide poisoning in his truck. As he drifts toward unconsciousness, he unexpectedly awakens in 1991, days before the pivotal game that defined his youth. The second chance comes with hard-won clarity: he resumes a careful recalibration of his life, vowing to alter the course of events so the injury that ruined his OSU opportunity never happens. He re-enters Coldwater with fresh resolve, seeking time with his mother, a stalwart woman who never witnessed him play in a game, and gradually reintroduces himself to Macy, knowing she is the person he will marry.

At a key recruiting meeting, the Ohio State University scout lays out the harsh reality: the road to OSU is perilous, and a future invitation is not guaranteed to be jeopardized by risk. He suggests that Scott could accept a future as part of the quarterback unit while maintaining caution. The day of the state championship arrives, and the choice weighs heavily on him. He informs Coach Hand, the mentor who embodies the town’s values, that he may sit out to ensure a lugar opportunity with OSU; yet the coach’s words strike a chord about the community’s worth and the importance of unity. The scene becomes a personal reckoning, and after weighing the coach’s perspective with his mother’s expectations, Scott decides to play.

On the field, his performance is uneven at first, as the team struggles to keep up. Coach Hand encourages him to distribute the ball more evenly, emphasizing teamwork over personal glory. Scott’s decision to trust his teammates yields a shift in momentum. In a pivotal moment, the quarterback contemplates the famous running play, but he chooses a passing option in dialogue with the coach, who leaves room for Scott to call an audible if needed. As the clock ticks down, Scott glances toward the stands where Macy sits, drawing strength from the people who have stood by him through every setback.

Then comes the moment of truth. With the victorious crowd in sight, he makes a bold audibile call for a running play that brings him dangerously close to the end zone. He leaps toward the goal with determination, only to be slammed by two defenders, and the play ends with a devastating leg injury. Coldwater clinches the Ohio State High School Championship, a triumph that seems almost mythic in its scale, as Scott’s resilience and singular willpower carry the team to victory against a bigger and heavily recruited opponent.

Back in the present, Scott awakens in his truck and narrowly survives a suicide attempt when the vehicle runs out of gas. He walks through a desolate town, returning to a field that is strangely empty of players and spectators. Yet as he heads toward his farm, a miracle unfolds: the soybean field lights up with activity as the entire town gathers to harvest by hand, driven by a communal spirit that has never forgotten him. The community’s support revitalizes him, and he embraces the life he shares with Macy and their children. By the end, he steps into a new role as an assistant coach to Coach Hand, honoring the town’s legacy and choosing to invest in the future of Coldwater.