Two moments that showed what UCLA tailback Derrick Coleman could accomplish and what he had to overcome came before he was 3 years old.
"We had an Easter at his grandmother's house when he was 1; the kids had to wait while we hid the eggs," said May Hamlin, Coleman's mother. "When it was time, Derrick just plowed through everyone, running over the other kids.
"His older cousin said right then, 'That kid is going to be a football player.' "
Those run-to-daylight dreams were not a Point-A-to-Point-B journey. A little more than a year later, Coleman's parents were concerned that his verbal skills were not developing. Tests revealed he had little to no hearing.
"When we found out, we went through all those thoughts, 'How do we deal with this? What kind of life will he have?' " Coleman's father, Derrick Sr., said. "Our heads were spinning. But I think there was a bit of relief in knowing."
Relief has long since given way to joy.
Derrick, who has hearing aids for both ears, talks about dealing with his disability the same way he dealt with his fumble against Fresno State three weeks ago. Neither caused him to wallow in pity.
"I just went from being a child who never talked to one who never shuts up," Coleman said, smiling. "Sometimes I felt a little out of place because I had a hearing aid. But at the same time, I did everything the other kids did."
Usually even better.
Coleman, who is from Fullerton Troy High, is one of four freshman tailbacks UCLA brought in this year. He was able to leap frog that crowd despite having arthroscopic surgery on his knee in August and is the Bruins' leading rusher even though he has played in only four of the team's six games.
Said his father: "Derrick has never used his hearing as an excuse or a crutch. That is what I'm proudest about."
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Coleman suffered a minor knee injury early in training camp. The next day, he showed up on the practice field in full uniform ready to go before coaches ordered him back to the training room.
"You could see the desire in this kid from the first day," UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow said.
Once he rehabilitated his knee, Bruins coaches got him into the tailback rotation.
In his second game, Coleman gained 86 yards in 10 carries against Fresno State. A week later, he churned out 49 in six carries against Washington State. He leads the Bruins with 171 yards rushing, averaging 6.1 yards a carry.
