Cornell College Has A 5'1 Running Back On Its Roster, Proving It's The Not Size Of The Dog In The Fight, It's The Size Of The Fight In The Dog

USA Today - The agreement he reached with his mother was simple: As long as he didn’t suffer a concussion, he could play. Though Abesames-Hammer hasn’t grown much since then — he now stands at about 5-foot-1 and about 125 pounds — he still hasn’t stopped.

You won’t see college football’s tiniest player this season on ESPN or in the College Football Playoff. But as a running back for Division III Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, Abesames-Hammer is not only a curiosity and fan favorite but also a role model to thousands of kids who watch the videos he posts on TikTok (@hyphydaniel) about what it’s like to be a 5-foot-1 running back in college football.  

Cool story here about Daniel Abesames-Hammer from Cornell College who is inspiring kids to never turn down their dreams. Let's call a spade a spade, his college stats this year are not going to jump off the page. He's had 19 carries this year for 116 yards and 2 receptions for 3 yards this season. Last season he rushed 41 times for 195 yards. Pretty solid when you break down his yards per carry, but I digress.

However it seems very clear his message is to do more off the field than on it. 

“I get (direct messages) all the time from 13 and 14-year olds who haven’t hit their growth spurt complaining about being short and calling me an inspiration,” he said. “That feels really good. I never had that before I blew up on social media. People saw me either as a joke or a secret weapon.”

Football can be a terrific measure of character. Getting hit and getting back up, committing to a group of teammates where you vow to work together, overcoming adversity, preparation, dedication etc. True #somethings stuff. It seems as if Abesames-Hammer hasn't made one excuse, or blamed anyone about the hand he was dealt. He just shows up, does his job, and contributes where he can. 

"There have been times he's gotten trucked, but he just gets back up and goes again,” Pifer said. “He’s got the utmost respect from our players. When he screws up, we treat him like he’s 6-foot-1, 230 pounds. He’s got to find a way to get it done.”

A reminder that while sports has a good amount of negatives in it, there will always be more positives.Consider Abesames-Hammer one of those positives. Great to see him understanding the impact he can have on kids in a similar situation who need someone to tell them they can, while the rest of the world tells them they can't. 

To his credit, he does have some moves when he gets in open space …