GOD. FAMILY. FOOTBALL: Episode 3.1: “Get Your Hopes Up”

Parents and families should watch this series, especially if children participate in youth sports. This series brilliantly focuses on football and athletics while making faith and family the main themes. Head coach and Pastor Denny Duron speaks openly about his goals for his team: to help them “experience the fruit of their labor.” Viewers will walk away feeling satisfied and eager to watch the next episode.

Duron built a program around faith and hopes for the best. On the field and in the locker room, the quote “The best is yet to come” hangs prominently, reflecting the motto that Duron and his team embody each time they step on the field. Athletic Director and Defensive Coordinator Josh Alexander and his wife Bodixie engage in an open and honest conversation about their struggling marriage.

The Evangel Christian Academy Eagles support Blake Morgan, a young boy who battled Leukemia for three years and received a cancer-free declaration in this episode. Younger viewers should skip it altogether or have a parent nearby.

Denny Duron leads the Evangel Christian Academy Eagles football team, intending to win a state championship. He builds his team around faith. From the top quarterback in the nation to the team manager, each player and staff member matters. Duron selects his coaching staff, consisting of Christian men, to help elevate the program. He sets aside pride and ego, allowing his fellow coaches and players to lead and adapt, fostering their growth on and off the field.

Four stars means this episode absolutely delivers where it matters, and not just in the football arena. Fantastic cinematography and football plays make up a quarter of the episode, but the best parts unfold in the locker room, at home, or at school. The episode never slows down, constantly shifting from one day to the next. The viewer joins the team on the practice field, stays with Blake in the hospital, follows AJ Robinson as he takes Duron’s granddaughter out on a date, and experiences Alexander’s life at home and on their wedding day.

The high-flying throws and insane jukes by Peyton “Pop” Houston and Dayday Drake make you nearly jump out of your seat. The calm moments between Friday nights inspire you to involve your kids in a program like Evangel. This episode captures everything this series represents: God, family, and football.

A strong Christian worldview comes through in the episode. Duron, along with his coaches and teammates, avoids cursing, while the head coach emphasizes the importance of “experiencing the fruits of their labor.” Josh and Bodixie also share a moment of prayer together before their meal and the two honestly discuss how their marriage is struggling, without shouting or being negative towards one another. The cameras cut over to Blake Morgan, a younger brother of former Evangel player, Jaccob Carpenter. Blake goes to the hospital for his last chemotherapy treatment, where he is loved on by so many people from Evangel football.

That being said, there are two instances of obscenities within the episode. One coach told a player to “drop your nuts” as he explained the player would be going in for the next defensive series. One player also said, “OMG” several times as he celebrated his date making a field goal kick. Lastly, Josh and Bodixie allude to wanting to have sex. Aside from that, this is a family friendly series that anyone participating in youth sports should watch.

Families who love sports and God will firmly enjoy this episode. The episode takes a game and helps young men become the best version of themselves. The episode also points out the realities of life: that busyness is going to happen to it’s important to prioritize family over a job. It also focuses on a young boy who becomes a “beacon of light” for so many who are fighting cancer. Parents of little ones may want to be nearby with the mute button handy.