Even as the sparks flew around him at the Tesla Motors factory in his hometown of Fremont, California, Stevin Gomez didn't think his college football career was over. His coworkers, though, didn't share the same optimism.
Gomez returned home after a year at Missouri Southern State University and took a job at the Tesla factory as a production associate, spending nights cutting metal among other tasks. He'd tell his coworkers about his football career, first at Irvington High School, then at Foothill Community College and then at MSSU. He talked about his plan to play football again.
They didn't want to listen.
"I was just hearing from guys all day, 'You're done. You're never going to play again,' " Gomez said. "I thought about that every day, that doubt they kept feeding me."
Gomez refused to digest that doubt. He didn't have any inside himself. He felt he could play again.
It took a leap of faith to travel to Institute, West Virginia, and join West Virginia State's football program, sight unseen. But that gamble has paid off so far for both him and the Yellow Jackets. The senior currently leads the Mountain East Conference with three interceptions and is preparing to face the University of Charleston's high-powered attack when the Golden Eagles visit Lakin Field at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Gomez admitted he started getting nervous as summer rolled around and he remained without a new football home. But a couple of his old Foothill teammates had transferred to Concord when current State offensive coordinator John Pennington was still an assistant there. He sent WVSU his highlight film and, after a few phone calls, packed up for West Virginia.
Moving from the San Francisco Bay Area to just outside of Charleston came with some trepidation, but hearing what State head coach Jon Anderson and defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto had to say eased any concerns he had.
"I just tried to leave it in God's hands," Gomez said. "The conversations I had with Coach Anderson and Coach Benedetto made it solid for me to come out here. Hearing the genuine character they had was really the deciding factor for me to come out here."
If there were any jitters, they came in August when he took the practice field for the first time in a year. The rust he carried with him ran a little deeper than that of usual transfers. Those players often get to practice while they sit out their NCAA-mandated transfer year. Gomez had to knock off the rust of not playing anywhere.
It didn't take too long. In one of his first practices, Gomez intercepted a pass on a slant route, announcing his presence in the Yellow Jackets defense.
"I was definitely pretty nervous the first practice," he said. "I didn't know where I was, so that was a huge test for me. It's been working out lately. So far, so good."
Even with that layoff, Gomez vaulted into the starting lineup from West Virginia State's opening game and immediately started paying dividends. Along with his MEC-leading three picks, he's tied with teammate Daniel Ware, Shepherd's Tre Sullivan and Glenville State's Markeith Dews with five total passes defensed.
The 6-foot, 195-pound corner's biggest game so far came in State's 52-31 win over West Virginia Wesleyan, where he intercepted two passes and added a seven-yard sack. Anderson said he's been a little surprised that the Yellow Jackets have been able to get so much production out of Gomez so soon.
"We understood he had talent, but to knock a year of rust off and to be able to come in with three picks in three games ... I thought, maybe, we'd get that from him toward the middle or the end of the year as he got comfortable, but it's been remarkable how quickly he's adapted."
Anderson said Gomez's personality and work ethic have helped a great deal in that early transition. In all the research State's coaching staff did into Gomez, they found those traits shot to the top. The Yellow Jackets were in the market for a veteran, developed corner, and feel they got one in Gomez.
"He's come in as a really mature guy and has fit in extremely well," Anderson said. "He's been a great addition, just a wonderful young man."
"He's one of the most down-to-earth kids I've ever met," Anderson said. "He's humble and gracious and works extremely hard."
Those nights at the Tesla factory motivated Gomez, showed him how much he missed football and how much he'd regret not returning to college. Returning to the game for that one final year is the best decision he's said he's made.
"I think about how lucky I was and how blessed I am now," Gomez said. "I think about that all the time. We're all blessed to play football and go to school."