Indiana University Athletics

Richard Lagow and The Photo in the Locker
11/3/2017 4:39:00 PM | Football
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Photos can't speak, and yet they do. This one certainly does, the one in Richard Lagow's locker, the one that lets you know what life is really all about -- resilience amid challenge, hope over despair.
The photo is taped to the back wall of the Indiana fifth-year senior quarterback's locker. It shows the uncompromising face of beauty, stripped of pretension and illusion, raw because that's what truth often is. It is the face of the ultimate fighter staring down the ultimate fight -- bald head, black smeared under both eyes, raised fists covered by boxing gloves, a smile rather than a snarl because this fight can't be won by nastiness, but by faith.
Kara O'Neal sent Lagow her photo because that's what friends do when sharing what matters most.
Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Adversity stinks, but it so often reveals.
And so …
O'Neal's adversity comes in the form of acute myeloid leukemia, but let's just call it what it is -- cancer.
Lagow battles a less formidable foe. He has lost his starting job, but not his perspective.
"I see her every day," he says of O'Neal. "I have a picture of her in my locker. It keeps me motivated."
He pauses in an empty wide receivers room in Memorial Stadium. Practice has been over for nearly an hour. For the fourth straight week he has gotten backup reps, a blow for someone who had emerged as a team leader and potential Big Ten standout. But his inconsistency and redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey's dual-threat productivity altered his world.
"When things aren't going my way," he says, "when times are tough, you keep your life in perspective. No matter what the situation is, you could be battling cancer. There's always someone who has it worse.
"Her ability to stay positive and continue fighting is constant motivation for me."
O'Neal and Lagow have been friends since high school in Plano, Texas. He was the hot-shot quarterback. She was dating a receiver. They quickly developed a bond.
"It's very important to me," Lagow says of their friendship. "I think it's important to her, also. She texted me a couple of days ago. She was thinking about her journey and how much it's helped her, the relationship we have. I see it the same way. I really value our friendship. She can motivate me always, even if we haven't talked for a couple of days."
O'Neal has battled cancer since she was 16. First it was oral chemotherapy. Later it became surgery. A full head of hair was a temporary casualty.
Through it all, she hasn't quit.
"She and I are strong in our faith," Lagow says. "Having that bond has strengthened it."
Lagow and O'Neal have taken unique journeys. He went from Plano to Oklahoma State to Cisco Community College in Texas to IU in pursuit of football glory. O'Neal went from Plano to the University of Arkansas. Cancer forced her to return home in the fall of 2016 for treatment that included 28 days in a Dallas hospital for a bone marrow transplant. In a blog she wrote that it was "a little rougher than I thought rough could be." A portal was surgically implanted in her chest so doctors could pump blood transfusions, and more.
Right after that, Lagow had his own rough times in his debut as IU's starting quarterback. He threw five interceptions against Wake Forest and the Hoosiers went on a 1-3 tailspin.
IU bounced back to finish 6-6 and earn a Fosters Farms Bowl bid against No. 19 Utah in Santa Clara, Calif. O'Neal watched the Hoosiers lose a heart-breaker from a Dallas hospital bed. Lagow surprised her by writing her name on the towel that always hangs from his belt during games. He took a photo of it and sent it to her before the game.
"I was in the locker room before the game thinking the season was coming to the end," Lagow says. "We still had a game, of course. I was trying to process the whole season. Coming from junior college and getting through the whole season, now you're in the 49ers' stadium (Levi's Stadium) playing in a bowl game. I was just enjoying the moment.
"In doing so, I thought about her. I thought I would show my appreciation toward her and our friendship by doing that. It's something I continue to do, put her name on my tape every game."
O'Neal responded by sending Lagow an inspirational message. He later sent her a football signed by all his teammates. She tweeted her thanks: "Received the best gift today. Thank you@RichardLagow and the rest of @HoosierFootball team for making me feel so loved#nevergiveup #fcancer"
O'Neal's chest port was removed last February. She had hoped to make it to Bloomington last spring. It didn't work out. Now she wants to attend one of IU's final home games.
"It would be awesome to see her," Lagow says. "I haven't seen her in a long time -- at least a year or so, if not longer.
"It would make it that much more special to do it at home. It would be good to get her around the guys so they can say hello."
Until last Saturday, Lagow hadn't played since the Sept. 30 loss at Penn State. Then a second-half injury to Ramsey at Maryland forced him into action. He threw for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and nearly led the Hoosiers to a victory.
"Rich did some really good things," coach Tom Allen says.
Through it all, Lagow says, O'Neal has helped him persevere.
"Every day I still look at the picture of her in my locker. It puts me in a better mood. It gets my mind right to do what we have to do that day.
"You put the team above everything else. That's what matters the most. She helps me keep that in perspective."
In a text O'Neal told Lagow that, "It's awesome to see how you're responding to this. I'm not surprised. Keep doing what you're doing. God has a plan. Everything will work out."
Depending on Ramsey's health, Lagow could see significant action in the final four games as IU (3-5) strives for a strong finish to make a third straight bowl appearance. He continues to push and prepare.
"Things aren't going how I planned that they would," he says, "but I could have been one of the guys at Cisco who didn't sign (with a four-year college), and didn't go anywhere. Even though things aren't going perfect, I know if I stay the course and trust everything, it will all work out."
He didn't always have that approach.
"When I was at Oklahoma State, if I were in this situation, I wouldn't have handled it the same way because I was young and immature. Going through junior college forced me to mature. It made me appreciate everything."
The 6-6, 240-pound Lagow still has pro aspirations. After all, he did burn Ohio State for 410 passing yards and three touchdowns in the season opener, and has the school record with 496 yards. He's the only Hoosier to ever twice throw for more than 400 yards.
Lagow has thrown for 812 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions this season. He's thrown for more than 4,300 yards and 27 touchdowns in 19 games at Indiana. He'll get a chance to work out for NFL teams after the college season.
There could be a silver lining in losing the starting job. He hasn't moped or complained or stopped working hard or stopped trying to help Ramsey.
"How you handle adversity says a lot about yourself," Lagow says. "Of course, that's one thing that the next level can see that. What's bigger than that is my teammates seeing that. My coaches seeing that.
"I want what's best for the team. I'll do anything to help the team and be supportive. If in doing that the next level notices, 'Hey Rich has a great attitude and he's handling it the right way,' that's great.
"It's all about this team and inside this stadium and everyone involved."
Lagow understands that he remains a Big Ten athlete in a high-profile sport. That provides an opportunity to make a difference beyond athletics.
"One thing that is awesome is the platform a lot of us have to spread positivity and use it in the right way. Coach Allen uses it to spread his faith.
"There is a lot of stuff going on in the country right now, if you can apply a football team and the locker room to the outside world …
"In a locker room, there are no race or ethnicity issues. It's not about how you're raised or what your income is. None of that matters in the locker room. We're all equal. We all value each other, respect each other. In football, you get what you earn. You don't get treated unfairly for no reason. That's how it should be in the real world."
And if Lagow ever forgets, all he has to do is look at the photo in his locker.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Photos can't speak, and yet they do. This one certainly does, the one in Richard Lagow's locker, the one that lets you know what life is really all about -- resilience amid challenge, hope over despair.
The photo is taped to the back wall of the Indiana fifth-year senior quarterback's locker. It shows the uncompromising face of beauty, stripped of pretension and illusion, raw because that's what truth often is. It is the face of the ultimate fighter staring down the ultimate fight -- bald head, black smeared under both eyes, raised fists covered by boxing gloves, a smile rather than a snarl because this fight can't be won by nastiness, but by faith.
Kara O'Neal sent Lagow her photo because that's what friends do when sharing what matters most.
Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Adversity stinks, but it so often reveals.
And so …
O'Neal's adversity comes in the form of acute myeloid leukemia, but let's just call it what it is -- cancer.
Lagow battles a less formidable foe. He has lost his starting job, but not his perspective.
"I see her every day," he says of O'Neal. "I have a picture of her in my locker. It keeps me motivated."
He pauses in an empty wide receivers room in Memorial Stadium. Practice has been over for nearly an hour. For the fourth straight week he has gotten backup reps, a blow for someone who had emerged as a team leader and potential Big Ten standout. But his inconsistency and redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey's dual-threat productivity altered his world.
"When things aren't going my way," he says, "when times are tough, you keep your life in perspective. No matter what the situation is, you could be battling cancer. There's always someone who has it worse.
"Her ability to stay positive and continue fighting is constant motivation for me."
O'Neal and Lagow have been friends since high school in Plano, Texas. He was the hot-shot quarterback. She was dating a receiver. They quickly developed a bond.
"It's very important to me," Lagow says of their friendship. "I think it's important to her, also. She texted me a couple of days ago. She was thinking about her journey and how much it's helped her, the relationship we have. I see it the same way. I really value our friendship. She can motivate me always, even if we haven't talked for a couple of days."
O'Neal has battled cancer since she was 16. First it was oral chemotherapy. Later it became surgery. A full head of hair was a temporary casualty.
Through it all, she hasn't quit.
"She and I are strong in our faith," Lagow says. "Having that bond has strengthened it."
Lagow and O'Neal have taken unique journeys. He went from Plano to Oklahoma State to Cisco Community College in Texas to IU in pursuit of football glory. O'Neal went from Plano to the University of Arkansas. Cancer forced her to return home in the fall of 2016 for treatment that included 28 days in a Dallas hospital for a bone marrow transplant. In a blog she wrote that it was "a little rougher than I thought rough could be." A portal was surgically implanted in her chest so doctors could pump blood transfusions, and more.
Right after that, Lagow had his own rough times in his debut as IU's starting quarterback. He threw five interceptions against Wake Forest and the Hoosiers went on a 1-3 tailspin.
IU bounced back to finish 6-6 and earn a Fosters Farms Bowl bid against No. 19 Utah in Santa Clara, Calif. O'Neal watched the Hoosiers lose a heart-breaker from a Dallas hospital bed. Lagow surprised her by writing her name on the towel that always hangs from his belt during games. He took a photo of it and sent it to her before the game.
"I was in the locker room before the game thinking the season was coming to the end," Lagow says. "We still had a game, of course. I was trying to process the whole season. Coming from junior college and getting through the whole season, now you're in the 49ers' stadium (Levi's Stadium) playing in a bowl game. I was just enjoying the moment.
"In doing so, I thought about her. I thought I would show my appreciation toward her and our friendship by doing that. It's something I continue to do, put her name on my tape every game."
O'Neal responded by sending Lagow an inspirational message. He later sent her a football signed by all his teammates. She tweeted her thanks: "Received the best gift today. Thank you
O'Neal's chest port was removed last February. She had hoped to make it to Bloomington last spring. It didn't work out. Now she wants to attend one of IU's final home games.
"It would be awesome to see her," Lagow says. "I haven't seen her in a long time -- at least a year or so, if not longer.
"It would make it that much more special to do it at home. It would be good to get her around the guys so they can say hello."
Until last Saturday, Lagow hadn't played since the Sept. 30 loss at Penn State. Then a second-half injury to Ramsey at Maryland forced him into action. He threw for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and nearly led the Hoosiers to a victory.
"Rich did some really good things," coach Tom Allen says.
Through it all, Lagow says, O'Neal has helped him persevere.
"Every day I still look at the picture of her in my locker. It puts me in a better mood. It gets my mind right to do what we have to do that day.
"You put the team above everything else. That's what matters the most. She helps me keep that in perspective."
In a text O'Neal told Lagow that, "It's awesome to see how you're responding to this. I'm not surprised. Keep doing what you're doing. God has a plan. Everything will work out."
Depending on Ramsey's health, Lagow could see significant action in the final four games as IU (3-5) strives for a strong finish to make a third straight bowl appearance. He continues to push and prepare.
"Things aren't going how I planned that they would," he says, "but I could have been one of the guys at Cisco who didn't sign (with a four-year college), and didn't go anywhere. Even though things aren't going perfect, I know if I stay the course and trust everything, it will all work out."
He didn't always have that approach.
"When I was at Oklahoma State, if I were in this situation, I wouldn't have handled it the same way because I was young and immature. Going through junior college forced me to mature. It made me appreciate everything."
The 6-6, 240-pound Lagow still has pro aspirations. After all, he did burn Ohio State for 410 passing yards and three touchdowns in the season opener, and has the school record with 496 yards. He's the only Hoosier to ever twice throw for more than 400 yards.
Lagow has thrown for 812 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions this season. He's thrown for more than 4,300 yards and 27 touchdowns in 19 games at Indiana. He'll get a chance to work out for NFL teams after the college season.
There could be a silver lining in losing the starting job. He hasn't moped or complained or stopped working hard or stopped trying to help Ramsey.
"How you handle adversity says a lot about yourself," Lagow says. "Of course, that's one thing that the next level can see that. What's bigger than that is my teammates seeing that. My coaches seeing that.
"I want what's best for the team. I'll do anything to help the team and be supportive. If in doing that the next level notices, 'Hey Rich has a great attitude and he's handling it the right way,' that's great.
"It's all about this team and inside this stadium and everyone involved."
Lagow understands that he remains a Big Ten athlete in a high-profile sport. That provides an opportunity to make a difference beyond athletics.
"One thing that is awesome is the platform a lot of us have to spread positivity and use it in the right way. Coach Allen uses it to spread his faith.
"There is a lot of stuff going on in the country right now, if you can apply a football team and the locker room to the outside world …
"In a locker room, there are no race or ethnicity issues. It's not about how you're raised or what your income is. None of that matters in the locker room. We're all equal. We all value each other, respect each other. In football, you get what you earn. You don't get treated unfairly for no reason. That's how it should be in the real world."
And if Lagow ever forgets, all he has to do is look at the photo in his locker.
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