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Tennessee football walk-on player Alex Ellis doesn’t have the luxury of coasting through classes and not putting academics as one of the top priorities like other athletes on the team. Ellis is not a scholarship player, and so isn’t getting his education paid for by the University. That all changed over the weekend.

Tennessee coach Butch Jones was handing out gifts to his entire team, but had a special gift for Ellis. Jones presented Ellis with a piece of paper stating that his entire education would be paid for. That’s what happens you work hard every day, and push through the obstacles.

Watch Butch Jones make the heartfelt presentation yourself: