All American – Keep Ya Head Up

By starrymag | January 22, 2019

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) runs through Crenshaw as he processes everything that’s happened recently. He pauses at a swing set, where he remembers his younger self (Michael Wayne Williams) playing with a young Shawn (Christopher Farrar) and a young Coop (Kendall Joy Hall).

 

At practice, Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) criticizes the team for playing sloppily. He asks Jordan Baker (Michael Evans Behling) where his focus is and Jordan reminds him that he’s going to fail the drug test. Billy reminds him that he is still the quarterback until the results come in and tells him to run the offense.

 

Billy brings the players together as Spencer arrives and tells them that they need to play better if they want to go far in the playoffs. He tells them that their efforts thus far have earned him coach of the year from the LA Tribune, and he tells them he wouldn’t have won without them. He then announces that Spencer has been named player of the year and tells them that he’s proud of all of them.

 

Billy asks Spencer to stay behind and Spencer apologizes for missing practice. Though Billy understands that Spencer is going through a rough time, he tells Spencer that he needs him at practice. Spencer comments that it feels like everyone wants him to be somewhere right now. Billy tells him that there’s a ceremony for them to accept their awards, but Spencer is not looking forward to giving a speech. Billy tells him that he has to thank his friends, family, and coach in the speech, and tells him that he’ll be All-American if he keeps playing like he is.

 

Pastor Weeks (Daryl C. Brown) lists the names of people killed this year by gang violence, adding Shawn Scott’s (Jay Reeves) name at the end. He tells the church that Shawn should be sitting with Ruth Scott (Bernadette Speakes), but he is just another name in a growing list. He declares that he’s tired of reading names and asks who will be next.

 

Spencer finds Leila Keating (Greta Onieogou) waiting for him outside the church, and she asks how is everyone. Spencer expresses sympathy for Ruth, explaining that she’s lost two sons to gang violence a year apart. Leila admits she’s been waiting outside for an hour, not knowing if she should go inside but wanting to be there for Spencer. He asks why she was unsure, and she reminds him that they haven’t defined their relationship yet. Spencer kisses her as they confirm that they’re in a relationship.

 

Patience (Chelsea Tavares) warns Tamia ‘Coop’ Cooper (Bre-Z) that she doesn’t want her name to end up on Weeks’ list, but Coop expresses her desire for revenge for Shawn’s death. Patience urges her to walk away, but Coop argues that Spencer wouldn’t walk away if it was her. Coop walks away, and Grace James (Karimah Westbrook) confronts Spencer about his secret. Spencer thinks she’s talking about Leila, but Grace confirms she’s talking about his award.

 

Spencer downplays the accomplishment, but Grace tells him it’s a big deal. She’s excited that his dreams are starting to come true, but Spencer admits that it doesn’t feel right to celebrate. Grace tells him that he shouldn’t feel guilty, telling him he’s earned it. She tells him that Shawn chose a different path, but Spencer questions that as he remembers the younger Shawn being called away by Brandon Scott (Jefferson Reid) to help him. The younger Spencer asks what he needs him to do, and Shawn replies that it probably involves stealing something.

 

As Spencer walks into the kitchen, Billy realizes he’s forgotten about the day’s scrimmage. Spencer assures him he’ll be ready, and Billy tells him the LA Tribune is sending a reporter to interview him. After Spencer admits he doesn’t know what he would say, Billy urges him to not lose focus and emphasizes that he needs to work off the field as well. Spencer tells him that he needs to be a symbol of hope for his community, but Billy advises him not to let the community’s burden weigh him down.

 

Spencer gets a call from Patience, who tells him that Coop is acting like Shawn and asks him to talk to her. Olivia Baker (Samantha Logan) asks Jordan what happened to Asher Adams (Cody Christian) and Jordan tells her he doesn’t care as they are no longer friends. Jordan is still worried about the drug test and how it will affect his life. Olivia questions how the Malibu coach knew to order a drug test, implying that Ripley (Michelle Hayden) was involved.

 

Billy calls Spencer to ask where he is, and Spencer tells him he has something to take care of before hanging up. Gordon Bauer (Chris Conner) arrives to interview Spencer, and Billy tells him that he needs to reschedule. Billy tells him Spencer has a family emergency, but Bauer interprets that to mean that Spencer has a poor work ethic. Billy defends Spencer’s dedication, but Bauer refuses to listen.

 

As Tyrone Morris (Demetrius Shipp Jr.) plays videogames with his friends, Coop questions why they’re not working to avenge Shawn’s death. Tyrone promises they’ll take care of it, but they have to lay low for now. Coop protests, and Spencer arrives to talk to Coop. Outside, Spencer confronts Coop and Coop argues that she needs to have Shawn’s back like he had hers. Spencer reminds her that Shawn is dead and tells her he won’t let her follow the same path as Shawn.

 

A flashback shows Spencer and Shawn talking about Brandon’s death before he is called away by Tyrone. After Tyrone asks Spencer if he’ll join them, Shawn tells him that Spencer has better places to be. Spencer tells Shawn that he doesn’t have to do this, but Shawn leaves with Tyrone. In the present, Spencer tells Coop that they’re not built for this life.

 

Leila finds Asher playing pool and asks if this is his plan now. He laments his losing his chance to play football and asks what he’s supposed to do when Leila accuses him of having a pity party. She tells him to come back to class and that there’s always a way back.

 

Ripley visits Jordan and criticizes him for not answering his phone. Jordan apologizes, and tells her he’s worried about the drug test. She makes a comment that it would mean they can spend more time together, and he asks her if she was involved in having the test ordered. Ripley points out that the Malibu coach would have just reported him instead of the whole team if he knew, and storms out.

 

Coop talks to Ruth about taking Shawn’s possessions, and Tyrone offers Coop Shawn’s position in his gang. She turns it down, insisting her refusal is strength instead of weakness. Spencer returns home and Billy confronts him about missing the interview. Spencer explains he was helping a friend, and Billy asks when he’s going to help himself. Spencer counters that he has a responsibility to his community and accuses Billy of forgetting where he came from.

 

Spencer argues that he can’t trust him, telling him what the Malibu coach told him about his father being up for the same coaching job. Billy tells him that everything he’s doing is to protect him, but Spencer questions whether he’s trying to protect himself. Billy shows him Bauer’s twitter feed, where he accuses Spencer of being a diva. Spencer declares that he doesn’t care, but Billy tells him that he needs to put in the effort off the field as well if he wants to be an All-American and make it to the NFL.

 

Spencer shows Leila the twitter feed, and she advises him to go to the ceremony and prove Bauer wrong by being himself. He questions if he deserves the award and Leila reminds him that he won because of his talent. Billy asks Jordan and Olivia if he should open his speech with a joke, and they tell him he isn’t funny. Jordan asks about the drug test, and Billy tells him not to worry as the whole team passed. Billy tells him the drug must have passed through his system, and Jordan buys the explanation. After Jordan leaves, Olivia comments that marijuana is supposed to remain in the system for much longer, but Billy sticks to his story.

 

As Grace helps Spencer get ready for the ceremony, Spencer admits that he’s still struggling with why he got to leave Crenshaw, but people like Shawn didn’t. Grace tells him that Shawn made his choices, but Spencer counters that Shawn had no other choice. She tells him that people in Crenshaw have to work twice as hard, and that he should succeed for the rest of them.

 

Coop goes to talk to the gang member (Antoine Harris) who shot Shawn, but notices that he’s holding the bag Shawn gave to Tyrone when he bought his way out of the gang. She asks if Tyrone gave it to him and the gang member tells her to mind her own business. Coop realizes that Tyrone was responsible for Shawn’s death, but the gang member tells her to leave it alone instead of confirming it.

 

At the award ceremony, Billy opens his speech commenting that his kids vetoed his idea to lead the speech with a joke, earning laughs from the crowd. He thanks his family, the boosters and his team. He wraps up the speech by commenting on the team’s integrity and accountability and declaring that he’s proud to coach at Beverly. Coop arrives at Shawn’s funeral and sees Tyrone talking to Ruth.

 

The next award is presented to Spencer and he reads from a prepared speech thanking a list of names. However, he puts the list away and tells the crowd that it reminds him of a different list of names. He recites the list of people killed by gang violence in his community this year, explaining that they never got the same opportunity as him. Spencer declares that he’s working for them and that he’s going to give back to the community he came from.

 

Coop tells Tyrone that she wants Shawn’s position, but Tyrone tells her the opportunity has passed. Billy compliments Spencer’s speech and when he tries to apologize Billy says there is no need. Billy tells him that they’ll agree to disagree and tells him that he didn’t steal the coaching job from his father. Spencer asks why he’s telling him this and Billy tells him he wants to win back his trust.

 

Patience performs at Shaun’s funeral and Spencer arrives with Grace and Dillon James (Jalyn Hall). Tyrone goes to talk to Spencer and tells him Shawn was right about him making Crenshaw proud. Spencer asks when he said that, and Tyrone tells him that Shawn always said that, as he told everyone to leave him alone. Spencer reminds him that Shawn was always giving him a hard time, and Tyrone tells him that Shawn was the only person allowed to do that. Tyrone calls Shawn Spencer’s guardian angel, and Spencer cries after he walks away.

 

Asher brings Leila flowers, telling her that she pulled him out of a hole. He reminds her that she said there was always a way back, but she tells him she was talking about football. Asher tells her he loves her, but she tells him she’s with Spencer. He throws down the flowers and leaves. Olivia compliments Billy’s speech, commenting that she liked the part about integrity before questioning if he manipulated Jordan’s drug test. He denies it and she drops the subject.

 

Coop approaches Tyrone’s gang and tells him she wants in. Tyrone tells her that he can’t just let her in, and she tells him to do what he needs to do. He has two gang members approach her, and she fights them. Spencer flashes back to him and Shawn talking over Brandon’s grave and his failed attempt to convince Shawn not to seek revenge for his death. In the present, Spencer brings a flower to Shawn’s grave and tells him that he’ll see him around.