14 DAY TRIAL // This Saturday, the Rice University football team welcomed its shortest running back on the court. Jayson Carter is just 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall.
He has been practicing with the team for three seasons, and he has been allowed to play in the game against rivals at University of Texas at El Paso.
The 135-pound (61-kg) player is 21 years old and he suffers from a genetic disorder that impedes his growth. He is the smallest player in Football Bowl Subdivision.
However, his efforts in the training sessions have not gone unnoticed. He was allowed a 1-yard (0.9-meter) carry in the fourth quarter, the Houston Chronicle reported.
"That young man is here every day busting his tail on the scout team. He deserves it," Rice coach David Bailiff explains.