Episode 3 of *Chad Powers* kicks off with Russ pounding the pavement, earbuds blasting the echoes of his Rose Bowl triumph from yesteryears. As he jogs along, his eyes catch sight of Ricky, also in mid-stride. Yet, there's no flicker of recognition in her gaze—after all, Russ is clad in his everyday attire, not his Chad Powers alter ego.
The scene shifts, and suddenly, Chad finds himself amidst the hustle and bustle of his inaugural game with his new squad. The coaches beckon him over, and Chad's heart races with anticipation. *This is it!* he thinks. *The moment I've been waiting for—I'm going to be the quarterback!*
But reality delivers a crushing blow. Gerry, one of his teammates, is desperate for a bathroom break but can't exactly dash off the field mid-play. Enter Chad, the unwilling hero tasked with holding a cup for Gerry to relieve himself discreetly while the rest of the team forms a human shield. Chad stands there, stunned, cup in hand, utterly clueless about what to do with the evidence of Gerry's predicament once the ordeal is over.
Yet, amidst the chaos, a glimmer of hope emerges. Ricky approaches Chad, instructing him to start warming up. She's had enough of Gerry's antics derailing the game, and she's got a play in mind that only Chad can execute.
As they stretch and loosen up together, Ricky opens up about her past. She was a track star, always chasing the thrill of competition. With unwavering determination, she trained relentlessly, racking up victories left and right. But then, disaster struck. An injury crippled her legs and shattered her spirit. Since that fateful day, she's never been able to reclaim her former glory.
Just as Chad and Ricky begin to forge a connection, Coach Dobbs barges in, interrupting their moment. He lays into Ricky for taking the initiative to warm up Chad, but his tirade doesn't end there. In a humiliating display, he orders her to scour the sidelines for an empty Gatorade bottle—*just so he can spit in it*.
When Russ finds himself alone once more, Danny approaches him with a grave warning, declaring that he'll ruin everything. Danny can clearly see that Russ harbors intentions to flirt with Ricky, a move that could spell disaster for their meticulously laid plan. He insists that Russ should only use the girl as a means to secure his place in the matches.
Meanwhile, South Georgia is on the brink of defeat, trailing 13-3 with no signs of a comeback. Desperate to turn the tide, Russ attempts to engage Ricky in conversation again. Alas, her spirit has been utterly extinguished. No matter how persuasively Russ speaks, he fails to reignite her motivation.
Frustration mounts as Nishan loses his temper when Gerry mishandles an easy pass, accidentally toppling a gallon of water in the process. The deluge wreaks havoc on the coaches' headphones, prompting one of them to enlist Ricky's help in fetching new ones. Though seething with anger, Ricky cannot refuse the request.
Upon returning with the headphones, Ricky encounters Tricia, who is eager to speak with her father. Together, they approach him, and Ricky musters the courage to explain her strategy to her dad. However, he remains staunchly opposed.
Ricky tries her utmost to persuade him, and even Tricia lends her support. Yet, her father remains unyielding, exacerbating the situation by accusing her of defiance solely because he is her father.
Fed up with his stubbornness, Ricky boldly declares that they are destined to lose, and he is the only one blind to the impending defeat, much like what had transpired with his wife. This proclamation leads to her being banished from the field by her father.
Tricia attempts to reason with him, but he is equally unreceptive to her pleas. However, Tricia asserts her authority, indicating that she has the power to effect change, and gestures towards the crowd, where cries to fire the coach are growing louder.
Chad rushes after Ricky to offer solace, but she is unaware that he can empathize with her pain. Believing him to be oblivious to the agony of defeat and failure, she lashes out at him in anger.
As the game resumes, Gerry inadvertently runs too close to Danny, who swiftly kicks out his foot, causing Gerry to stumble and injure himself. With no other options, the team is forced to insert Chad into the game.
All eyes fixate on Chad, everyone hoping and praying that he will be the catalyst for a miraculous turnaround. His initial pass falters, heightening the tension, but Chad refuses to surrender.
He adheres to a play called by Coach Byrd and manages to score a touchdown. Chad only releases the ball when he confirms the points have been tallied, then erupts in celebration, determined not to repeat the mistakes of his past.
The coaches hand him a play that bears a striking resemblance to a previous one, and the outcome of the game now teeters precariously on this single decision, for they still trail by three points. With a swift change of heart, he alters the play mid - stream. He instructs the team to execute the strategy Ricky had concocted earlier, a move that immediately draws Hudson's fierce displeasure.
Yet, Ricky's vision proves to be nothing short of prescient. With this new play, they storm ahead and claim victory in the game. Ricky, initially overcome with elation, begins to celebrate solo, her eyes glued to the game unfolding on a screen. But just as the euphoria starts to bubble over, she comes to an abrupt halt. A wave of sadness washes over her as she realizes she's the sole spectator of her own triumph, surrounded by an empty space.
However, Chad, who's well aware that the winning idea originated from Ricky, makes a conscious choice. Instead of basking in the post - game glow with the rest of the team, he veers off course and heads straight to where Ricky is. With a warm smile, he tells her that this is where he wants to celebrate, a simple yet profound statement that instantly lifts Ricky's spirits, filling her heart with joy.
