Justin Hannah got his first win as head football coach of the Murphy Panthers on Thursday night at Robertsdale, but that wasn’t the most important thing about the game.

Late in the fourth quarter – with the outcome of an eventual 39-27 Murphy win already decided – Hannah inserted Dominic Loftin into game.

The sophomore has physical limitations other student-athletes don’t have, but he hasn’t let that stop him from pursuing his dream.

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“I met him the first day of school and he told me how he wanted to play football,” Hannah said. “He asked if we were going to be good. I told him I was here to change the culture and win football games. He said he wanted to play.

“He told me then, ‘I can score a touchdown, I can do this or that.’ I took him at his word. He challenged me to be his coach. I was honored to do that, and I wanted to grant him an opportunity to do something special since he can’t perform at the level other children can.”

It’s been a tough ride for Hannah in his first year as a high school head coach.

The Panthers, a longtime football power in the heart of Mobile, entered Thursday’s game 0-6 against rugged Class 6A, Region 1 competition. Still, Hannah didn’t lose sight of Loftin’s dream.

“Here at Murphy, every Panther deserves an opportunity,” he said. “It’s my job as a coach, not only to lead these young men on the field but help them overcome obstacles in their lives as well and prepare them to do that down the road. Last night, Dominic was able to do just that.”

Regardless of the outcome of Thursday’s game, Hannah had a plan to get Dominic on the field one way or the other. He spoke with Robertsdale coach Kyle Stanford about his idea before kickoff.

“Coach Kyle was very supportive of our vision and he and his staff and team were very gracious,” Hannah said. “It was a tough game, and I didn’t assume we were going to be in position to win it late, but I knew I wanted to get Dominic in even if it had been a loss.”

Had Murphy been on defense late with the outcome decided, Hannah planned to put Dominic in at a cornerback spot with Robertsdale running to the opposite side. Since that wasn’t the case, Loftin went in at a wide receiver spot.

Quincy Grant took a handoff up the middle, drifted to the left side of the field and handed the ball to Loftin. With his Murphy team escorting him and coaches and fans cheering him on, Dominic rumbled into the end zone.

“He was so excited,” Hannah said. “His parents were thankful and excited as well.”

After Dominic’s score, the ball was brought back to the original line of scrimmage for the next Murphy play. No matter. Loftin had lived his dream.

“Dominic has such a pure heart,” Hannah said. “In this game and in life, people have limitations. Dominic has the heart of a champion, and he has affected his teammates with his heart and his will to win.

“There have been times in the lockerroom this year where he would cheer on the guys, saying, ‘Come on, we can do it.’ Now, his spirit can move our community and our school as it has our team and staff. It’s an honor to be his coach. He deserved this moment.”

For Hannah, Loftin’s touchdown was another step in his mission to bring Murphy football back to the lofty standards it once held.

“My vision here is to build a culture and changing a culture doesn’t always start with wins and losses,” he said. “You have to cultivate the land and the players you coach. Plenty of coaches have come to Murphy and won games, but not a lot have come and put an imprint on the school and changed the culture.

“Coach Terry Curtis and coach (Larry) Henderson are examples of how this program should be run, and I would like to follow in their footsteps. Those guys are legends. My mission is to implement character, integrity and discipline. My belief is those components will not only bring wins but build champions.”

Murphy is idle next week before traveling to Baldwin County on Oct. 20.