Frankie was a highly-recruited linebacker out of Miami who eventually chose USC and was projected to see major playing time as a true freshman with so many seniors graduating. This was the dream scenario for Frankie until a heart murmur was detected at football camp. More tests were run and it was determined Telfort had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that results in an enlarged heart and makes prolonged exertion potentially fatal. Telfort has a rare form of the condition that was severe enough to sideline him for good.
The risk of playing was too high. Frankie would never be cleared by doctors, plus the probability of sudden death was extremely high. Instead of walking away completely and possibly leaving USC , Frankie stuck with football in a different capacity. He became a student-coach.
Frankie spent four years on the sidelines at USC, learning the intricacies of coaching and helping some of his former teammates on the field. The biggest lesson he learned was don’t plan for your future, have options.
