The dreamer found a home in the hallways.

He was first, before the desks were assembled and the office key fit the lock, before the coaches lined family portraits on their windowsills.

The long shot closed his eyes and saw the historic opening kickoff, the ball falling out of the air. He pictured running downfield in those opening seconds at the Georgia Dome, making that first tackle.

The project was the first player to say yes to this team that has never played a game. He was certain he was ready.

The gamer was done with football. He crammed his belongings into his Crown Victoria and drove home to Georgia, to start a new life.

The scholar was at his cousin's graduation, listening to a speech. The coach was at the mic, his crown of gray hair swept perfectly to the side.

The brothers arrived, wild hair growing long down their backs. All the coaches knew about one of them is what they'd gleaned from video.

The transfer had won it all, as the backup quarterback for Alabama. At the BCS title game, confetti collecting on his shoulder pads, he realized that if he was ever to start, he had to start over.

For the past two years, our How to Build a Program in Two Short Years series has documented, online and in print, head coach Bill Curry's efforts to build the Georgia State football program from scratch. On Sept. 2, the Panthers will finally debut, against Shorter College. Curry will be commanding 108 players from the sideline.

This is how eight wound up at his side.

"Justin Heckert, ESPN The Magazine" wrote: