CINCINNATI, Ohio — When Chase Bitowf played football at Daphne High he dreamed of finishing his prep career with a state championship ring.

But a stinging 56-14 loss to Hoover in the 6A state championship game his senior year in December 2005 left him with a bitter taste in the linebacker’s mouth. It also left a desire to end his football playing days on a sweeter note.

“I just wanted to keep playing,” he said. “I just love the game so much, I had to find a way, a team that would give me a chance.”

Like most kids, Bitowf grew up dreaming of playing at the next level — and the next — and the next.

But after his senior year, the NFL never called. Neither did any big college programs. But after walking on at the University of West Alabama in Livingston, he impressed the Tiger coaching staff right away and made the team. With his help, UWA made it to the second round of the Division II Football playoffs in 2009. Then after giving his all for the team and the game and the dream, the game took something back. A career-ending injury before his senior year left him walking off the field he had courageously walked on.

“It was hard to give it up,” he said. “But the doctors said, ‘That’s it, cracked sternum. You’re done.’ But that’s when now head coach (Will) Hall came to the rescue.

“Coach Hall offered me the video coordinator position and a graduate school scholarship for the 2010 season and then permanently when he became the head coach. I could always talk to him and when I got hurt, he was still the offensive coordinator and at that time he knew he was going to be the head coach and he wanted me to know that he wanted me to be his video coordinator. For him to have that confidence in me and to want me on his staff and work with me meant a lot to me.”

Bitowf graduated in May with a degree in Sports Management and a 3.2 GPA. While at UWA he also made the Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll. He spent most of the early summer as a full-time staffer gearing up for the Tiger’s 2011 pre-season practice and later for the season opener against the University of South Alabama.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the coliseum — the NFL called. Specifically, the Cincinnati Bengals. He reported to training camp July 22 as an assistant to the special teams (kicking and punting) coach (Darrin Simmons) and the team video department.

“Honestly, it still does not seem real sometimes,” he said by phone during a break. “The places I’m going and the people I'm working with. I knew my playing time was over, but I had always hoped to do something professionally with football either coaching or in some other area. I was looking forward to this season at UWA, but then this came up and I applied not thinking I would really get it, but I did. And coach Hall was great. He told me I had to take it. It was just too great an opportunity.”

Bitowf said his day typically starts at 7 a.m. setting up the special teams meeting room video presentation and then other special meetings for coaches and players and that can go until midnight or later.

“I’m responsible for breaking down film, making sure he (coach Simmons) has everything he needs and then filming the workouts. We are basically a team within the team that works to produce all the video the coaches and players need to get better. And the kicking teams really rely on good footage and being able to review it quickly. Having that feedback is a really good tool. And that's a good part of what we do. When the season starts I’m sure things will change some.”

He added that with the state-of-the-art equipment the Bengals are using, the feedback from camera to a coach’s or a player’s iPad or laptop is virtually direct in real time.

“It’s almost all digital, if not we can convert it to digital. It's really good for capturing the kickers going through their motion. We put it on the (team's closed) network and they can look at it then or save it then or they can access it anytime they want. It’s pretty hi-tech.”

Bitowf and his “team within the team” now have four preseason games under their belt and are getting ready for their regular season opener on the road at the home of that other Ohio team that Paul Brown founded before he helped get the Bengals started in the late 60’s as part of the American Football League. Brown founded and coached the Cleveland Browns from 1946-62.

“It's a huge rivalry up here," he said. “It’s an exciting way to kick off the season for sure. Paul Brown is a big deal up here. The history is really interesting. I mean I loved football before, but now, this job gives a whole new dimension to it.”

He added that his parents Steve and Pam and his sister Shay influenced his approach to life.

“I learned my work ethic from them. We've always been a close knit family and supported each other. You just kind of learn a lot about life that way I think. My dad never missed a football game in my life but when he was stationed in New Orleans, he still missed only one game because of Katrina and he was very, very busy then.”

Bitowf believes that his love and respect for the game of football helped him get to the NFL, even if his football-playing talent didn’t.

“Good Lord is going to lead you where you need to be,” he said. “He may knock you down to get your attention, but I believe it’s how you get back up that matters, too. I think that’s one thing football teaches that I love. You always have to get back up and get ready for the next play. It might be the most important one.”