KENNESAW, Ga--The talk of the season has been Kennesaw State’s wide receiver Justin Sumpter’s one-hand touchdown catch against Liberty University that was featured as the No.1 play on SportsCenter on ESPN. The word quickly got out, and instantly put Kennesaw State on the college football map.

Sumpter was unaware that his catch was featured on ESPN until he received multiple texts from his friends and family members, informing him that he made it on their broadcast.

“It was surprising to see my catch on SportsCenter as the #1 play,” says Sumpter. “When you watch ESPN, you always see a lot of spectacular catches on there, but you never think the one you make is going to be one that makes it.”

What we didn’t know about Justin Sumpter is that he has a certain pregame ritual that he follows before he steps onto the field to make those big plays.

“I wear different Dragon Ball Z shirts under my uniform and draw the symbol on my face every game, and I’ll watch a different episode before the game,” says Sumpter.

Before Sumpter stepped on the field versus Liberty, he watched “Dragon Ball Z Movie 8: The Legendary Super Saiyan”.

For anyone who does not know, Dragon Ball Z is an anime cartoon show that follows the adventures of the main character, Goku. Goku is a powerful superhero who defeats evil along with his Z Warriors.

Dragon Ball Z is one of Sumpter’s favorite television shows that gets him hyped and focused to take on Kennesaw State’s opponents. He explained that this show brings out his “inner Goku”. Sumpter believes that if Goku always gives 100 percent in everything he does and has a pure heart while doing it, then that’s how he should be on the field each possession.

Fellow wide receiver Xavier Harper, who came in with Sumpter as KSU’s only two wide receivers in the 2014 inaugural class, has always known Sumpter’s quirky love for this anime cartoon.

“Since I’ve known Sump, Dragon Ball Z is all he talks about,” said Harper. “I think the t-shirts and hours spent watching the show helps his game. It gives him more confidence and builds his alter ego that helps him turn it on every saturday.”

If that’s what it takes to execute these breathtaking plays, then Kennesaw State head coach Brian Bohannon could buy him a Dragon Ball Z shirt for each game to bring in a ring for the Owls. This season alone, Sumpter has brought in a lot of success and exposure to Kennesaw State

“I’ve noticed it in pregame, but that’s all I know about it,” said head coach Bohannon. “If that’s something that helps Sumpter get ready for the game and perform his best that that’s fine with me!”

Unexpectedly, Sumpter was almost not the super saiyan he is on the gridiron today.

At six-years-old, Justin Sumpter picked up a football out a curiosity and did not let the opinion of others force him to put it down. His mother was opposed to letting him play football because of how dangerous the sport was, so she always encouraged him to stick with basketball. Sumpter’s love for the game of football argued for itself.

His grandfather, Roosevelt Sumpter, who owned a recreational football program in Ohio, was always in Sumpter’s corner trying to help him persuade his mother to let him play. After multiple attempts of begging his mother, Justin Sumpter’s father, Roosevelt Sumpter, chimed in to help convince his wife to let their son play football. Shelia saw how much her son loved the game, so she finally granted permission for him to play. Since then, his football career has taken off.

“I always feared Justin playing football, because he might run into the risk of suffering from a concussion,” said Sumpter’s mom. “But now I’m at every game cheering him on, and I’m so proud of him.”

Thanks to his mom’s permission, Justin Sumpter is now an impact collegiate athlete and a vital piece to the puzzle of why the Owls are having a successful season pushing towards a 10-game winning streak in the final championship game.

Last season, Justin Sumpter feared if he would come back the same player he was after spraining his ankle, but he ended up taking over the Big South Conference ranking first in receiving touchdowns and second in receiving yards.

This season, Sumpter is looking to conquer and exceed his own goals. If Sumpter continues to watch Dragon Ball Z and exert his efforts as a super saiyan on the field, Kennesaw State will dominate in the playoffs and possibly the NFL Draft will likely have his name on it one day.

“You always see Goku putting all his efforts into what he loves,” said Sumpter “That’s what I do. [Goku] sacrifices for his friends, so I go all out for my teammates.”