U-Md. Grad Keeps Gridiron Dreams Alive

Dusk was approaching, and there seemed to be close to 50 costumed children on the street. A cooler was filled with beer, pizza was delivered and moms and dads gathered in the driveway of Emilio and Stacey Soler -- Lashley's sister -- to eat, watch their kids and wait for the trick-or-treating to begin.

Novak had a difficult decision to make about where to spend Halloween. The children in Gaithersburg wanted him there. His Ashburn cousin, Mary Krieger, and her husband, Billy, wanted him in their neighborhood, too. Novak was torn but decided to go to Gaithersburg, much to the delight of parents and kids alike.

"He is such a great guy," said Jill Balow, Ryan's mom. "Ryan has just idolized him since he met him. This year, he has just begun watching football, but now that he knows Nick, he just loves every Sunday. He was upset last week because there was a bye."

Novak is one of three sons. He spent his early life in San Diego and moved to Charlottesville when he was in seventh grade. His parents now teach at Purdue University. His twin brother, Chris, is in graduate school at Purdue, studying hotel and tourism management, and their older brother, Andrew, is a prosecutor in Dallas.

Novak majored in kinesiology at Maryland and hopes to get a graduate degree and open a physical rehabilitation business after he finishes what he hopes will be a long career in the NFL. Last week, the Redskins held a seminar on life after football, and Novak made sure he was there.

He knows how fragile an NFL career can be. He played five games for the Redskins last season and was released after the team's regular kicker, John Hall, recovered from an injury. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals in December after the team's kicker got hurt and went to training camp with the team this year but was cut because the regular kicker's injury had healed. Last season, he had preseason tryouts with the Bears and Cowboys but didn't make either team.

"There is a very short leash for kickers in the league," he said, a little more than a week after missing two field goals in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. "That's the way it is. It helps having friends and family around because of the pressure of this job. I mean, last week not having such a good game, I am really excited to get back this weekend and do better. I know I can do better that that. Being a young guy, I know I have to go out and have a good game."

One of the fathers pulled a wagon that held bags of candy that were quickly getting to the overflow stage. Novak walked behind. He reached down and snagged a bag of M&M's. Another father walked next to him and asked about the Redskins quarterbacks.

The street was full of kids. There were so many children in costumes that it looked like a set for a Halloween movie. Two boys from the other side of the neighborhood walked down the front steps of a house with their loot. Both wore Redskins jerseys. "We got a real Redskin right here," one father called out to the boys as they ran past.

They kept running, though, not recognizing Novak. Novak popped an M&M into his mouth and walked slowly alongside the wagon filled with candy.

Another group of kids came from the opposite direction. Two more boys wearing Redskins jerseys and pretending to be NFL players passed by Novak, who was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt, trying to hold on to a Redskins jersey of his own in the real world.