Where to start?

How about on the sideline Friday night at James “Shadetree” Mathews Stadium in Franklin? Coach Doug Preston watched Saul Brady gallop down the sideline on a kick return and thought about anything but football.

Or should this rewind to July on the day Brady found out he was one football practice away from possibly falling dead of a heart attack?

None of the physical or emotional hurdles the past five months have held Brady back from having another stellar season out of the Franklin-Simpson backfield. He’s rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the third straight year and had a memorable 84-yard kickoff return that set up the Wildcats’ go-ahead score in the 4A state semifinals last week against Collins.

“Saul broke down on the sideline there at the end and I was just thinking, ‘I bet his granddaddy is cheering right now watching him,’ ” Preston said. “That’s really what I was thinking. Of course, I’m sure he thought that too after the game at some point.”

Brady’s grandfather, Robert Earl “Mickey” Brady, passed away on Thanksgiving. Pa – as Saul calls him – lost his sight a decade ago and never watched Brady play in high school, but told his grandson one day he’ll play football at the University of Kentucky’s football field.

Pa was right.

Brady and his teammates are back in the state championship game for a rematch against Johnson Central. The game is at UK’s Kroger Field, and Brady will suit up in blue and white for Franklin-Simpson and play his last high school football game at UK’s field, just as Pa had said.

“Ever since I was growing up and started playing football, my grandfather told me one day I would be playing on Kentucky’s football field,” Brady said. “I always thought it meant on scholarship on a Kentucky team. I’ll take a state championship game in high school on Kentucky’s field. It’s pretty much as close as I’m going to get.”

Robert Brady was part of The Committee of 101 – volunteer ushers who wear the signature blue blazers at UK sporting events – and attended every Big Blue Madness until his health worsened in 2012, which is why playing on Kroger Field on Saturday means a little more for the Brady family.

Robert passed away at the Franklin-Simpson Nursing and Rehab Facility at 7:32 p.m. Thursday. He was 73. Less than 24 hours later, Brady suited up for Franklin-Simpson and ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, and had an interception and seven tackles to go with his critical kickoff return.

Preston recalled a conversation with Saul’s father Mike, who serves as the team chaplain, before Friday’s game. “Mike had said to me as we were talking before the game that (Robert Brady) hadn’t been able to visually see anything for 10 years. He hadn’t seen Saul play in 10 years, so Mike said he’s going to see him play tonight.”

When the game was final, Brady dropped to his knees and said, “That was for you, Pa.”

“It was unbelievable and I’ll never forget that night,” Brady said. “It’s been tough, but my family is getting through it. Losing your granddad is a pretty big deal, but love and support from teammates showing up at the funeral home and everything means a lot.”

Saul himself almost didn’t make it in July.

About a week before fall camp opened, Brady took a pre-workout supplement he thought was harmless. Turns out, two scoops of it equaled the caffeine intake of 16 cups of coffee. On a Thursday before a football camp at Rose-Hulman, Brady felt tingly, shaky and hyper.

A doctor’s visit in Franklin showed his resting heart rate between 140 and 150, then came the news from Dr. Debbie Drake-Davis at Vanderbilt Heart. Brady’s heart muscles expanded and he had an irregular heartbeat. Another physical practice would have killed him.

“Devastating,” Brady said. “They said if I had practiced that Friday I wouldn’t be here. I would’ve had a heart attack. … I almost left.”

Brady rested for a week before rejoining the team. He drinks about eight 32-ounce bottles of Powerade Zero every day – five in the morning and two or three after practice – and takes magnesium and multivitamin pills.

Brady is in the clear now, but will have to keep a close monitor on his heart rate for the rest of his life.

It hasn’t slowed him down a bit this season with 1,052 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, he has 41 tackles and three interceptions. For his career – the one Pa never got to see and the one that nearly finished prematurely – Brady has one more game to add to his 3,840 rushing yards total and 44 touchdowns.

It’ll reach a proper conclusion Saturday at Kroger Field.

“I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Brady said. “I’ve been dreaming of being back here in the state championship game again, so I’m glad everything is normal and healthy and I’m ready to go.”