ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College football team is off to a 6-0 start and ranked 7th in the latest AFCA coaches poll. A big reason why is their top target, Will Gladney. He's an Owego Free Academy product who already has 11 touchdowns this season. 

Gladney's coach, Dan Swanstrom says he's one of the best players on the team, if not the best player. "He’s one of our hardest workers if not the hardest workers. If you have that, you have something special in your hands.” 

Gladney, a 6'3 senior has 33 receiving touchdowns in his career, shattering the IC record, which was 22. On the field, he's playing for a lot more than records and stats. "Everytime I step on the field and can make plays for them I do it to the best of my ability.” 

So.. who's them? 

They would be Gladney's adoptive parents. The folks that changed his life. You see, Gladney moved in and out of foster homes since he was a child. After having a tough time in Binghamton, he was placed in a home in Owego where he met coordinator Marc Brainard. Gladney says it didn't take long for Marc to make a big decision that would change the athlete's life.  “He asked me if I want to go back to Binghamton and I said no I want to move forward in my life and he said I can make that happen. Since then I’ve been his adopted son.” 

After being adopted, Gladney broke all types of records at OFA. He then got noticed from several schools, including Ithaca. His coach believes he's great for the program. “He’s a fantastic young man with a tremendous work ethic." 

With that type of work ethic, plus a need to aim higher, the sky's the limit for the Bomber, in big part to Marc and Jen Brainard and their son, Kingston.