All American Season 8 Episode 3 Highlighted the Legacy of Football and Dreams

Critic’s Rating: 4.2 / 5.0

4.2

All American has always featured the importance of fighting for your dreams, and its final season is no exception.

All American Season 8 will take place over the course of one week, with each episode showcasing one or more characters’ personal journeys.

All American Season 8 Episode 3 featured three different arcs, with the main one focusing on Jordan being offered the head coach job at Beverly and how that would affect Cassius’s plans to reunite his family.

(Jessica Brooks/The CW )

The teens were also front and center, especially as clues were dropped about why Amina was expelled from Dinsburg. 

While KJ melted down in the All American Season 8 premiere, tonight it was Khalil’s turn to think that nothing was fair.

Let’s dive into how our favorite characters fought for their legacies and dreams, and whether I think they’ll conquer them by the end of the series.

All American Season 8 Episode 3 Explored Freedom of Speech and Legacy

Amina reminds me of a younger Olivia because she’s the kind of person who would use a school paper for justice.

She wouldn’t back down from that if she believed she helped someone or a cause. It sounds like KJ knew what she did, but no one else did before she arrived back in Crenshaw.

(The CW/Screenshot)

KJ got more than he bargained for when he pretended to be Preach on a phone call with Dimsburg.

It’s challenging to be Amina. She wanted to make her father proud, and there’s only so long she can keep this from him.

Between the lies and paying him back for her tuition, Amina has been in over her head on All American Season 8.

Every time she tried to confess, he piled on the praise. He’s understandably proud, but that pedestal just makes the jump farther to fall from.

Amina was the first in her family to attend a prestigious boarding school, improving her chances of getting into a top journalism school. Those dreams may have disappeared unless they can prove her innocence.

(Jessica Brooks/The CW )

Thankfully, KJ was the voice of reason. Amina has so many people who would support her if she let them.

That only makes me more curious about what she wrote that got her kicked out of school.

Amina’s Issues Caused Khalil to Doubt Himself Even More

Amina meant well, but her questioning Khalil about Stanford only worsened things. He and Amina have such an intense relationship, and they both seemed to take things way too personally.

Khalil made Amina’s issues about himself, but she did the same thing when he didn’t tell her about Stanford’s rejection letter.

(Jessica Brooks/The CW )

That should be a red flag and a huge clue as to why Amina runs to KJ first rather than to him.

I’m unsure that the guidance counselor and Miranda were wrong. It’s sometimes better to have realistic goals, and it’s nearly impossible to increase your SAT scores that much.

It didn’t mean that no one believed in Khalil.

I like the kid, but he needed a dose of reality to get through this showcase. Jordan and Layla have given him a lot, so he needs to believe in himself now.

Hopefully, he’ll prepare even more and get accepted into one of his preferred schools, but I question whether we’ll see all of that in one week.

(The CW/Screenshot)

Billy’s Legacy Lived On – And It Was The Best Part of the Episode

It’s no secret that I adored Billy Baker. I was devastated when he died. I applaud All American for including him in Jordan’s journey and decision process.

Football was a pivotal part of Jordan’s relationship with his father, but it wasn’t the only part. It was the way they bonded most, though, and for years Jordan dreamed of making Billy proud and of playing football.

Being the head coach at Beverly was Jordan’s legacy. He played there, and his dad coached there for years. But his dad also made a massive difference in the Crenshaw players’ lives, just as Jordan has.

I loved that Jordan actually talked to a Billy cutout. It may seem odd, but sometimes just being close to a dead parent helps to clear your mind.

(The CW/Screenshot)

I suspect if the offer were made in good faith, Jordan wouldn’t hesitate. But as Preach reminded Jordan, it took months for Jordan and Cassius to forge a bond. Is the coaching job worth it?

I know All American revolves mainly about football, but I felt bad for the women in “Fight For Your Right.:

All Layla has wanted was some quiet romance since she returned, but she’s only gotten a few crumbs.

Having Jordan join her on the European tour, with a stop at a Scottish castle, sounded like a breathtaking, romantic getaway they needed to rejuvenate themselves.

(The CW/Screenshot)

While Jordan and Layla seem better in sync, he’s still preoccupied with work, and even more so with the new job offer.

If he accepts the offer, he’d be coaching and in preseason all summer with no time to relax.

Layla also seemed worried and envious that Cassius was planning to reunite his family. She knew how much he needed the Beverly coaching job.

However, she also seemed envious of the romantic spontaneity.

Needless to say, that went down the drain, and Cassius may have destroyed things again because he was too preoccupied with worrying about his coaching future.

(Jessica Brooks/The CW )

Over to you, All American Fanatics. Who will end up with the Beverly coaching job, and can Jordan and Cassius’s relationship survive? What’s Amina hiding, and how will Preach react?

Let us know in the comments.

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• Jordan considered a new coaching offer on All American Season 8 Episode 3 and we learned why Amina came home. Our review.

• The Vampire Lestat continues with powerhouse characters and Ride or Die impresses with vulnerability. Our Characters of the Week.

• All American’s Michael Evans Behling talks Jordan Baker’s journey, his favorite Jordayla arc, and teases the final season. Check it out!

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