Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck and Gophers holder Casey O’Brien shared an emotional moment during Saturday’s win over Rutgers.

It came after O’Brien was inserted into the game to serve as the holder for an extra-point attempt. O’Brien’s hold was flawless as the kick sailed through the uprights, sending his teammates and the Minnesota bench into a frenzy.

Why the jubilation? Because O’Brien finally made it to the football field with the Gophers as a four-time cancer survivor. It has been a remarkable journey for the young player, and it was a fantastic debut.

Here was the moment between Fleck and O’Brien:

After the game, Fleck was asked about the moment. He said that O’Brien is really an example of courage for the Gophers. Now that he has played Big Ten football, no one can ever take that away from him:

“When you think courage, you think Casey O’Brien. When you think Row the Boat, you think our program, you think the University of Minnesota, and our state of Minnesota, you think Casey O’Brien,” said Fleck. “No one can ever take away that he played college football, in the Big Ten.”

Fleck was asked about the specific words shared between himself and O’Brien, but he declined to comment:

“Hard to share words, it was pretty emotional. I’ll keep those between him and I,” explained Fleck.

Here’s the entire interview: