It is a story head coach Jay Mills indeed will share with his grandchildren one day.

Last week Friday, on the eve of Charleston Southern’s game against Mars Hill, Mills received a call from his pregnant daughter.

"Her water broke," Mills said. "We talked all through the night and morning. She lives up in New York. I kidded her that she had to have the baby before 12:30 (p.m.) because that’s when I go off to pre-game warm-ups."

Mills then told his players that the game came first, his impending grandfatherhood second. But Mills hedged his vow. His wife held his cell phone.

"She always said she was the perfect coach’s daughter," Mills said, "and, sure enough, (between) the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter, one of my coaches said: ‘I think you just became a grandfather.’ I was already tuned into the game. He said, ‘Your wife is trying to find you.’ I looked around, and I saw my wife waving down the sideline."

Surrounded by players and coaches, Mills was handed a cell phone.

"I said, ‘Congratulations. Is everybody doing OK?’" Mills recalled. "I told her I would call her after the game. And then I called the next play, all in one breath. It was a unique story."

On the second-and-2 play to open the fourth quarter, B.J. Hackworth rushed 8 yards for a first down.

"We actually scored on that drive," Mills said.

After the game — a 28-14 victory — Mills was awarded the game ball.

"It was pretty cool," he said. "My daughter did all of the work, and I got the game ball."

The downside? Mills’ daughter and son-in-law had to cancel plans to attend tomorrow’s game between Charleston Southern and Hawaii at Aloha Stadium.

"The very first thing they sacrificed was the trip to Hawaii," Mills said.

The Buccaneers had been preparing for this game since the contract was signed in 2007. The game has been used as a recruiting tool for this Division I-AA school.

Mills said the trip also is part of the program’s mission of spreading their faith. Charleston Southern is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

During the postgame handshakes, the Buccaneers hand opposing players the four tract, which outlines their points of Christian belief. They recite the Lord’s Prayer after games.

"That’s one of the reasons we play games like this," Mills said. "Our vision for the university is to be nationally recognized for integrating faith with learning, leading and serving."

Mills said the Buccaneers’ itinerary includes a luau, a visit to Pearl Harbor, and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.

"A lot of our players don’t have the economic background to visit Hawaii," Mills said. "We owe it to give them the best experience as possible. We want them to compete and to learn."