Spencer is learning the very hard lesson of success not coming easy.

Crenshaw's golden boy found the road back to football stardom to be a difficult one on All American Season 2 Episode 13.

First, he got to watch Coach Baker's Beverly High team becoming a finely tuned machine ... without him.

That's because, regardless of how hard he pushed himself, he hadn't yet been cleared to practice. 

So it was solitary time in the weight room for Spencer as he rehabbed the shoulder he injured when he saved Olivia from the drive-by shooting set up by Tyrone.

But a shoulder is a tricky muscle to heal 100 percent, even in someone as young and athletic as Spencer.

That was why Grace and Billy were trying to hold him back, protecting him from himself, so he didn't return too soon and totally screw up his future.

Billy knew what that's about, coming back too soon from a knee injury and cutting short his NFL career. 

Meanwhile, Spencer saw his football marketability slipping away, so he lied to Billy about the tingling in his arm during the football test, just so he could play in a scrimmage with a college scout in the stands.

Seeing him writhing in pain on the sideline after that missed catch certainly did nothing to help his stock rise.

After letting down both Billy and the team, Spencer had to eat some humble pie, apologizing to everyone. Fortunately, they had his back, because having him back at full strength only makes the Eagles better, as well.

As Billy suggested, he just may not be playing wide receiver. He's played defensive back before, and that position wouldn't be as impactful on him.

At least Spencer and everyone else connected to Coop don't have to worry about Tyrone anymore.

With so many people gunning for him, how did Tyrone last this long?

Granted, he had his own crew, one that could reach Preach in prison.

But there had to be an equal number that wanted him dead. And now that he's gone, his lieutenants are more likely to fill the vacuum his death caused than to seek revenge against whoever killed him.

Coop can't catch a break, although admittedly many of her problems are self-inflicted.

The whole idea of becoming a gangbanger was a bad one. It made sense to her at the time but not to anyone else. And she's been trying to get out from under it ever since.

Her career as a rapper was going the right direction as she and Layla collaborated in what was essentially therapy for both of them.

And that recording was getting airtime. Even J.P. praised it, and he's had little good to say about Coop's music.

Only J.P.'s pep talk to Coop had the effect of sending her out of safety to go rescue Patience and grab her old gang piece.

Coop had managed to keep Spencer in the dark about Tyrone's return, with Darnell showing up at practice to keep an eye on him at Coop's behest.

But when Coop disappeared, an anxious Layla called Spencer so he could track her down, and he wasn't happy about it.

Coop fooled both Patience and Spencer to keep them safe, then went out looking for Tyrone.

There's no way that Coop killed Tyrone. Instead, it was that thug that Preach was talking to at the prison.

Coop likely won't spend even half of the next episode in jail, especially with the newly elected district attorney in her corner.

But it was a good idea for Patience to dump Coop's gun in the river, just in case. It's hard to make a charge stick with no weapon, when so many wanted Tyrone dead.

The bigger question is whether Coop learned a damn thing. Based on experience, probably not. She keeps taking one step forward, two steps back.

If only she were as wise in making her own decisions as she is when advising others.

Speaking of the new D.A., Laura was great when she took down that misogynistic jerk against whom she was running while decimating the sexist drivel he was spewing.

And wasn't it amusing that his marital stats matched those of the current occupant of the White House? If a man isn't dinged for that kind of behavior, why should a woman be chastised for a simple separation?

Maybe smart, young women such as Olivia won't have to steer clear of politics in the future.

Olivia was intelligent enough to know when she needed to reach out to Billy.

She gave Asher every opportunity to get his shit together. Now she has to find him help, whether he wants it or not, before his inevitable crash. He was lucky he didn't black out after the game.

Jordan also continued his resurrection from being the total dick he was earlier in the season.

He was selfless when he offered to go with Simone when she broke the news she was pregnant to her uptight parents.

Then, when they gave her an ultimatum about putting the baby up for adoption, Jordan gave her a choice: to move in with his family. He probably should have run that by his parents first, however.

Good thing the election was over at that point.

To revisit Spencer's football journey, watch All American online.

Will Spencer make it back?

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Did Olivia do the right thing?

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Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.