on aecent saturday, kendrick holmes is up before dawn.ot going over the game plan, but preparing for war. at are you worried about? >> iorry more about my family here than my personal safety or how i'm going to be. i'm going off to do a great mission, serve with people who have a lot of pride and professionalism in what they do. >> little push off there. that good. >> reporter: what will you miss most? one year. >> just his companionship. just having him cle. >> reporter: kendrick holmes will deplay oy at the end of th football season, just before the holidays. just a few miles by water from 9/11's ground zero, kendrick holmes built maritime football from a nonexistent program into a championship contender. >> nice job. >> reporter: the foundation for the team's success rests squarely on the shoulders of his players. their jerseys emphasize principles over personality. >> you have to count on the guy next to you when everything is eier going good or bad. you have to count on them. >> every day when you look at coach, the values are displa

kendrick holmes family and team has counted on him. now his country does. for "today," peter alexander, nbc news, new york. >> and we wish him all the best there in afghanistan. >>> and just ahead, one of the survivors of the deadly plane crash that killed five people including senator ted stevens speaks out for [ bell rings ] what are you doing, friending somebody? yeah. you got time for that? you got time to earn more on your savings, online at capitalone.com. that's new school banking, baby! instead of earning squatootski... your savings will be earning three times the national average. now, let's review. capital one interestplus savings... at three times more. go to capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? are you a pisces? meg whitman. cut administrative overhead. put more money in the classroom. more charter schools. jerry brown? his union backers want to make it nearly impossible to fire a bad teacher. they oppose reform. oppose charter schools. oppose change. jerry brown: no changes in education. meg whitman: more money in the classroom. more charter