Mario Lanier is still learning in his second year with the East Mississippi Community College football program.
“There is so much to play on this level,”
Lanier said. “Even when you think you know it all, you learn so much more. In junior college ball, you are here and then gone in two years, so it’s kind of strange. You never really quit learning and then your time is done.”
Lanier and No. 14 EMCC will play Northeast Mississippi C.C. at 7 p.m. Thursday in their home opener and Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division opener at Sullivan-Windham Field in Scooba.
“This whole experience has been a blessing,” said Lanier, who was a standout at Aliceville High School. “To some people, Scooba would not be the big time. For a kid from a small town in Alabama, Scooba is the big time. This program has been one of the best things to happen to me. Now that my time is winding down, it’s just about having a great season and trying to earn another opportunity.”
EMCC will look for its sixth-straight victory against Northeast. The Tigers have opened 2-0 to match last season’s win total. EMCC fell two spots in this week’s National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national rankings despite a 45-7 victory against then No. 17-Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. last Thursday in Perkinston.
“This season is mainly about going back and earning our respect,” Lanier said. “Last season was disappointing. It really helped fuel the fire for this season. We don’t plan to take any opponent lightly. Our goal is to compete for a national championship. We know it won’t be made easy for us, so we just have to work harder than everybody else.”
Last season, EMCC finished 8-1. The season ended early after a brawl against Mississippi Delta C.C. in the regular-season finale led to a postseason ban for EMCC. As a freshman, Lanier had 20 receptions for 408 yards and four touchdowns.
“The main thing is the speed of the game,” Lanier said. “You come here and you have to grow up fast. You can’t take a day off or someone will pass you by. As a freshman, you just want some playing time. In our offense, the quarterback is going to throw to whole bunch of receivers. The competition in practice is great. The competition in games is great.
“It’s just exciting to be on the field with so many great players.”
A year ago, Lanier was catching passes from Wyatt Roberts, who is now at walk-on at Mississippi State, and John Franklin III, who is now a quarterback at Auburn. This season, Florida State transfer De’Andre Johnson is leading the charge. Johnson found Lanier four times against Gulf Coast after each didn’t play in the season opener — a 27-25 loss at Jones County Junior College.
“De’Andre has really been a great leader,” Lanier said. “He really took the team over when last season ended. He set the standard for us in the weight room and meeting rooms and all of that. We have run hundreds of routes together. There is not a lot to do in Scooba, so you go to the field and work on your game. The hard work has really paid off because I feel like I have really grown as a player and as a person.”
Lanier also finds growth as a leader. Now, the freshman players come to him wanting to know extra things they need to do.
“That is why this program wins championships,” Lanier said. “You aren’t going to be here if you aren’t an outstanding player. Every person on the roster has to be doing that one extra thing just to keep up with their teammates. We all want offers. We all want to play on the next level. The coaches are going to put you in a position to succeed. Then it is a matter of how hard do you want it. You have to want it bad enough or you won’t last.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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