HSFT18: Stop #54 – Lafayette Commodores

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) — Lafayette football is no stranger to success.

Want an example? Just check out their resume with 33 winning seasons.

The question is: how do the Commodores hold onto that every single year?

“Hard-work,” head coach Michael Fair said. “I think coaches kind of over complicate things at times and it comes down to blocking and tackling. Our young men work hard and we’re working on fundamentals. I think tradition is rich here at Lafayette and it’s because of the hard-work these young men put in. Football is important here and it’s not like that everywhere nowadays. So footballs important. Friday nights are important.”

Each Friday comes down to team chemistry. This ‘Dores team considers each other family.

“They’re the closest team I’ve ever coached,” Fair said.  “I think if you watch us practice and play you’ll see a bunch that cares for each other. A great group of coaches that love on these kids and coach them hard and keep them accountable. They’re very special young men. Not just athletically but a great group to be around. They’re a lot of fun to coach.”

“To go out and compete with my brothers,” WR/FS Quinshun Twilley said. “This is a whole other family outside of my family at home. So just come out here and compete and give it all I can.”

“You know these are my brothers,” CB/WR Brendon Turnag said. “We spend all summer together you know. We just continuously keep building this chemistry.”

So when the lights come on it’s family dinner time and Lafayette is hungry and ready to eat.

“You know you have people beside you that’s ready to go to war and ready to leave it all on the field at the end of the game,” Twilley said. “I think we’re going to do pretty good. We have to come together as a family and once the puzzle pieces come together it’ll be pretty good. It’s not just about a single person it’s about all of us together. Everybody putting in. Of course you want to hold yourself accountable but it’s not just about you it’s bigger than you.”

“You know, to go out and do what I can do to help my team win,” Turnag said. “You know, just fighting all the way through. I want to win a state championship but you know you got to win the north first so just got to take it one game at a time.”

After a demanding 2017 season the Commodores are set to keep tradition going next week.

“We’re expecting a different outcome,” Fair said. “Great young men out here competing for spots every single day and I think our depth is going to help us along the run but these guys are ready for next Friday night. So, we’re looking forward to it.”

Lafayette hits its home field against Cleveland Central on August 17th