#HSFT16: Stop No. 15 – Lafayette Commodores

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – There’s been a lot of success at Lafayette but the Commodores have been bounced from the 4A playoffs in the second round each of the past two seasons.

“Last year was a heart-breaker,” senior quarterback Will Ard said of the loss to Cleveland. “Our goal is to get back there and win.”

Lafayette welcomes new head coach Michael Fair, who will take over after Eric Robertson’s departure.

“They weren’t satisfied with the outcome last year,” Fair said. “Here at Lafayette, the goal is to win a state championship.”

Fair has been the head coach at Senatobia for the past two seasons. He played at MSU in the late 1990s. He says many of his coaching philosophies come from being on now-Starkville head coach Ricky Woods’ staff at South Panola.

“The one thing about Lafayette is they’ve been so successful. It’s not like it’s a rebuild,” Fair said. “They won ten games last year. We’re just looking to add on to what’s already been built here.”

The Commodores’ players said they’re adjusting quickly to Fair.

“We’re all loving him,” senior Tyler Williams said. “He’s all about hard work. Our team is feeding off that.”

A lot of experienced players graduated this year, including 2,000-yard rusher Tyrell Price, but the Commodores have 25 seniors this year. Additionally, former Amory head coach Ben Ashley will take over the defensive coordinator position.

“If you got a bunch of guys that are really hungry, they’re going to play really hard. That’s what we’ve seen so far,” Ashley said.

It’s a new-look Lafayette team that will look to get back to the winning ways of 2010 and 2011 when the Commodores won state titles.