Co-Lin Wolves talk brotherhood, hometowns and why they want their community in the stands

By Jessica Breazeale

For a communications class project, members of the Copiah-Lincoln Community College football team sat down for a round of quick interviews about where they come from, what position they play and why Wolves fans should be showing up on game day. Their answers paint a picture of a roster built from small Mississippi towns, bigger programs down the road and everywhere in between.

Deshawn Smith, who plays wide receiver for the Wolves, said he grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, but still claims Fayette as home, even though he has lived in Wesson the past four or five years. He played for Wesson Attendance Center under coach Jeremy Lloyd, where he said he played "everything" before settling in as a receiver at the college level.

Khayree Lee, a lineman from the West Bank of New Orleans, said this is his first season playing JuCo football after stops at LSU and South Alabama. Asked what he likes most about Co-Lin, Lee pointed to the team's chemistry."I like how all my teammates, we come together, and we just play as one," he said. Making the jump from a Power Four program to a smaller junior college hasn't changed much for him, he added: "I'm still playing a sport that I love, so it's not really too, too crazy."

Brandon Thomas, a receiver from Auburn, Alabama, made the case for bigger crowds at Wolves games. He said the players hear the stands more than fans might think, even when they have to tune out the noise during a defensive series, and that a packed stadium changes the energy of a game."Seeing that many people in the stands helps your morale," Thomas said. "After a game, we see y'all over there, and we're trying to thank everybody."

Eddie Ratliff, a safety who grew up around Collins, Mississippi, and played cornerback in high school, said Wesson already feels like a step up from home in terms of turnout. "It's a whole different level," Ratliff said, describing his hometown as a place where families didn't always come out to interact after games. His first game at Co-Lin was a different story — he said a good number of family members made the roughly hour-and-15-minute drive down to see him play.

Jaden O'Hara, an offensive guard from Pearl, Mississippi, and a Pearl High School product, compared campus amenities between the two schools. His one request for Wesson: more late-night food options once the cafeteria closes for the evening.

Jyrion Cook, a safety from Ellisville, Mississippi, who called himself "an athlete" in high school after playing multiple positions at South Jones, described the Co-Lin locker room in one word: brotherhood.We need all the fans that we can get, Cook said, pointing to a recent game he felt could have gone differently with more crowd energy behind the team. "Not just on the player's side, but as a whole — as a stadium."

Lawrence Taylor, a defensive lineman from Memphis, Tennessee, kept his answer simple when asked about his favorite part of Co-Lin: "Playing football here." Taylor said it's his top reason for being at the school, full stop.

Mike Harris, who hails from Cleveland, Mississippi, in the Delta, said the Wolves' defense has been tough this year and encouraged more fans to come see for themselves.Taken together, the interviews reflect a roster stitched together from small towns and bigger programs alike — receivers, linemen and defensive backs who all landed in Wesson for different reasons but share the same request heading into the season: show up, and bring the noise.

The Wolfpack has a clear message for the community…the charge to come out and

show support.