Anybody got a bad life at home?

No.

Everybody got it sweet Everybody got everything they wa Nah.

So why are we acting like i We got work to do.

Are we trying to get out?

Where we liv'in at?

We in the hood right now.

Right.

We trying to get out this, right Yall trying to live here forever So at what point do you say I'm committing myself to desiring ev that I say that I want?

My man.

You got dreams?

The quarterback, because this whole team is follo So you got to be a leader among when everybody else might be getting out of bounds.

You always calm, cool and collec because without that, the quarte can never make the right play.

I want you to really be thinking about your own greatness because we all got it within us.

Does that make sense?

His favorite meal, Rotel.

His birthday was Wednesday and I supposed to cook it for his birt And I never got around to it.

He like, Rotel I don't.

Like, I got to have a taste for I love Rotel.

I can eat that every day.

Howard was never that bad kid.

He was just like Howard has a sense of humor.

So he always would come in and make people laugh or and the that's why I made him always int because he acts just like me.

I mean, it wasn't easy because, I was doing it on my own.

That stiff arm I definitely taught you that I didn't teach you the stiff arm I taught him the stiff arm, what else?

Quick Feet.

Quick on my feet.

Quick title.

Matt for sure.

Quick on my feet.

Maybe not football wise, but it's translatable.

First time is God daddy took him out to play footb Howard said he was not playing because he didn't want to get di His God Daddy was so mad.

Well, I'll tell you, he was mad.

Everybody tease me on how will kept I keep them like I starches clothes up.

And so I had to iron his clothes before he left to go with people because I knew they gonna dress them like I dress hi In a suitcase, literally, I'm not play'in yall.

I would have his pants, his shir his underwear, his socks, his sh For her to raise me as a single It shows you how much you know, how much heart she has.

You can got a mama is constantly on his neck Yeah, they'll do that.

But it's for good cause.

At some time when you get kids, you'll see what I'm talking abou That's my job, is to protect you right now.

You my only one so I got to do what I got to do.

Lincoln is a beacon in the state especially in the city.

So I think Lincoln's position in the community and what it mea to those who are interested in e it has a strong meaning and it speaks to that strength e We have alumni's every year, eve years, ten years, 35 years, come back to Lincoln and we want to go up to the scho just just to visit.

That's that's richness.

That's h You can't redo.

You can't knock this building do and build another one.

You have to add on to it because prowess in the you know, in the That school is a historically black institution, no matter who goes there, no matter what happens, as long building stands at 2111 Woodland It is known to me and a lot of p as a historically black institut I first met Coach Lowe when he was enrolling his kids into Alvin Village, and that's where I was working f So he said something to my mom.

She called me up stairs to come and stuff like that.

He came up there and he was like they was asking questions about where I worked at and I gave him my business card and he was like to Temeka Cobbin Why does your name ring a bell?

I'm like, okay, here we go.

And he was like, Temeka Cobbins do you have son named Howard Bro And I was like, what does that h with you enrolling your kids?

Because at this point I'm on def and he was like, No.

Didn't he try to get into Lincol What happened?

I was like, Oh, well.

He introduced himself saying tha he was the coach and I was like, And he was like, Is he still int And I was like, Yeah.

And, you know, he provided me wi a chance to play at Lincoln and So basically it started from there.

I grew up the son of a football never really had a plan like what I was going to do.

I think I just always knew it wa to be something with coaching.

Every since he was about 4 to 5 he was our ball boy and he was always at practice and every game he would run the ball out to the and run, get the team stuff.

And yeah, he just always was on and always he loved the game and loved, lov all sports, but he really loved That was one thing he did.

He would go from high school to high school and take a bad pr and kind of change it and change the culture into a winning cultu So that was ingrained from and you know, in to me, from an Coach Lowe was heaven sent.

I tell him that all the time, Yo heaven sent.

Like for one he saved me and my son's relatio by taking Howard under his wing whatever he could do to help us to get him in there.

And just he's heaven sent.

I promise you, he's heaven sent.

So I started four years ago as the head coach at L and when I came in, I knew it was going to be ha I don't think to the extent that it was, but I knew it was going to be a diff and the first thing I did was hi good assistants.

That's what was important to me, because if you just get assistan that want to be in it for coachi they're not going to last very l in the city or, you know, at a school like Linco because they're not going to get Our assistant coaches haven't been paid since last sum So that's going on, you know, nine, ten months.

And they work all year round.

Every assistant coach we have, m being a good coach is a great hu My name is Michael Rose Ivy, current defensive coordinator, linebackers coach here at Lincol was brought on to the staff last year, have built a pretty d relationship with Coach Lowe.

My previous year when I was coac at high school in Kansas.

Coach Mike, he came in.

He most definitely made our defe like 100% better.

And you know, more obviously.

Yeah, I'm.

All for the kids playing.

I think that, you know, I don't take Covid lightly.

I know it's a serious situation that we all need to be focused o but I also know that these kids need activities and sports to keep them in the right mindse keep them focused, keep them healthy mentally.

You got to look at the positives in everything.

At least they get to play some k out there that's not playing rig Some kids in need to get a schol and not able to showcase their t to these colleges.

I know that the COVID deal is like a big deal safety wise to e but I mean, we're up to 110 murd in Kansas City in six months.

You know, and I think.

All right, you know, we haven't had any kid die of the coronavir but we've had like 35 of them di just in the last six months of m I ain't got no mask on right now because COVID ain't my fear, you know, going out to my car with my neph is a bigger fear with me because, you know, people don't like him because he is the D1 recruit and they don't have that opportu People don't like him because he has a coach Lowe in h It's more fearful hanging with h than it is hanging around 2000 people.

I got three people here.

Jermaine a defensive guy.

Jermaine mother is my oldest sis My mom have four kids.

His mother, Lauren, is the oldes Jermaine mom had him when she was 15 year And so he was brought up in the with us.

His father lived across the stre and my mom's house.

And so we were always in the neighborhood together.

But we literally watched Jermain into his mom, into moving out of the house.

His father kind of left his life And so I was the one that was th from the beginning that, you kno kind of had to pick up the piece Me and Jermaine have a lot of similarities, you know, to me as you know, I grew up in an abusive household and I I don't know.

I don't believe he has.

But I kn Of things from that situation really infected me mentally.

And I was very into myself, you know, I mean, as far as, you I didn't I didn't necessarily ta and was so open.

As he was.

But I knew I had a lot of stuff that was not okay.

And I think Jermaine has been in some situations, you know, dealing with his famil and deal with his past is kind of put him ment where he can get in a fog someti I know a lot of people say this is just It happens a lot, but this happe a lot with us in closer and closer to home, I lost like a best friend, somebody close to me last year.

And like, really ever since that happened, I really lost mys I really don't know what to do.

Still, to this day, I break down I just think about it and I cry like it's still getting closer.

I had a cousin that was shot rec Like, it's just home like, I know I have four more months i and I'll be out, but anything can happen in those four months.

So I just want to like I've been low key lately and I j want to make it out for my famil Like all my family starting to navigate out of the because they know the city is ho But there's nothing here for us.

Like go live your life.

Like in You can love your hood, but they don't want to come back Everybody want to get out.

We don't have sports like kids a I mean, they're just going to be getting in trouble.

And I mean, there's no motivatio for some of them to do the right thing if we don't have football with guns and, you know, your mom would give yo you want it right now.

So don't you think your mom's kind of worried about when you do stuff like that?

You know better than that, right Yeah.

Your mom would.

Do anything for you and your bro and give you everything, right?

Yeah.

So you have to know that when you put yourself in that si then you just have a cousin that got killed.

So what are you trying to prove that?

That's only going to end bad, ri You're better than that, right?

I'm not going to make you run to But I told your.

Mom I.m going to talk to you.

Don't let it happen again because she has my cell number.

She's going to call me.

She's going to check your phone every time and check that stuff.

You got it.

You're better than t I want to see you mess with that anymore.

We good.

Hustle over there, Hurr Abu, Come here.

Come here.

Hurry up, hurry.

Sprint over her Oh, did you apologize to your mo What did she say?

She said it's Okay, well, don't let it happen How do I get three phone calls i about kids being disrespectful.

To their mothers?

You think I don't have anything else to worry about then you guys being disrespectfu to your mothers?

Don't let it happen again.

You got it?

Yes.

Next time you're running.

Oh, and I don't know if you guys but everybody is out to get you Last year was a cute story.

Lincoln's 11 and 1.

Everybody's a fan.

Well, now everybody hates you.

Okay, so if you want to go 11 and 0 again or 15 and 0 and win a state cham you better keep that chip on you and be ready to go tomorrow nigh Benton does not care.

All they know is you have zero w they have zero wins.

I don't know about you, but its the day before a game., How you feeling now?

I don't know, I feel good.

You got something to prove out t or what?

Man, on Friday.

I'm a different player.

Go, go, go.

That is good.

Is that good?

All right, you guys, block on the line of s running backs.

Then have.

And bring it.

So here we go.

Here we go to pick up about thre One, two, three.

Oh, now just talk about this.

Who's the first person you think has a chance to make t So we always want interceptions block the intended receiver firs but so Marcus in this situation what you saw you said I got it or something because it like Marcus You got it right.

So once he says he got Marcus ri tee his ass up right, not only about now, we're good t all right.

And we're trying to get to him.

But I see you ready for anything He gets him.

But now we got some guys on the with us now.

Now Howard, First of all, I don't want to go if we are on the wing here.

So in our guy, you see that tackle block down A Just go right now.

Shoot right underneath that All right.

I'm sorry, right behind the tack So but we can't back up and crea indecision.

Right.

And I think it would be the 2017 season, Howard and Jermaine's freshman year.

They both started as freshmen and became high profile players.

But at the same time, we were practicing on a dirt fie We don't have a booster club we didn't have, you know, I mean we don't have really a locker ro that was usable.

We didn't have the nicest equipm We didn't have the nicest unifor at the time.

The field, it was like backyard you know, we had holes, we had anything you could think I feel like we had a couple of p that didn't even make it to the because they had got injured just from practicing.

on our fie mean, I think what separates us you know, it's more of a chip on our shoulder because a lot of teams diss a lo in the metro or suburban areas.

You know, they have all the reso and all of that.

And, you know, the city teams ki of get undervalued with last yea You know, we build on that.

And I think, you know, these kid as good as any kids in the metro and now they're getting a chance to really showcase that.

And the lights are on us all bri After after the successful seaso last year.

And hopefully these guys can go and repeat that and then take it a step further and get a state championship.

I think we got the talent to do But this coaching staff, I believe, is the best in the me because of the way they develop and because of the way they build the relationships.

And, you know, if you have those two things, then you're in good Jerry, there it is Jerry.

We're the only school in the who that has four division one playe and as a school district is stru with negativity in the press.

Instead of celebrating that and that to get other people to come to the city and get atte it's like they figure if they don't talk about it, then it will hurt other schools.

Four Sixty.

More.

Get set, get set you're not listening, get set.. All right, Jackson, let's go.

This is you' Yeah.

Well, I think I think what happe it's just like the rest of the w things get put in a stereotype, you know what I mean?

Where it's inner city school, yo they're going to be undiscipline or they're not going to you know they're going to play a certain football or basketball, whatever There is going to be a certain s And it just there's just not the is no factual proof of that, you I mean, so automatically you get put in a box that you're not rea For example, our game last week, we only have 50 jerseys because what the district buys because everybody didn't have nu So now we have 91 kids.

We had 40 kids wearing our nice so they knew they were part of t And then our district security kicks them off the field because they're saying since the suited up, they can't be on the And those kids work just as hard as everybody else.

You know, they deserve to be on on a Friday night instead of coming to ask us like are these your kids down the sid It's like, kick them out, you kn security comes up yelling at the you don't have a shirt on, get out of the stadium.

Wait, like, that's not how you treat people.

It's tough.

But as a coaching staff, we try not to bring that around We just we go, Oh yeah.

there we go.

I kind of took the opposite rout of a lot of coaches.

A lot of coaches would start out in the city, you know, just to g a head coaching job and not real have plans to stay there or, you build long term success.

And then they jump to the suburb or wait for a higher paying job.

But for me and my family, like football is never really be about like trying to jump levels or trying to like make money per say or always try to chase a bigger job for, you know, like ego or, or any of that stuff.

So when the Lincoln job opened, you know, I thought if we could do the rig by kids and be consistent and show them how a program work at such a strong academic school that I knew we could be good ath I really take my hat off to him because he don't have to be in i like I look at him in a more pos than I would look at someone lik because we tend to run to the su and I'm all for teach your own.

So with him moving from the subu to inner city school because I believe he came from Blue Valley, I thin Yeah, so and I think he's doing a phenome like those boys really respect h Coach Lowe talked about the kids being recruited out of here.

What about him?

You know, they want him.

Me?

You know, he's a he's a white gu at a black school dealing with b And he's very good at what he do He's a very good motivator.

And so just as well as they try to recruit the kids, they're also trying to recruit h We have to stop running from it, had to face it head on.

And who's to say that we cannot be the change that brings D1 recruits to the M high schools, you know, often.

What does it like if, you know, if all the great black go to white schools where they w treated as equal, they won't be And, you know, we they try to co racism when you're good, athleti but at the end of the day, you'r There it is, oh, you know, you got it, you got it, you got it...

I think I need to be a returner because I'm faster than DJ.

Would you think so.

I'd put you back there.

I know , man.

They're hating on Watch this.

Watch this.

Oh, He might take it back to the hou It would have looked better if I know.

Hey, sit.

Down.

We get out of here.

28, get off Thank you.

Great.

Great.

Take a look at Braden.

Starting to be a leader right in I just told your man.

One year ago Braden could have run 100 yards.

True story.

Right?

Couldn't run 100 yards.

Now he's starting right, Braden?

Good job.

I'm proud of you.

Hey, be quiet.

Go over there.

Oh, there.

You're not even suiting up over You're messing around.

Hey, listen, Marcus, stand up re I should have done this the othe I forgot.

Marcus just committed to Army, which is a division one football program.

That's the reason why when the coaches they said he did everything righ okay?

He made all the right angles.

He form tackled.

They could tell he was an intelligent football p You know why?

Because he's coach Marcus hadn't been playing footb like his whole life to play for his freshman year.

But he came in his sophomore yea he allowed himself to be coachab and he got better.

Okay, that shows up on film.

If you play games and don't do what your coached do, colleges see that if you sho and you go to practice, you allow the coaches to coach y It comes across on film.

That's what every one of the col or that's what every one of the from Army said when they talked about him.

Okay.

So congratulations, I shou Hey, hey, you guys got a great younger guys.

You have to take advantage of th You have four seniors that have one offers, hey, you should be learning from every day and watching what they Tigers on three, family on six.

1,2,3 Tigers 4,5,6 Family.

(Football chatter) Hey, everybody, Please, be quiet, be quiet.

Fellas, outside of this game for the pas two weeks I know myself and your coaches small things put your helmet on, focus now, stop talking, leave it on t people still jogging.

This is the stuff that beats us.

We are telling you guys the same exact thing over and ov and over and over again because tackling a JV guy in Practice.

Oh, No, It's okay coach I would have make that tackle.

Oh, No, Coach I would have made Play now.

we play with no emotional defens everybody wants to score.

Everybody wants a scholarship.

But nobody want to make a play when we need it.

I don't understand that.

I come from a different level of When I say I care about it, I care about it.

I put my 100 percent to it.

they're going to take a line.

This is important for winning.

If we didn't go 11-1 they ain't we ain't get all the hype we got we not ranked in the top, whatev We're not on camera that comes with winning and if you want to win you have to sacrifice certain st that we don't want to sacrifice.

Let me know, but I need you guys to have the same passion and ene out there on the field to make a not even make play just to do yo as I'm speaking to yall right no We have got to Set the tone, Yal Yall got me?

Let's go.

Hey, my thing is, I yell all the I don't even need to yell, becau What I tell you all week, all it's going to take is one hu to hit you in the mouth.

All right?

That's all it is.

That's what Coach Mike said they want it more than They're not doing anything speci Turn around the ball off.

They run right at you and we can't stop them.

Are you telling me you can't stop th That's embarrassing.

And then we got a kick returner who thinks they know how to do i I get on them and tell them how to do it right and they give me attitude, like something wrong.

I tell you, it works when you do but everybody wants to do their Oh, I can hand it off in front.

No, you can't, it's a penalty.

I don't say it just because I Want it that way.

I said it, because, you do it th get ready.

Don't feel sorry for yourself, lets go.

And that's your ball game our final score?

Maryville Spoofhounds 49 Lincoln Prep Blue Tigers 10.

Hey, let's go should be in pre practice Get your stuff on.

You have to understand, you're p everybody that's here, okay?

One guy doesn't make a team.

That's what people don't want to Big deal.

Leave.

We got plenty other guys to take your spot.

As soon as this team realizes it's not an individual you want to play individual spor go to golf or tennis or somethin but it's not going to work in fo All right.

So get all the frowns off your f You got your ass wupped.

It is what it is.

Let's go.

It's hell week.

All week.

You know what you signed up for we lost.

So I know what kind of practice we was going to have, but coming into film, I made ESPN over the weekend and I'm getting congratulated, " good job make it on ESPN.

That's what I'm talking about br keep doing what you doing."

and then once we start film I heard a hater say, "He only made ESPN because he's 300 pounds and they're not congratulating him.

They're on there to make fun of Make jokes about him."

It is to the point to where you know, he said that we didn't deserve to practice on a blue tu which, I mean, that's the case., why did we pra on the blue turf after we lost t When we watched film yesterday, we didn't even watch on like sch or what people did wrong.

We just pause the video and saw people were around the ball and and since our effort wasn't ther we said, "we didn't deserve to p on the turf field, made us menta and physically soft."

So we said, "We're going to practic over here until we feel like we reached that point again."

We made our way over there to th school field We walk over there and then we hear, "You got 45 seconds to get dressed."

So we hear that and we like, "Ok Okay."

I can show you my cleat.

I'm trying to hurry up, put cleat on the back of my clea broke, like the little tongue thing on the back, bro.

I'm trying to hurry up and get r I got my shoulder pads halfway on and start running to and then they... "Yall didn't make the time, get to runnng."

S me and a couple of other players we start running and then while we running in we hear another hater saying, See that you can run or So, okay.

So we continue running as we run Well, we don't even need you.

You can really turn your stuff i We don't really need you guys.

You think we need you?

We don't.

And that's when the bigger hater and was just like, "Oh, you know what yall just go turn your stuff in."

Set yall's stuff down there by the coach's office and go hom So that's when we went home and we stayed, but we stayed up until the end of practice to see if they was going to come you know, man to man, face to face and say something.

And I mean, he saw me and Jermai standing right there.

He didn't say anything to us.

So he was, I guess, is real.

So we dropped our stuff and then everything escalated further fro They wanted steady talk about Ho get tougher skin, Howard ain't r half the you that I'm talking ab Well, they need to realize if he doing Howard like this, just imagine what he would do to that ain't a star.

And that's whatas a parent.

If all this was going on around me and my son was at the team, I look at a lot different like you doing this to him.

Let me pull my child and try to with some for real leader.

Some for real leadership a for real positive organization because right now I've been saying for years, baby I can't wait till you get out of I swear to God, it just ain't with the football, but the whole Oh, I can't wait.

I got a couple of more months.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Lord.

Praise Him on high, they do it t this group, they're going to kee because I think this is what they can get along, get by with.

I bet you this they ain't going go out in Blue Valley and do thi I'll bet you they won't let you go out in Blue Valley an and talk about, well, the other Some heads is going to roll, but you do what you got to do and I'm going to do what I got t And we going to meet in the midd It's been two weeks bro.

Playoffs starting this week, you know, doing it without you.

And then mom says no.

How do you feel?

I think I feel like if we got to that po I know how my mom is, though.

She was like, yo u know, at the end of the day, you still kid, make sure you respect the coache you know, you know what you got to do on t You got to do that.

You can do t without being disrespectful or saying anything to the coache So I feel like if that was to ha I almost definitely be out there going to war with my teammates.

I know he knows the game.

He's been through there and like we fell out during a practice on By the same time, I have to be coachable now.

I really feel like it's a game o football.

Coaches are going to say things.

Coaches only put you in the righ to do what they know, what they He watches film all day and all It crazy like he knows what's going to ha This doesn't know.

And it tells me, like, Jermaine, your senior year, this is your d What are you going to do?

I have to be more of a vocal lea I really don't really talk a lot on the field because I'm so locked in and I'm a ball hog and I know my mom she wants she tells me you have to get 200 this, this and that this year beat last yea But I tell her like it's not rea about the stats for me this seas It's more about winning, being c and winning a state championship to make it out.

Because I know when I'm gone I'm going to Arkansas no matter But these other kids, they have another year.

Some kids won't play football ev So I want this year to be specia Oh.

Oh, touchdown Raiders.

Defense on 3... 1,2,3 DEFENSE You're behind the on the right let's.

Go, let's go, let's go guys.

This take every game to get like this part, do we not We can block those guys right?

Oh yeah.

Oh yeah.

I know.

On touchdown, Tigers Hey.

We told you at halftime.

Great job we said halftime coming back out All you had to do is believe Well we told them at halftime they eventually stuff has to go Our kids are playing so hard and like I told them, just when we come to places like bad things are going to happen e just because it always does, you And it's like whether it's offic or just missing little plays.

But I mean, you guys were in the you saw, we told him, just keep and playing hard and good things will happen in the second like they believe that coach is at halftime because the second half you saw our energy came up right from th So they bought in what we were s and played extremely hard, which that's the type of mental we're trying to get to.

So that's what they showed to be 6 team and come back like that w in fourth down in our own 20 yar and get in the first down and then getting back on the bal and completing another pass on was the third or fourth down.

We scored the touchdown.

So and then for the defense to come out and make plays.

But I mean, that's why Coach Dix that's what makes it all worth i You know what I mean?

Just to see our kids overcome st and be able to get a win.

Just this day.

You and we did not crack.

You mean what you get down here?

I think it from the pole.

We always go, yeah, you got to sprint the whole way.

big strides, pump your arms.

Branden, bigger strides.

It doesn't look hard, but try it Coach Lowe.

Winning isn't a punishment.

It's not, but it's making you be All right, number three.

Oh, shoot.

Oh.

This feels like a Lincoln tradit It's not just us.

This started shoot, Since that school has been there every sports team does it not just football.

All by myself.

Yeah.

That was a good run.

I coulda did better.

last one I'm just gonna come out here ton Nobody else working.. Is that why you asked?

Yep.

Because it was making me look slow back there.

I don't like that, you know what I'm saying?

But we just walk.

Because that's the only time I talk football with Tiffany.

Like, what's going on?

Really?

I'm legit on the parent emails.

To her on the yeah I'm.

Yes, I'm parent emails I can so I know what's going on I really don't know it's like.

That's we just don't talk about unless we're out together.

About football stuff.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I just feel like he talks about all the time.

It's the last thing I want to do Would probably come home when I' more football like, Hey, how's i So like your popularity for foot No, I think it's all.

But I think year round, I think these phone rings nonstop, it's always like, he y, what's up, coach?

What's up coach?

or a parent or something?

So no, I think it's just I think the better the team gets, the more busy you But I think the better we've got the more stresses put on.

Yeah, you put more stress.

But even from the same, you've always worked this hard.

I mean.

He'd do anything or not to say, I'll just be abusing my advantag So, you know, I'm saying, like, if I them like, oh, can you open up the gate for me to get some extra work in on the He'll like stop what he's doing, come open it and stuff like that So he really treat me like I'm h for real.

To put it like that, not even just football but like academic He'll come and check on me, make sure my grades is good.

Help me if I need anything.

The parents know to know that we care like, the coaching cares about the kids so they know, oh, you can call o ask us anytime to do stuff and we do it, which sometimes it's a detriment maybe to our own families.

100%.

And I had to tell them the first I was like, Well, tell me if your wife get tired o calling because I'm telling you I call Coach Lowe for everything for any every day, anything goin at that school, I call Coach Low Could you please go check it out before I have to come up there?

Because if I come up there you already know it's going down I'ma call you back.

Miss Cobbins, and this is not just football se This is year round, just like I and I just had COVID.

He took my son in his house and then he was calling me every asking me, did I need something.

Playing with Coach Lowe like go like you even just take me out sometimes out of class.

When I was done my work and we would just talk about lif Really?

Like what, with Coach Lowe?

Like you got to love him.

There's no other way around it.

And like, as is, I don't really you really can't explain the bon and the coaching and the student relationship with him is just no words can speak for us.

Coach Lowe is a great guy.

You know, he really doesn't do it for hims He does it for the kids.

You know, you see a lot of coach They just want they want wins for their program to keep their But he really he's doing it for He wants them to go to college.

I've always a very realistic coa Until this year we would not even talk about the championship until we got in the And I thought we had a legitimat because kids are smart.

I mean, if you say you're going to go to the state champio or you break it off on, you know, state champs, but your you've already lost five or six during the year.

Like, I've never understood why some coaches have done that.

So I've always made sure we're realistic with our ki and give them goals they can att like last year.

Our goal was to win the district championship.

We won 11 and one and lost in the district championship.

But you know, we reached our goa We just didn't accomplish it.

So going into this year with the seniors that we had, we felt that was a realistic goa four to win a state championship That's the biggest thing in the I talked to them practice last n and said, Hey, we're at the poin where it's win or go home.

I mean, everybody's zero and zer Yeah, we beat Van Horn 55 to 7 the first time we played them.

But that doesn't matter this tim You know, whoever wins is going and whoever loses their season i Go, Tigers, Go!

Yeah, more freaking tough, guys.

I'm going.

Okay, nobody wants to fight during the We haven't had a fight in school in five ye and then we come out here and somebody pushing you one act like a tough guy in front of everybody.

Listen, you embarrass me like th I'm embarrassing you.

You do not act like that.

You understand?

Hey, next week.

You better come Defense., We won't work any scheme all wee We're going to tackling.

one on one, tackling.

You're going to stay on your fee and you're going to run through I don't know where we learn to d Listen, you know, I'm proud of y I love you.

Score 60 points.

You won by 35.

That's great.

But that's what we expect to do.

Hey, That's a catch.

Grandview cannot be out working this this I know they aren't.

You have to believe you're going Yeah.

You cannot let them get an edge and get in your head.

Hey, hey.

Every time somebody plays us, they think it's a Super Bowl, ri We're not the ones talking trash Grandview is the one that's already talkin They want what you have.

You got it.

You have to come with that menta You cannot give them an edge.

And your players under control.

I'm going to have to write this I better not like that, Michael.

We'll go.

Empty.

Let's go.

But with our names on his game.

Right.

So we going to still make a play We still got to be firemen.

Right?

Do you hear what I'm saying we still got to be firemen, do your job right, don't worry about the ball.

Hey, just ignore it.. Are just.

Just play.

Come on, let's go.

Listen, we are.

We got to win with class.

We got to lose the class, guys, But we still.

This game is not o Let's get a turnover.

Bring it back, we'll kick onside kick me back out.

You got to believe, though, everybody do your job.

I want these guys to be trailbla And so, you know, we got the How we got the Jermaine's, you know, we got the Marcus, you know, they have the D1 offer but Antonio's a beast, Man.

He, you know.

I seen Zac play last last week.

He's a sophomore quarterback, ma The kid is good.

And so when the legacy is over w I want them to be the ones who open up the doors and now D1 recruits come to the urban city to seek t because if they don't make it, t a kid behind them that's depende just to get out.

Just being a single mother is a and if I can do it, he can do it Anything you want.

Go get it.

I have the trust.

Like he'll be okay.

I have the trust.

Like he's going to make the righ is I have to trust.

Like I've put enough in him and those around him that he'll do what's best.

So really, I'm his football outl So my little brothers, my cousin the day after is gone.

I'll put the work in and if I make it or not, I know that everyone will still for who I am and just know that something greater than life.

I had opportunities and my big c and someone in my family didn't have and I'm doing it.

I may end up being on TV on Satu and they're going to see this ki that came from the inner city.

And, you know, going to say like you know, other kids are going t look at it like it's possible.

Like you don't have to go to a y have to transfer to a suburban s to make it out like you can stay still end up playing at the next You know, I just want to be able to represent and lead as an exam I got a lot of people on the football team.

They look up to me and for me like just to know I care or like you know, I'm committed and stuf So, like, saying like, I don't got to work for nothing.

I ain't got nothing to prove.

That's a lie.

So I still got stuff to prove.

You know, I'm not done yet and I not even close.

And what you kind of show the kids, you go here and basica a scholarship to wherever they w and that's a legacy you four are for all the future kids that come through here.

And I know our coaching staff.

Thanks you guys for that.

But al for you and your families, this really isn't It's only the beginning.

Like your journey now is only going to get harder.

This is a blessing.

You need to go and play a sport you love on the next level and go to school for free.

You guys are ahead of a lot of people in the world know you guys are starting off without any debt and taking full advantage of wha So they're going use you for your athletic abilit to use them for to get that educ That's the one thing nobody ever take away from you.

You are going on a journey.

We are going to have to work har than you ever worked before..

So whatever your dream is, whatever you work for, go get it Go take our.

Don't say anything.

We don't let You go get it.

All right.

People in the city thought you guys weren't good pe you proving a lot of people wrong over these last four years People said you couldn't do it because you were down at Lincoln Yall doing it.

What I'm waiting.

I can't wait to go to Iowa even when I go on visit with the It sends chills down my spine.

You know, it just like, oh, my G this is my son.

I can't believe it.

When he first started playing fo I never thought that he would be this big.

You know, you always dreamed it think, Oh, my baby, oh, this is And I tell them all the time, you just got to give God thanks.

Praise.