STARKVILLE — Starkville High School’s football players entered the locker room Wednesday to a surprise.
On each of their lockers hung a sign titled The Bottom Line. The message included 155 words of encouragement that urged the Yellow Jackets to work hard so they can make the most of the opportunity in front of them.
Included in the note was a part that said, “What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime is directly related to what you do or fail to do. No one chooses his parents or childhood, but you can choose your own direction.”
The signs came from former Starkville players. First-year Starkville coach Chris Jones welcomed the input from the former Yellow Jackets.
“Just to tell the kids how important it is this time of year to be a Yellow Jacket,” Jones said. “A lot of them don’t understand what’s going on, being in the playoffs and the tradition. They do, and they’ve reaped the benefits of winning a state championship.”
Starkville (11-2) will try to use the messages from the former players to their advantage at 7 p.m. Friday when it plays host to Horn Lake (9-2) in the second round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A playoffs.
Jones hopes this year’s group will be motivated by the messages from players. Some of those players were part of one of the program’s six state championships. Jones initiated the process when he reached out to former Starkville High standout Nate Hughes, a friend of his who played at Alcorn State and for four NFL teams. Hughes was a part of Starkville High’s 2001 state title team.
Jones hopes his players hear from former Yellow Jacket A.J. Brown, who is a sophomore at Ole Miss. He feels a message from Brown, who has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the Southeastern Conference, will resonate more than most.
“It’s somebody that’s relevant. It’s somebody they know,” Jones said. “Everybody loves A.J. He’s the best receiver in the nation right now. EMCC, they speak for themselves, they’re about to be national champs.”
Jones referenced EMCC because he hopes to hear from former Yellow Jackets JaQuez Akins, Jakoby Jones, Connor Reinike, Lorenzo Dantzler, and Maleke Bell. EMCC, the No. 1 junior college team in the nation, will play for a national title Dec. 3 in Perkinston.
Mississippi State defensive lineman Kobe Jones also might have a message for Starkville before the week ends.
If all goes according to plan, Starkville will have videos from some of those players to play Thursday at its team meal.
“We need something to get our motor going,” Jones said. “Sports is a game of momentum, and we need to find our momentum however we can find it.”
Starkville has scored just three touchdowns in its last three games. Last week, Starkville defeated Southaven 6-0 in the first round of the playoffs. The Yellow Jackets didn’t score a touchdown in seven red-zone trips.
The defense has picked up the slack by shutting out two of its last four opponents.
Jones hopes both units find something in the message that can provide a spark. One section reads, “Excuses are for losers. Those who take responsibility for their actions are the real winners in life. Winners meet life’s challenges head on knowing there are no guarantees and give it all they’ve got.
“It’s never too late or too early to begin.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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