SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College sophomore running back D.J. Law admits he was disappointed when Division I football wasn’t in his immediate post-high school future.
The hurt lingered for a while. After a couple of months, he decided it was best to make the most of his new football home.
EMCC reaped the immediate rewards of that decision.
“Everyone wants to play Division I,” said Law, a native of Haines City, Florida. “You have to pick yourself up and be ready to go. All junior college offers are not alike. This one is special. This place is different. This place is about winning and about perfection.”
EMCC’s quest for a third-straight undefeated season will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday when it plays host to Southwest Mississippi C.C. at Sullivan-Windham Field.
“The first couple of weeks (of practice) were shaky,” Law said. “There was a lot of maturing this team needed to do. We had a lot of first-year players, more than usual. There was mental maturing to do. As a team, we started working together to get stuff done. We became brothers. The biggest difference between last year’s team and this year’s team is this year’s team is more focused.
“We have better chemistry. Chemistry means a lot on the football field.”
EMCC will begin the season at No. 1 in the preseason National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings. The Lions will begin the season on a 24-game winning streak — two shy of matching the national record for consecutive victories. EMCC will attempt to win its third-straight national championship, and fourth title in five seasons.
“What separates this program is the work done in the summer,” Law said. “The goal is a championship. Most teams don’t work like we do. It’s ridiculous the amount of work we do. But you aren’t going to die. You just have to have the mental and physical toughness to get through it. By the time the season starts, we feel like we are 10 times better than the opponent.”
EMCC’s success on offense will rely in large part on Law, who assumes the duties as the team’s No. 1 running back, following the graduation of former Starkville High standout Preston Baker. Law ran for 561 yards and five touchdowns as Baker’s understudy a season ago.
“The running back position in our offense may be the most undervalued in all of junior college football,” EMCC offensive coordinator Marcus Wood said. “He really helps make things go. People get caught up in the big offensive numbers in the passing game. However, our running backs are huge. They make things go. They keep drives alive. They keep possession.
“We expect really big things from D.J. He had a great year last year and then spent the offseason making sure he could take his game to another level.”
Law made a name for himself by averaging 31.3 yards per kick return. A track standout at Haines County High School, the 5-foot-11 Law also showed his ability to hurdle would-be tacklers.
“Before the kick, I always get really nervous,” Law said. “You can feel the heart beating out of my chest. Once I get past the 50, you start hearing the fans roar. It’s a great feeling. I don’t know how to explain it. Kick returning is a challenge, but it is also a lot of fun.”
After making some early special teams highlight-reel plays, the coaches quickly figured out they had a steal in Law.
“The biggest thing is I developed as a player,” said Law, when asked what he took away from last season. “The game is a lot faster. Here I was a freshman in college, I am having to learn plays and also getting over the disappointment of not playing D I. It took me a little while to adjust. Soon, I became the same player I was high school.
“I slowly became the player people wanted to see. After that, I just tried to focus on being a team leader. At a two-year school, it is OK for the freshman to lead, so I just tried to do my part to help Preston out in the backfield and to help lead this team.”
Baker has moved on to Tennessee-Martin. Prior to that, Rodriguez Moore turned a brilliant EMCC career into a scholarship opportunity at Cincinnati. Law is on pace to graduate and will look to join that list in December.
“I have worked real hard on becoming more a power back,” Law said. “This isn’t a one-juke-and-you-are-gone situation like it was in high school because everybody on this level can play. I have learned how to lower the shoulder and take on contact.
“I have gotten a little bigger and a little faster. It has been a combination of learning everything Preston tried to teach me and combining that with God gave me to work with. This situation turned out to be a blessing for me. I have made the most of my opportunity, and it has worked out for the best.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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