Humble beginnings key to Lanier's rise in 2014

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

Posted 4:43PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2014

SUGAR HILL -- It wasn't your traditional start, by any means. And the pictures hanging in Lanier coach Korey Mobbs's office -- one of perhaps two dozen students and coaches wearing shorts and t-shirts, and another of the opening kickoff of the first junior varsity game -- are permanent testaments to the humble beginnings for the Longhorns football program. When Lanier held its first-ever spring practice in 2010, there was no home stadium, no uniforms, and just a handful of kids who dared to try and jump-start a new program to life. "It was crazy," said Mobbs, who came from Collins Hill along with Billy Wells and current defensive coordinator David Wellingham to start the program. "None of us had ever started a program from scratch and there aren't any books or manuals to follow. There were many times when we thought it was never going to take off. "The first spring practice was at Gary Pirkle Park because we didn't have a field. I think we had maybe two seniors. But then, little things started getting done. The stadium got finished and we got uniforms and we started seeing that people in the community were ready to help get things going." For Mobbs now, those days seem seem like decades gone by compared to where the Longhorns are sitting these days. Lanier is undefeated (3-0, 2-0 Region 8-AAAAA) and sits atop the region standings after a convincing 27-12 win over Flowery Branch last week. They will play host to Cedar Shoals on Friday at Longhorns Stadium trying to match their longest-ever win streak at four, which they set twice last season. The Longhorns also cracked the prep rankings for the first time this week coming 10th in the latest Class AAAAA poll. "It does seem like another lifetime ago," Mobbs said. "There were some trying times in the early going. But I feel we did things right to get us where we are right now. "Coach Wells just did a tremendous job of building the program the right way from the beginning and preparing us. We wouldn't be where we are without his leadership." Wells left during this past summer to take the athletic director position at North Hall, appearing at first to leave the program in limbo. Not so, said Mobbs. "We didn't know for sure he was going to leave then but he had been grooming us all along to take over," Mobbs said. "It's really been a smooth transition because we didn't need to change much. Again, he did a great job of getting us to this point." That first season in 2010 the Longhorns played just one varsity game in a 10-game schedule, losing 55-7 to Mountain View, which had just started its own program the year before. In 2011 Lanier played four varsity games, including one memorable contest for Mobbs that he felt was a turning point for the program's rise. "We traveled to Union County and chartered a bus for the kids and tried to make it an event for them and reward them for the hard work they had put in," Mobbs said. "They had a great time and responded with a big win [33-15]. After that I think everyone found the confidence they needed to see that we were on the right path to success. It's always difficult to find that one specific moment when you think things really start, but for me I think that was it. Things seemed different after that." In 2012, their first full varsity season, the Longhorns finished a respectable 5-5 in Region 8-AAAA and lost one game in overtime and another by just six points. Last season, they finished 9-3 in 8-AAAA, making their first-ever playoff appearance and snagging their first-ever playoff win, a 26-7 victory over Carver (Atlanta) in the first round. Mobbs also credited the Sugar Hill community for adopting the Longhorns as their own and building a community atmosphere. "I think the people of Sugar Hill were ready to have something of their own," Mobbs said. "Buford has Buford and Suwanee has North Gwinnett. We're right in the middle of those and the people in Sugar Hill have had a lot to do with our success. They have supported us from the beginning." But with success comes greater responsibility. After last season Lanier, which moved up to Class AAAAA this season, could no longer fly under the radar and was looked at as a strong darkhorse in 8-AAAAA for a playoff spot and maybe even more in 2014. During the preseason, area coaches kept mentioning the Longhorns as the next rising program. Mobbs said they had heard the talk through the grapevine but tried to downplay it. "We were flattered that people were saying Lanier was a team to look out for," Mobbs said. "But talk and expectations don't really mean anything. You have to go out and perform and prove it on the field. We just tried to tell our kids that to prove it you have to work hard and stay focused and take things one game at a time. So far, I think they've done a good job of that." Leading Lanier on the field this year has been a solid mix of seniors and underclassmen. The 38 seniors on the roster is one of the biggest classes by any school in the area, led by running back and Purdue-commit Tario Fuller. The junior class is strong as well, led by FBS recruit Derrick Brown (DE) and quarterback Tahj Tolbert. Senior receiver Timothy Leazer, at 6-foot-5, is a matchup nightmare for any defense. Last week against Flowery Branch, Brown was a one-man wrecking crew with eight tackles, two assists, three tackles for loss, 1 1/2 sacks, three QB hurries, and one pass defended when he dropped back in coverage. "We have some talent," Mobbs said. "Right now we're playing well. Derrick is a special player and a great kid. Tario has really stepped forward and Tahj is improving every game. We're pleased with how we've started the season. "But it's not how you start; it's how you finish. All we're thinking about right now is Cedar Shoals. Talk to me at the end of the season to see how things turned out." We'll be waiting with pen and notebook.

Jeff Hart Sports Reporter