By Lee Trawick Riverbend News
Lafayette High School (LHS) would like to introduce the new head coach of the varsity football program, Marcus Edwards, who graduated from LHS in 2004 as a four-year starter for the Hornets and three time all-state selection. During his senior year, Edwards received an academic scholarship, as well as an athletic scholarship, to play football for the University of South Florida (USF), where he gained the trust and respect of his teammates and coaches. In 2007, Edwards earned the title of Team Captain and led his team into the number two spot in the nation.
After graduating from USF with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication, Edwards went on to attain a Master's Degree in Business from Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y. While studying at Wagner College, he decided to take his experience as a four-year Division 1 football player and shift his focus towards coaching, beginning his career as the Seahawks' receivers coach for three seasons.
Edwards then went on to be the receivers coach for the Falcons of Bowling Green State University in Ohio for two seasons, followed by a return to Wagner College, this time as a co-offensive coordinator. Edwards then traveled to Stony Brook College in New York, where he was a receivers coach for the Seawolves for three years before landing a position at West Point Military Academy, also in New York, as the receivers coach for the Army Black Knights for two seasons. Edwards's last stop before returning to LHS was at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, where he was the Bullets' offensive coordinator for one season.
During this prestigious journey, Edwards not only gained invaluable experience, but he also grew a deeper appreciation for what it takes any student/athlete to make it to the college level and beyond.
The greatest lesson Edwards has learned throughout his careers as both a player and a coach has nothing to do with football, but instead with understanding the sacrifices his mother, Ann Murphy, made for him time and again. Now having been on the recruiting trail for colleges, Edwards has learned there are hundreds of good football players out there. However, it takes more than just being a good player for a coach to decide to bring someone into their program at the next level.
Understanding she wasn't raising a football player, but a young man, Murphy taught Edwards to always present the best version of himself possible. From there, following her work ethic, values and character she instilled in him, Edwards's football career began to form. Looking back, he has grown an appreciation for his family's support; no matter where he played, or when, Edwards's family was always there. Edwards is grateful for those who saw something in him, keeping him grounded and focused on his grades, knowing without good grades, football would never have provided the experiences he earned.
While Edwards excelled on the football field both at the high school and college levels, he succeeded even more by becoming a great man, husband and father. He has now returned home to instill in his students and players at LHS the same values his mother instilled in him.
When thinking of what kind of coach Edwards would like to be, he reverts back to watching his uncle, Taylor MaGrew. To Edwards, his uncle was more than a football coach; he was the standard for greatness, to see how he developed the young men around him. Edwards never had to look hard to find his uncle, he was always there, either guiding him with his actions as a role model, or by guiding him through life as a mentor. MaGrew, being the role model he was, earned respect from people of all walks of life. This has encouraged Edwards to strive to emulate his uncle in leaving behind the same footprints. Edwards's life's goals are simple: be a good person, a great husband and an even better father. Like his mother taught him, do those things and football will take care of itself.
While the pinnacle of his football career would be his role in USF's run up the national polls, finding themselves ranked number two in the country in 2007, his greatest moments in coaching have not come from any scoreboards or polls. The pinnacle of his coaching career comes from not only being able to coach a young man on the field, but impact their lives off the field. It's something he strives to do with every student and player he works with, working off of his two philosophies of: hard work wins out every time and set a culture of positivity throughout the locker room.
When asked what excites him about becoming the head football coach of the LHS Hornets program, Edwards said, "The players, because at the end of the day it's the players who have to play the game and this team possibly has the most talent across the board of any high school team I have seen. Also the underclassmen, the young men coming up over the next few years." Getting his players to buy into the program, to believe in themselves and their teammates will be his job, Edwards said. He will also be in charge of: finding the kids who are willing to put in the work it takes to win; getting his players to understand there is more than just winning; getting his players to understand the most talented player isn't always the best player and developing trust in his kids and among teammates. Edwards also says he will never choose winning over the team.
Edwards says he can't reward someone's lack of work no matter who the player is and hopes Hornets fans will trust him if the most talented player on the team is found on the bench. Understanding that playing football is a privilege earned and not a right, Edwards trusts his players will make the right decisions seven days a week, not just on Friday nights. He also trusts they will strive to get better for the team and they won't quit on their teammates. Edwards says he lives through his players, so he feels responsible when he sees them showing lack of effort or making mistakes. Therefore, his job is to put them in the best position to win both at football and at life.
Edwards returns to LHS, not only with years of experience and knowledge of the game, but also with his wife, Jessica Edwards and their young son. While Edwards is the head coach, his wife is much more than the First Lady of Friday Night Lights; her background and resume rivals no one. With her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and a masters degree from Georgia State University in athletic training, she has been asked to offer her services to the likes of The Geneva Foundation, West Point Military Academy and the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. As she supports her husband, Jessica is enthused by the support of the community in Mayo and how everyone rallies around one another, which are qualities she and her husband look for when thinking of a home for their family.
"It was an easy decision for myself and everyone involved," said Joey Pearson, LHS's athletic director, about making Edwards part of the team. "For me, it goes back to when he played for me here. As a player he was the standard of a student/athlete. His leadership skills are unmatched. It is evident not only here or with me, but he was also named a team captain on his college team. That says something within itself. We interviewed seven people for the position from all over; very qualified gentlemen with extensive resumes, but Edwards is the total package."
When asked what he hopes to see from Edwards as he moves the program forward, Pearson stated he hopes for consistency. He knows it's been hard on the young men, especially the ones who will be seniors next year. Playing for a different coach to this point, Pearson said, is not what LHS is used to, nor promotes. So, Pearson says he expects Edwards to build and move the program forward and get back to the standard set before these last few years of four head coaches in the last 44 years.
Upon hearing Edwards was a possibility as a candidate, Derek Garland jumped on board and quickly got behind the idea of pursuing him to becoming LHS's new head coach, allowing Garland to return to a more familiar role within the program by becoming the defensive coordinator.
When junior Mario Thomas was asked for his thoughts on hiring Edwards, he said, "It's really exciting to have him as our coach, with him being from LHS and having experience at the next level. Having a new coach every year since my freshman year hasn't been the easiest thing. I hope Coach Edwards can continue to push the underclassmen to be the best student athlete they can be."