2025 HSFT Stop #47: Lamar County (Vernon)

Last year, Lamar County football finished with just two wins. A 2-9 record that stung the program and left plenty of questions heading into the offseason. But this year, there’s a new face in charge and a new mindset taking shape. First-year head coach Justin Lann is already making his mark, not just with the playbook, but with a culture shift.

“I want to pour into them work and to be tough in every environment,” Lann said. “Whether it’s a football environment or it’s life after football, just to be tough kids and tough people as they grow older.”

That toughness mentality starts straight from Lann, but it’s being carried by the players, especially those trusted to lead the Bulldogs.

“We’ve elected some permanent captains, and that’s helped,” Lann said. “Those permanent captains have really stepped up and embraced the role of a permanent captain and wearing the ‘C’ on their chest. It matters to those kids, and they bring the other ones along.”

Senior captain Jacob Thompson is taking the ‘C’ on his chest personally.

“Leadership is to help everyone get together, to play, and be tough as a whole,” Thompson said.

The team-first approach is already starting to take root, before the season even starts.

“I think with the tougher mindset, we’ll be better as a team completely,” Mason Hudson said. “There’s no I in team, so as long as all 11 of us keep playing the way we are, I think we’ll do pretty good.”

It’s not just about working extra hard but also about working the right way. And, the Bulldogs know it starts with mastering the basics.

“As long as we can be tough and come in there and scream at the players until we get it right,” Chris Peacock said.” It starts by doing the little things correctly. And, once we do the little things correctly, then we can start doing the big things correctly, and once we start doing the big things correctly, we can start winning games.”

From two wins to a team determined to grow, Lamar county is focused on more than the scoreboard. They’re focused on the new standard. The Bulldogs will kick off their season on August 22 against South Lamar.