Sawyer experienced 'Last Chance U,' eyes better 2016 season
Dante Sawyer doesn’t have to watch the popular Netflix series ‘Last Chance U’ to grasp the perils, pitfalls and pressures encircling any junior college athlete probing for the Holy Grail – NCAA eligibility.
And with that, a possible full scholarship to a FBS or FCS program.
Before enrolling at South Carolina last summer, Sawyer spent the 2014-15 academic year at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Miss., a rural town straddling the Alabama border located approximately 55 miles southeast of Starkville.
EMCC is the epicenter of ‘Last Chance U,’ which focuses largely on the laudable efforts of athletics academic advisor Brittany Wagner, a self-described ‘eligibility specialist,’ to convince the football players to take academics seriously.
After all, good grades are the only escape route out of Scooba, which has a booming population of 716.
“It was a life-changing experience,” Sawyer said. “It humbled me to the point where I recognized I didn’t do enough in high school. So, it was time to pick it up and do what I had to do.”
At the same time he was excelling on the gridiron and helping propel EMCC towards a perfect 12-0 record and NJCAA national championship (EMCC’s QB was current Ole Miss standout Chad Kelly), Sawyer embraced an accelerated class load, basically compressing two academic years into one in order to join the Gamecocks in 2015.
“At first it was a big struggle because I didn’t really want to do it,” said Sawyer, who originally signed with the Gamecocks in February 2014. “It was a lot of work. But once I put my feet down, I knew I had to do it and get to South Carolina.”
In order to assure he stayed on track academically, Sawyer routinely met with Wagner, who frequently updated Gamecocks coaches on Sawyer’s progress.
“I have very fond memories of Dante Sawyer,” Wagner told 107.5 FM The Game recently. “He holds a very special place in my heart. There was a lot of work and effort that went into getting him here and South Carolina coaches trusting us with him and getting him to South Carolina in the timeline they wanted him there.
“There was a lot of planning and pre-planning on how we were going to manage Dante and get him academically prepared for South Carolina. Once he was here, I worked very closely with him on a daily basis, from the first minute he got on campus until the minute he left. I was in constant communication with him and with South Carolina.”
After finally enrolling at South Carolina, Sawyer played in 11 of 12 games last season and was credited with 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks, including one late in the fourth quarter that helped seal the opening game win over North Carolina in Charlotte.
Clearly, though, Sawyer, who missed spring practice as he rehabbed from shoulder surgery in January, was displeased with how his first season with the Gamecocks unfolded, responding “I’m not even going to bring that up” when asked for his thoughts on his first season in Columbia. He added, “I’m more focused on what we’re going to do this year.”
Sawyer played chiefly defensive tackle a year ago, but this season expects to divide his snaps between that position and defensive end.
“From what our defense allows, I can play inside or outside, either one is fine with me,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer returns to the Magnolia State in Week 2 when the Gamecocks face Mississippi State at Davis-Wade Stadium in Starkville on Sept. 10. His memories of Scooba, Miss., are lasting.
“It’s been interesting and fun as everybody sees what goes on in ol’ Scooba, Mississippi,” Sawyer said. “I liked it. People blurted out a couple of things that shouldn’t be aired, but for the most part they (accurately depicted what life at EMCC was like). I didn’t know they were going to go full blown, everybody out there, on JUCO life. It was interesting.”
Sawyer was roommates with defensive lineman Ronald Ollie, another central figure in Season 1 (Note: Last Chance U. has been renewed for Season 2). Ollie signed with FCS school Nicholls State even though he looked to possess FBS talent.
Wagner, a MSU grad, will be in attendance when the Gamecocks face MSU in prime time. As an alum, she’ll be rooting for the Bulldogs to prevail over the Gamecocks, but she claimed she’ll be rooting for Sawyer as well.
“He handled himself well while he was here,” Wagner said. “I’m super excited about him and what he is doing. I talked with him (recently) and he is really excited about this upcoming season.”
