Mike Ayers talked to the Laurens County Touchdown Club Thursday about losing his first chance to excel at football in college, and how he got a second chance.
A Hall of Fame football head coach for the Wofford Terriers, and an inspirer of young men on and off the gridiron for 4 decades, Ayers went from a national championship team at Eastern Kentucky University, back to a garbage truck, and then to the United States Marine Corp.
“I was fortunate enough to come from from a big family - 5 brothers - we were known as the Scuffling Hillbillies. If you fought one of us, you fought us all. We got through high school by the grace of God and had the opportunity to play college football at Eastern Kentucky University. That year, we had one of those special years (kind of like the Blue Hose right now). We won the OVC (Ohio Valley Conference). I was fortunate to get to play as a freshman, and we eventually won the national championship.
“It was a great day, every day. I was loving life every day.”
Ayers was able to get stronger, quicker, thicker, and one day his college coach calls him in. “And I’m thinking it’s one of these deals — Attaboy - pat on the back, you’re doing a great job. Well, it turned out to be a kick in the pants. He asked me, ‘Are you going to class?’ I said, ‘Sometimes.’ Well, you’re on exclusion because of your grades. To be honest with you, I didn’t know what exclusion was. I had to look it up in the dictionary. End up, I’m out of school, throwing trash for a living, then I got a notice from Uncle Sam, the U.S. Marine Corps, and life was on.”
After active duty guess what was waiting for Ayers back home - that 20-yard pack-more garbage truck, running a route by himself. He wound up back at home, eating a drumstick his mama cooked in the big black skillet, and she told him he had gotten a phone call. She didn’t know the details and didn’t care to explain. “I called the number and the voice on the other end was my high school coach, a guy that gave me a second chance,” Ayers said.
This time, Ayers didn’t squander the chance. He became a 4-sport athlete at Georgetown College (football, wrestling baseball and gymnastics), and with a little bit of money started on his quest to become a college football coach.
At Wofford, he inherited a team that had gone 1-10. “I told them, ‘tomorrow morning, 6 a.m. meet me on the field, and we will start this journey together.’ And, we did.”
Ayers said his teams were grinders, because to grind at their work, they developed grit, belief, and the ability “to suck it up when times are hard.” Do that work, and you learn to “do the best you can, every time you can.”
“I coached for 43 years. I coached some great players. I coached some players who were undersized (talking about local dentist Seth Reynolds, who played offensive tackle for Ayers, though today he likely would be a safety). He didn’t care what was on the other side of the ball. He was going to get it done.
“It starts here (in the head) and goes here (in the heart). That’s our job. Everybody in this room. That’s our job. Somehow, let’s get it done it done. God bless you.”
Hello Everyone,
The Laurens County Touchdown Club is proud to announce that for games played on Friday, October 10th, the Player of the week is Laurens District High School quarterback Logan Bragg (below).
Logan is a freshman quarterback for the Laurens District High School Raiders won defeated region foe Southside High School 58 – 0 in Greenville County Friday night.
Logan Bragg had an outstanding night for the Raiders as he led the offensive fireworks for the Raiders completing 14 passes on 19 attempts for 294 yards on the night. Bragg threw 4 touchdown passes as well for Laurens.
Head Coach Greg Porter stated, “Logan has been the standard for the program. It’s not often that a 9th grader is leading a football program, but this young man shows up everyday prepared and ready to give his best in practices and games.”
The Laurens County Touchdown Club honored Bragg on October 16th at the bi-monthly Touchdown Club meeting. Player of the Week awards are presented in 2025 by Farm Bureau Insurance of Laurens County.
The October 16th meeting featured highly popular Coach Mike Ayers, former head football coach at Wofford College who guided the Wofford program for 30 years, as our featured speaker.
Coach Ayers won the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the most outstanding FCS Head Coach in the Country during his tenure as well. Additionally, Ayers is a member of the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame as a 2022 inductee.
The Laurens County Touchdown Club meets every other Thursday throughout the football season at The Ridge located in Laurens at 301 Exchange Road and the public is invited. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $15. All meetings are at Noon with the food service line opening at 11:45 am.
Additionally, the Farm Bureau Insurance “Player of the Week’ awards were presented for the October 3 and October 10 High School football games and we had a recap from all of the coaches of the local High School teams and Presbyterian College. Lakelands FCA of Laurens County presents a ‘Players Bible’ to each award winner, as well.
On behalf of the Touchdown Club Committee Members, I would like to thank each of you for your support. Congratulations to Player of the Week Logan Bragg of Laurens District High School for games played on Friday, October 10th.
Thanks and Best of Luck to all of our county teams this week.
Gene Simmons, President
Laurens County Touchdown Club
Hello Everyone,
The Laurens County Touchdown Club is proud to announce that for games played on Friday, October 3rd, the Player of the week is Laurens Academy H-back and linebacker Caleb Hardy.
Caleb is a junior multiple position player for the Laurens Academy Crusaders and lead the Crusaders on offense and defense Friday night in their 36 – 14 win against Wardlaw Academy for homecoming.
Caleb Hardy had an outstanding night for the Crusaders and he lead the offense with 232 yards rushing on 27 carries and 3 touchdowns. Additionally, Hardy scored one 2 pt. conversion and had 4 receptions for 22 yards. On defense Hardy had 9 total tackles, 1 interception, 1 tackle for loss and 3 pass deflections.
Head Coach Jolly Doolittle stated, “Caleb is a relentless competitor who cares about the success of the team. He is willing to do anything for team success. He is generally our first option at attacking another teams defense and the guy we match up on the other teams best weapon.” (LA is now 7-1 this season.)
The Laurens County Touchdown Club will honor Hardy on October 16th at the bi-monthly Touchdown Club meeting. The meeting will be at noon at The Ridge in Laurens with Big Air serving the meal and the food service line opening at 11:45 am. Player of the Week awards will presented in 2025 by Farm Bureau Insurance of Laurens County.
The October 16th meeting will feature highly popular Coach Mike Ayers, former head football coach at Wofford College who guided the Wofford program for 30 years, as our featured speaker.
Coach Ayers won the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the most outstanding FCS Head Coach in the Country during his tenure as well. Additionally, Ayers is a member of the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame as a 2022 inductee.
The Laurens County Touchdown Club meets every other Thursday throughout the football season at The Ridge located in Laurens at 301 Exchange Road and the public is invited. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $15. All meetings are at Noon with the food service line opening at 11:45 am.
Additionally, the Farm Bureau Insurance “Player of the Week’ awards will be presented for the October 3 and October 10 High School football games and we will have a recap from all of the coaches of the local High School teams and Presbyterian College.
On behalf of the Touchdown Club Committee Members, I would like to thank each of you for your support. Congratulations to Player of the Week Caleb Hardy of Laurens Academy for games played on Friday, October 3rd.
Thanks and Best of Luck to all of our county teams this week. - Gene Simmons, President, Laurens County Touchdown Club
