Fans of Middle Tennessee State football who have watched the latest season of Netflix's "Last Chance U" will notice a familiar face featured in one of the early episodes.
MTSU running back Jayy McDonald played at Laney Community College from 2016-18. While he was at MTSU last year during the filming of "Last Chance U" at Laney, McDonald said watching this latest season brought back good memories.
"Junior college is a milestone and prepares you to come to a place like this," McDonald said. "Just seeing where those guys came from and what they overcame throughout the season is similar to what we're doing now in a way just from a different standpoint with the pandemic and everything going on. It was nice to see my team on there."
McDonald was a key fixture on an Eagles team that finished 11-2 and was crowned the 2018 California Community College Athletic Association state champion for the first time in school history. The first episode of this season's "Last Chance U" includes a clip of McDonald being interviewed after that season.
In Laney's 40-35 win over Ventura College in the championship game, McDonald rushed for 217 yards on 38 carries to earn player of the game honors. McDonald finished the year rushing for 10 touchdowns and a team-high 1,313 yards.
McDonald, who finished with 204 yards rushing and a touchdown last season for the Blue Raiders, figures to be a factor in a loaded backfield this season.
While he's still figuring out his role at MTSU, McDonald credits a lot of his success and what he learned from Laney coach John Beam as a major reason he gets to live out his dream of playing Division I college football.
"Coach Beam is real strict," McDonald said. "He's one of those coaches where he's not looking for you to be the perfect person, but he wants you to give a perfect effort. I think that's a big help getting guys out to the next level because at this level you don't have to be perfect, but your effort has to be on cue.
MTSU running back Jayy McDonald played at Laney Community College from 2016-18. While he was at MTSU last year during the filming of "Last Chance U" at Laney, McDonald said watching this latest season brought back good memories.
"Junior college is a milestone and prepares you to come to a place like this," McDonald said. "Just seeing where those guys came from and what they overcame throughout the season is similar to what we're doing now in a way just from a different standpoint with the pandemic and everything going on. It was nice to see my team on there."
McDonald was a key fixture on an Eagles team that finished 11-2 and was crowned the 2018 California Community College Athletic Association state champion for the first time in school history. The first episode of this season's "Last Chance U" includes a clip of McDonald being interviewed after that season.
In Laney's 40-35 win over Ventura College in the championship game, McDonald rushed for 217 yards on 38 carries to earn player of the game honors. McDonald finished the year rushing for 10 touchdowns and a team-high 1,313 yards.
McDonald, who finished with 204 yards rushing and a touchdown last season for the Blue Raiders, figures to be a factor in a loaded backfield this season.
While he's still figuring out his role at MTSU, McDonald credits a lot of his success and what he learned from Laney coach John Beam as a major reason he gets to live out his dream of playing Division I college football.
"Coach Beam is real strict," McDonald said. "He's one of those coaches where he's not looking for you to be the perfect person, but he wants you to give a perfect effort. I think that's a big help getting guys out to the next level because at this level you don't have to be perfect, but your effort has to be on cue.
