The third season of the popular Netflix documentary, Last Chance U, premiered on the streaming network July 20. The Netflix original series follows around a small town junior college football team that is not a major program and does not get much national attention, documenting the lives of several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues and are on their last chance.
“It’s really not about football, even,” executive producer Joe LaBracio said. “It’s about people who have life stories that you can relate to and who have really fought for what they want to get. It’s a system and a subculture you haven’t seen before. Those stories are universal, and you could expand to other sports and mine those stories as well.”
After a couple seasons of profiling high-profiled recruits at East Mississippi Community College, which has won several NJCAA national titles, the reality series shifted its focus to Independence Community College in Kansas. The Independence CC program was trying to rebound from more than a decade of losses, while facing issues both on and off the field.
During taping of the show in 2017, Independence CC’s roster was loaded with Division I talent from all over the country, including a handful from the Detroit area, such as Ray Buford Jr., Dior Johnson, Tamarion Johnson, and twins Deandre and Varandre. The White twins (Oak Park High) did not finish out the season with the Pirates.
“It was a cool experience and I enjoyed it,” said Tamarion Johnson, who had not watched an episode yet. “You sometimes forget the cameras are there.”
Buford was one of the top football recruits out of Michigan in 2015. ESPN rated the Southfield High standout as a three-star recruit. He committed and signed to the University of Minnesota in the summer of 2014 and played in six games for the Gophers in 2016. He was involved in an alleged sexual assault case during his redshirt freshman season at the University of Minnesota in 2016. Buford was never charged or arrested after two separate investigations by local authorities. He was initially suspended and later recommended for expulsion after an additional investigation by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action at the University of Minnesota.
Buford enrolled at Independence CC for the 2017-2018 season, recording 18 tackles, six pass deflections, and two forced fumbles in 11 games. He is not one of the featured players on Last Chance U but does have cameos throughout the show. He is currently at New Mexico State. He declined to comment for the story.
Dior Johnson played at Southfield High in 2015 and committed to Minnesota with Buford. Johnson was rated a four-star safety by ESPN coming out of high school and originally committed to Wake Forest, before switching his commitment to Minnesota. He was involved in the same alleged sexual assault case with Buford and left the school as well. No charges were brought against him and he was cleared by a school panel. At Independence CC, Johnson played in 11 games, racking up 32 tackles, with three interceptions, six pass deflections, and one fumble return. He signed on to play at Murray State.
Tamarion Johnson attended Minnesota as well with Buford and Johnson but was in the Gophers’ 2016 recruiting class out of Southfield Bradford Academy. He also ended up at Independence CC, after being involved in the same alleged sexual assault case at Minnesota. No charges were brought against him and he was cleared by a school panel. At independence CC, Johnson played in 10 games, had 28 tackles, and one sack. He plans to play another year at Independence CC.
The characters on Last Chance U all ended up at Independence CC for different reasons, whether academically or disciplinary, but at least have the opportunity at a second chance. Going from having top-tier college football programs at your feet, to living in a small town away from your family and trying to get back on another big college campus takes some adjusting. Being on Last Chance U is not just about playing football but learning from life’s lessons. It shows the eternal struggles players have becoming a man and being one.
“This taught me that I have to appreciate everything that I have and to work like I have no tomorrow,” said Tamarion Johnson on his journey from being a Division I recruit to playing JUCO football. “Also, I need to surround myself around people who will make me better.”
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