Hickman’s offense has chemistry that you just can’t teach

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

Since Missouri's high school football season started on August 28, there have been three players making their names known on Hickman's offense: wide receiver Devin Turner, quarterback T.J. Tuner, and wide receiver L.J. Williams.

Fans and coaches alike said it is easy to see their bond on and off the field.

It's pretty obvious why their chemistry is so strong when you consider that these three grew up together, in fact, they're all cousins.

“We would go over to each other’s houses and play tackle football, even though we weren’t supposed to. That’s just always what we did," Williams said.

The trio has been around Hickman High School for a while now and head coach Cedric Alvis said it's easy to see their impact.

"It's hard to sum up in words, to be honest with you, just because of what they mean," he said. "You look at Devin and, as a senior, he's done everything I want him to do. He's shown up to everything, he busts his butt in the weight room and has a 3.9 GPA. He's getting recruited by Washington and T.J. and L.J. are not too far behind. But, Devin has kind of set that standard and he's an example for my program."

It's also easy to see what more than 15 years of playing football together has done for them on the field. They said that it gives them a competitive edge.

"With all the other receivers it's kind of different, because Devin is the fastest," T.J. said. "L.J. is slightly behind him, but Devin is the quickest. It's just knowing both of them how fast they are."

Alvis said that the trio just has an ability to know where the other is going to be at any moment. He added that that bond is something coaches dream of.

"If you think about it, that's the luxury of some of the programs we face. Their kids have been playing together since they were knee-high to the tree," he said. "You can't teach confidence and chemistry. If I only have you for three years and two of those are varsity, it's tough to build that."

But, part of that confidence and chemistry is the competitiveness that the cousins bring out amongst each other.

“We talk stuff a lot, a lot. Sometimes it just gets overwhelmed and we stop talking for a couple days,' T.J. said.

“But it’s just all love, cousin love, that’s how everything happens," said Williams.

Alvis said he and the other coaches are well-aware of the rivalry that lives in the three of them and they use it.

"As coaches, I would lie to you if I told you that we didn't try to play off of that," he said. "If Devin makes a hell of a catch, of course I'm going to yell great job Devin and make sure that L.J. hears me. I make sure that he hears that I'm complimenting Devin and not him. All of them want to be the best player on the field at all times."

Overall, all three said that they know playing with family every day and every Friday night is something not a lot of people can say that they've done.

But, they also know those moments are running are short, as Devin is playing his last season in a Kewpies jersey.

“It’s his senior year so, I’m going to try and ball out for him," T.J. said.

T.J. and L.J. said the they want to make his last season count, especially after the example he set for them all these years.

"You can just see it in their eyes," Alvis said. "If L.J. misses a block for Devin or if T.J. overthrows Devin or something like that, just the pain in their eyes because it's not like they let me down. It's, I let my family down."

Devin's exit will not be the end of the family's time at Hickman High School, but it will be the end of something they've known for years: playing together, as a trio.

"It means a lot, being able to be out here every practice and spend time with them and I'm going to be sad to leave them," Devin said.