For those who are unfamiliar, or simply living under a rock, today marks the return of the incredibly popular Netflix series Last Chance U. Coming into its fourth season, Last Chance U is a documentary that follows football players that fail in Division 1 and need to rejuvenate their careers in junior colleges. These players have gone through difficult situations such as injuries, bad grades, drugs, or lack of playing opportunities. JUCO gives them another chance at stardom. The audience then gets to witness the eventual rebirth or complete destruction of their football playing careers.
Last Chance U Prior Seasons
The first two seasons of the Netflix special followed the East Mississippi Community College Lions and their quests for national championships in 2015 and 2016. For the next two seasons of the show, Last Chance U moves on to the Independence Community College Pirates. This time documenting their shot at rebuilding the school’s long-suffering football program. They went from giving us the best to the worst of the JUCO program.
The allure of Last Chance U is not only behind the scenes look at how football works in America, but it is the way the series is put together. The audience doesn’t feel like they are watching some polished NFL network documentary. Instead, it is a gritty, realistic look at the NJCAA. The show holds nothing back and gives us an expletive-filled, dramatic look at the sacrifice and toll football has on younger generations. It helps that Last Chance U also introduces a number of eccentric characters like ICC head coach Jason Brown.
The Drama Behind Coach Brown
Brown will be the main focus of the upcoming season. The show is always one year ahead of what has happened, so as viewers we already know that the Pirates finish the year 2-8. Season Four will be about Brown managing his over the top outbursts, and trying to keep a losing team motivated. The new episodes also show the returns of fan-favorite Bobby Bruce and quarterback Malik Henry. Both players are regularly in and out of Coach Brown’s graces.
This season will be especially tumultuous. Over the past year, we have heard about several shocking allegations against coach Brown. He resigned from his position at ICC in February. The resignation came after redshirt freshman Alexandros Alexiou, who is of German descent, tweeted a text he received from Brown. In the said text, Brown referred to Alexiou as “u German f-” and referred to himself as Alexiou’s “new Hitler.”
On top of that, Brown now faces four felony counts of blackmail, four felony counts of identity theft and two misdemeanor counts of false criminal communication for allegedly stealing the identity of a lawyer in an attempt to silence the Chronicle’s story about Alexiou. These issues should all be recorded in what is likely going to be an explosive fourth season.
The way JUCO football works usually means that a lot of our favorite players are one and done. After one season they sign onto more prominent schools at a Division 1 level. Season four will likely introduce us to a new group of students that we can cheer for and wish success upon.
Last Chance U is a heartbreaking, inspiring, and realistic look at the passion of football in America. If this season is anything like the prior three, buckle up and turn off your moral compass. Invite coach Brown and his new band of misfits into your living rooms. Enjoy the sound of the f word coming out of your television set at a mile a minute!
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