LANIER LEGACY: Wilson's dominance led Lanier's success in the 1960s

The Sidney Lanier coaching staff of 1967 included (from left): Bobby Wilson (head coach), Billy Livings, Bill Joiner, Davis Brock and Bubba Lewis. (Photo contributed)

By GRAHAM DUNN

Ed Note: The following is an excerpt from the feature story regarding the end of Sidney Lanier football after the 2023 season. The complete story can be found in this year’s edition of the River Region 2023 Football Guide, which will be released online later this week and next week in printed form.

Former Sidney Lanier quarterback Buddy Hardwich is used to the ribbing he receives from fellow alum Jimmy Lowder regarding the championship team he quarterbacked in 1964.

“He never misses a chance to tell me our championship was mythical,” Hardwich said with a laugh. “I couldn’t argue with him. Because they didn’t start the actual playoffs until a couple of years later.

“To my knowledge, we were the last mythical champions (in Lanier history).”

Hardwich was right since the AHSAA didn’t put the championship playoffs into motion until 1966, but it didn’t take away from the success Lanier enjoyed leading up to it.

Under the direction of Bobby Wilson, Lanier would be the prominent program in the state for many of his 13 years as head coach. The Poets won six state titles in that span, including three straight to end the decade.

Wilson’s reputation as a strict disciplinarian has been debated over the years but Hardwich remembered his coach as being fair-minded, but tough.

“He was the standard,” Hardwich said. “He was rough. Quite a few didn’t care for him. I didn’t have any problems with him. He treated me as fair as he could be. But he was only one of five coaches on that staff and we all had the utmost respect for each of them.”

The coaching staff at that time had names many would remember - Snoozy Jones, Bill Joiner, Billy Livings, Raymond Boykin (and later, Bubba Lewis). Several made a name for themselves in other sports or coaching at other schools. Livings took the Jeff Davis program when it began in 1968 and led it to a state title 10 years later. Joiner led the Lanier basketball team to a state title.

“Each one of those coaches had their place in our success,” Hardwich said. “They did it in other sports, too but, all of them played a large part in our championships.”