Damion Willis first heard from Troy when he was still at Southeast Lauderdale High School. 

The former Tigers wide receiver initially opted to sign with East Mississippi Community College out of high school instead of going directly to Troy, but that didn’t stop Trojans coach Neal Brown from pursuing Willis. 

Brown finally got his man, as earlier this month, Willis signed with the Trojans to continue his football career after a successful two-year stint in Scooba. Willis led his team in receiving this past season with 620 yards — 18.2 yards per catch — and six touchdowns, and Willis said he was grateful for the Trojan coaches for still wanting him two years after high school.

“I told him (two years) ago I wanted to go to Scooba, and he already knew,” Willis said. “When he came back (to offer me), I told him it was a no-brainer.”

Willis said he enjoyed his visit to Troy, Ala., during the recruiting process, saying Troy offered the big-school atmosphere of which he wanted to be a part. It also helps the Troy coaches want him to to compete for a starting job next fall.

“That’s what I look forward to doing,” Willis said. “I want to gain a little weight and speed and help contribute to the team right away. He wanted me to come in and be able to start, so I’m going to put in the work to do that.”

Willis doesn’t regret attending EMCC, however, calling it one of the greatest things to ever happen to him.

“It’s made me very humble,” Willis said. “Going the JuCo route will open your eyes really big.”

This past season, EMCC only lost a single game — it’s season opener against Jones County Junior College, when half the team was suspended due to a fight the previous year against Mississippi Delta Community College — en route to an MACJC state championship and a 27-17 win against Kilgore College in the Mississippi Bowl

“It’s been great,” Willis said of playing at EMCC. “I know we didn’t get where we wanted (a national title), but we got to play for state and in a bowl game, so I can say my career there has been great.”

Willis was one of many players suspended due to that fight, and he said the experience was frustrating but did help he and his teammates bond.

“We kept our heads together and became closer as a team,” Willis said. “Coach told us to just stay close as a team, and when we got back to play, we said we wouldn’t lose a game, and we didn’t.”

A lot of attention came to Scooba with the Netflix original series “Last Chance U” filming the EMCC football team, but Willis said it wasn’t too much of a distraction for him personally — except for a funny instance or two.

“When I first got there, they said they would have a camera crew following my teammates,” Willis said. “They didn’t follow me around, so it didn’t affect me. The camera hit me a couple of times, but I wasn’t the main character. I just acted and carried myself the same.”

Now that he has two years at Troy to which he can look forward, Willis said he hasn’t forgotten from where he came, and he hopes to help pave the way for future prospects at Southeast Lauderdale to get attention.

“I talk to my mom all the time, and I’ve always said it’s good that they get good publicity, with me coming from a smaller school that no one really talks about,” Willis said.

If he had any advice for young football prospects, Willis said it’s not to scoff at any offers that come your way.

“Accept all offers,” Willis said. “No one offer is bigger than the other. Getting school paid for is a plus, so don’t be so ready to kick out a little school waiting for a bigger school, because the bigger school may not come.”

Willis is the son of Barbara Willis.