by the Dallas Cowboys in 1970. He was a member of Dallas' Super Bowl V team. In 1999, he was named one of the top 25 collegiate receivers of the 20th Century by "Athlon Magazine". As a track star, he was unparalleled in Alabama prep history. The focus of a national recruiting battle boiled down to Louisiana State University, Alabama, and Tennessee. He landed at Tennessee where he went on to become an NCAA track champion and Southeastern Conference football star. He was an NCAA hurdles champion and was chosen All-SEC by his sophomore year in football. It was at Lanier where the legend began. Young Flowers was an accomplished hurdler – the most successful high school hurdler of his time – owning the fastest times in the nation in the 120-yard and 180-yard hurdles. His father, Richmond Flowers Sr., was the state's attorney general at the time and a bitter political foe of then-popular governor, George C. Wallace. That conflict – and young Richmond's rise to stardom – was later documented in a movie titled "Unconquered." In addition to Starr and Flowers, Johnny Davis (San Francisco 49ers), Reggie Barlow (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Jeno James (Carolina Panthers) have also represented Lanier in Super Bowls; all except James were on winning teams. Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson graduated from Lanier in 2001. Athletics after the Wilson era Coach Bobby Wilson retired after the 1968 season and was replaced by Bill Joiner. One of Coach Joiner's most successful teams was the 1971 team led by future University of Alabama All-State Kicker Bucky Berry, who kicked the game-winning field goal in the Poets' 24–23 upset of Jeff Davis in 1971. The 1972 team was led by future University of Alabama All-SEC running back Johnny Davis. The first African American from Lanier who received an NCAA Division I scholarship, Davis went on to star with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL. Coach Joiner retired from his football coaching duties after the 1973 season. Joiner's replacement was Cliff Little, former head coach at Montgomery Catholic High. Coach Little's 1977 and 1978 teams reached the state semifinals and won the Region 4 Class 4A titles. The overall record for those two teams was an excellent 21–5. The 1977 squad was eliminated by Berry Birmingham (Hoover), and the 1978 team was eliminated by Jeff Davis in a hard-fought 14–6 game. Both Berry and Jeff Davis