Plez Lawrence still chasing his football dreams
Plez Lawrence’s story begins in Kokomo, Indiana, a city that helped shape both his character and his dreams. “I was born and raised in Kokomo,” Lawrence said proudly. Throughout his life, one constant source of strength has been his mother. “My mom has always been my rock and my biggest supporter,” he explained. Alongside that support has been a deep-rooted faith. “I’m a man of faith. I put God first in everything I do,” he said.
While Lawrence always loved sports, football became serious for him during middle school. “That’s when I knew it was something I could really take far,” he said. Determined to improve, he began training with a coach out of Indianapolis. That experience helped him sharpen the details of his game and pushed him to another level.
By his senior year of high school, Lawrence’s work was paying off in a big way. He rushed for 1,400 yards and scored more than 20 touchdowns, putting together a dominant season. Still, he remains humble about how it happened.
“Honestly, it was just taking advantage of the opportunity I was given,” he said.
As a younger player, he often looked up to others who came before him. “I grew up admiring guys like Armon Bridgeforth and other players like him. They set a bar for me to reach,” he said.
In addition to football, Lawrence was also one of the fastest athletes in the state on the track. He ran a blazing 10.16 in the 100 meters and 21.64 in the 200 meters. Track, he says, shaped him in ways people may not always see.
“Track is like that one love I’ll never get back,” he said. “It teaches you so much about competing and about yourself. It can help you in so many areas of other sports.”
When asked about his speed, Lawrence believes it’s a mix of talent and dedication. “I know I was born with speed,” he said. “But I always believed in working on my craft and getting better.”
After high school, Lawrence continued his career at Indiana State University, where he spent three seasons with the Sycamores and rushed for more than 1,100 yards with nine touchdowns. The transition from high school to Division I football brought new challenges.
“It’s a grind,” he explained. “College football is so different. A lot of your time is spent preparing to be successful on the field.”
One lesson that stayed with him came when he lost his spot on special teams early in his career. “I remember thinking, ‘Will I ever get a chance again?’” he said. “But I kept going and trusted the process. Things take time.”
This past season brought one of the toughest moments of his career when he suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Montana.
“The game was out of reach, and I thought about subbing out,” he recalls. “But I’d been playing well and getting noticed, and I thought maybe I could just get a few more yards.”
Moments later, the injury happened. “I got hit and fell wrong, and I just knew I had badly sprained my ankle,” he said.
The experience also reminded him of the importance of mental health. “If you’re ever struggling with mental health, please reach out to someone,” he said.
During recovery, Lawrence discovered something important. “It taught me how to love football again,” he said.
Recently, he made the decision to enter the transfer portal and continue his career at North Carolina Central University.
“I felt like my time at Indiana State was coming to a close,” he said. “I wanted the atmosphere of an HBCU and the opportunity to play for a program that’s competing at a championship level.”
For young athletes in Kokomo watching his journey, Lawrence shared a thoughtful message.
“Be careful who you share your dreams with,” he said. “There are a lot of people who don’t think as big as you do.”
His motivation is simple: “When I’m older, I never want to ask myself why I didn’t pursue something I wanted,” he said.
And when his football career eventually ends, Lawrence hopes his legacy will be clear. “I want people to say that I’m a God-fearing man,” he said. “Football is my ministry.”