Father instills United States Army Ranger Creed mentality in Lazzaro
Tommy Lazzaro hit a low point in his life at Dodge City Community College in 2015, depressed and without the ability to see an upside in his life.
With God, the Ranger Creed and his father as motivation, Lazzaro pressed on.
Lazzaro grew up with the Ranger Creed, the core values for a member of the United States Army. He still follows it to this day as the starting quarterback for Central Michigan.
The Chippewas are a struggling football team with a 1-6 record. Head coach John Bonamego’s group has already dealt with inexperience, a quarterback change and heartbreaking losses. At the helm is Lazzaro.
But like past situations, the junior is ready to take the words of the creed on the gridiron for Central Michigan’s rivalry game against Western Michigan this weekend.
"The season isn't over," Lazzaro said. "The mission is not complete. I'm not going to leave anyone behind or let anyone give up. The Ranger Creed is the foundation of my life values."
Lazzaro is prepared for the challenge, his first career appearance against the Broncos.
The Ranger Creed says it best – “Surrender is not a Ranger word.”
Encompassed in the Ranger Creed is a call to move further, be faster and fight harder than any other soldier, never fail a comrade, remain mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and to complete the mission even as the lone survivor.
Tom Lazzaro, Tommy’s father, started in the military and eventually took on special operations. He was a member of the United States invasion of Grenada on Oct. 25, 1983. Then, he completed his service as a major in charge of leadership at the Air Force Academy.
Once Tommy was born, Tom began raising his son and teaching the Ranger Creed.
Fresh out of high school, Tommy went to Dodge City Community College in Kansas. He would have preferred Division I, but the offers weren’t there as a senior at Pine Creek High School in Colorado.
“Dad, I want to play D1,” Tommy explained to his father.
“If that’s what you want to do, (Dodge City) is your best route,” Tom recalls responding.
So, Tommy packed his bags and went to small town Dodge City, Kansas. Upon arriving at junior college (JUCO), the quarterback had a culture shock.
Teammates were at Dodge City for a number of reasons – drugs, academics, behavior and lack of exposure. But all had talent and were in town for their own agenda.
Tommy quickly earned the starting job for the Conquistadors, and his father immediately reminded his son of the leadership he once instructed at the Air Force Academy. As a former high school linebacker, Tom could no longer teach Tommy the mechanics of football, so he taught life lessons.
“His leadership was tested,” Tom, 65, said. “We talk a lot about the leadership because that’s where I can help him. He has the Ranger Creed in his room, and that’s how I got him to understand his role as a leader.”
In a heated rivalry battle against Garden City Community College in the second week of the 2015 season, Dodge City pulled out a 40-35 win as Tommy put the team on his back – even though his offensive line struggled to protect him.
Tommy took his shirt off back at the hotel, and he looked to have been flogged by a Roman Centurion from ancient history. His mother nearly cried. After church the following morning, Dodge City head coach Gary Thomas questioned Tommy’s health.
“Dude, how are you doing?” the coach asked.
“Uh, I’m good,” Tommy said in pain.
“I’ve never seen a quarterback take a beating like you did and keep going,” Thomas responded.
In order to continue until the job was finished against Garden City, Tommy relied on something ingrained in him as a child – the Ranger Creed.
Once Tommy got the call regarding the scholarship offer from Bonamego, he recognized something special was happening in his life. He committed and signed to the Chippewas on Dec. 17, 2015.
Then, he hit another speed bump.
Arriving in Mount Pleasant, Tommy understood he would have to sit behind Cooper Rush for his senior year at quarterback for the Chippewas in 2016. What he didn’t know was Bonamego would bring in Shane Morris as a graduate transfer from the University of Michigan for the 2017 season.
In a three-way battle between Tommy, Tony Poljan and Morris, a pulled hamstring ended Tommy’s shot for the starting position. He was eventually cleared to play before injuring it again. Morris secured the job, Poljan was the backup and Tommy took a medical redshirt for the season.
Tommy was devastated.
The quarterback went home for Christmas break, and his father posed a simple question – “What is it you want?”
Tommy responded just as a follower of the Ranger Creed would. He worked out, studied film and began thinking of football as a chess match. He trained himself to prepare mentally for the battle and adjust on the fly.
Once fall camp of 2018 came around, Bonamego named Poljan the starting quarterback early in the process. Tommy questioned his ability to keep going, and he feared he’d never play Division I football.
“I just dealt with it,” Tommy said. “Bad thoughts went through my head. After Tony beat me out to start this year, I was like, ‘Alright.’”
On Sept. 15 against Northern Illinois at Huskie Stadium, Bonamego made a quarterback switch. Unsure of how his teammates would react, Tommy came off the bench in replacement of Poljan with 6:22 left in the third quarter – trailing 21-3.
Scoring a passing and rushing touchdown on back-to-back drives, Tommy nearly led the Chippewas to a comeback victory.
"Scoring that first touchdown and seeing it all come full circle is one of the greatest feelings of my life. It was a dream come true," Tommy said.
Tommy made his first start against Maine on Sept. 22 and etched out a 17-5 victory. He was 7-of-16 for 82 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He added one rushing score.
Tom’s brother, Greg Lazzaro, was at Kelly/Shorts Stadium for the game. Back in the day, he played tight end at Florida State under Bobby Bowden. In 1977, he caught 12 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
Following CMU’s 12-point win in Tommy’s first start, Tom, Greg and the rest of the family took the new starter out to dinner. Tommy moved from his seat to get a little closer to Greg.
“Okay, uncle Greg,” Tommy said, “What did you see? What do I need to work on?”
In order to be a well-trained soldier, or quarterback in this situation, Tommy needed a veteran trainer to help him defeat his opponents on the field of battle, as stated in the Ranger Creed. Knowing the task would only get more difficult, he picked Greg’s brain to learn and grow as a football player.
Through five games played, four as a starter, Tommy has completed 59-of-117 passes for 607 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. He’s added 81 carries for 349 yards and three scores with his legs.
At the same time, Central Michigan’s only win of the season remains against Maine, a school from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Since then, the Chippewas have lost to Michigan State, Buffalo and Ball State.
CMU is 1-6 on the season and 0-3 in Mid-American Conference play heading into a rivalry game against Western Michigan on Oct. 20 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Despite the struggles shown by the underwhelming record, Bonamego has noticed something different in Tommy’s demeanor.
“Lazzaro is competing his tail off,” the fourth-year coach said. “He’s given it everything he’s got. He leaves his heart out there and never gives up.”
What Bonamego is coming to notice in Lazzaro is one thing – the Ranger Creed.
