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Sept. 29, 2017 DENTON – Sophomore Michael Lawrence utilizes a razor-sharp focus when he does what he loves. The Mean Green’s leading receiver through the first third of the season has a passion for hunting and playing football. Both require intense concentration and guile. Lawrence grew up in the small west Texas town of Sweetwater, noted for cotton fields and a bevy of windmills. Not always having a ton of entertainment options at his disposal (the nearest movie theater is in Abilene, roughly 45 minutes away), Lawrence and his friends spend a lot of time hunting. His favorite target? White-tailed deer. The slot receiver says there’s no doubt that he’s the best hunter on the team. There may be a few in the locker room that have something to say about that claim. “You’ve got to have a lot of patience in hunting,” Lawrence said. “There’s a lot of time that it takes to make sure everything is set just right. It’s a lot like practicing for football. When I’m out at the range practicing with my bow, it’s the same as running my routes. It’s about repetition and making sure I’m doing them absolutely right to perfect my craft.” Lawrence is known around the Mean Green’s facility as a technician in route running, so much so that he is nicknamed “The Standard.” He’s hauled in a team-high 16 catches for 243 yards, also a team high, after posting just one for 16 yards as a true freshman. A lot of his growth can be attributed to his relationship with fellow sophomore Mason Fine. Lawrence recalls looking up Fine on Twitter when he learned that Fine was the quarterback coming in as part of the same class. A quick commonality was discovered when Lawrence dug a bit deeper and learned that Fine also came from a small town. That immediately created a level of comfort, and Lawrence felt like the two would click, which they certainly did. Read more: http://www.meangreensports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092917aaa.html