East Mississippi Community College announced Monday night that five-time national champion coach Buddy Stephens is no longer with the program and that offensive coordinator Preston Rice will serve as interim head coach, the school said in a social media post by EMCC Athletics. The post gave no reason for Stephens’ departure.
EMCC credited Stephens with turning a struggling program into an NJCAA powerhouse. According to the school, Stephens posted an 84% winning percentage, won nine Mississippi Association of Community College Conference titles and five national championships in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018. EMCC also noted Stephens was a three-time NJCAA Football Coach of the Year and was inducted into the NJCAA Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2024.
The Netflix series “Last Chance U” featured EMCC in its first two seasons, a move the school says brought national attention to the program. EMCC said Rice, who has been offensive coordinator and associate head coach, will take over on an interim basis. The school described Rice as being in his second season with the program and said he first joined EMCC in June 2025, helped the Lions to a MACCC North Division title and later left for a job at Shorter University before returning.
EMCC said the Lions are 1-0 this season after beating Southwest Mississippi Community College in last week’s opener. The school’s schedule lists a game at Hinds Community College on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
