Buddy Stephens of ‘Last Chance U’ out as East Mississippi Community College football coach

Key Points:

• Buddy Stephens, the five-time national championship-winning coach at East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) and star of Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” has been removed as football coach after 18 seasons.
• EMCC appointed associate head coach and offensive coordinator Preston Rice as interim head coach for the remainder of the season, without specifying a reason for Stephens’ departure.
• The coaching change followed Stephens’ public criticism of EMCC and Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference leadership over recent football schedule and playoff format changes, which he called poorly thought out and labeled the leadership “idiots.”
• EMCC president Scott Alsobrooks condemned Stephens’ remarks as inconsistent with the college’s values and professionalism, emphasizing that personal attacks have no place in college discourse.
• Stephens concluded a highly successful tenure with a 155-31 record, five national championships, nine conference titles, and induction into the NJCAA Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2024; Preston Rice, in his second season at EMCC, now leads the team.