East Mississippi Community College fires longtime head coach Buddy Stephens
footballscoop.com • • sports
Key Points:
- East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) has fired longtime head football coach Buddy Stephens after 18 seasons, with associate head coach Preston Rice named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
- Stephens, who led EMCC to multiple national titles and gained fame through Netflix's Last Chance U, was not mentioned in the official firing announcement, but was reportedly dismissed by athletics director Cade Wilkerson.
- The firing followed Stephens’ public criticism of the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference's new playoff and scheduling changes, which he called "junkified" and disparaged the decision-makers as "idiots."
- EMCC president Scott Alsobrooks condemned Stephens’ remarks as unprofessional and inconsistent with the college’s values, emphasizing the institution’s commitment to respect and civility.
- EMCC began the 2026 season with a win over Southwest Mississippi without Stephens coaching, and will continue the season under interim coach Preston Rice.
