After more than four months of celebrating the school’s first national championship, the East Mississippi Community College football team has about four weeks to prepare for its 2012 season opener at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 against Pearl River C.C. at Sullivan-Windham Field in Scooba.
When EMCC returns to the gridiron, it will be in a familiar spot. On Wednesday, the Lions earned the No. 1 spot in the preseason NJCAA Top 20.
“Being nationally ranked in the preseason is a huge advantage,” EMCC fifth-year coach Buddy Stephens said. “You have to take care of your business on the field. However, being given consideration in the preseason means you don’t have to rely on others as much. There is a season to be played, but we consider it an honor to start No. 1.”
EMCC began last season at No. 16, and went on to post its first undefeated regular season in program history and to earn a school-record 12 wins. EMCC entered bowl season at No. 2 and then defeated then-No. 1 Arizona Western College in the El Toro Bowl victory to clinch the national title.
Arizona Western hosted that title match due to its No. 1 ranking. If the roles were reversed this year, EMCC could land the championship game in the Magnolia Bowl, played annually in Biloxi.
Stephens feels his team has the potential to return to the title tilt because he feels the Lions have more speed on both sides of the ball. The biggest offensive challenge will be to replace University of Mississippi signee Bo Wallace, who threw for a nation’s best 4,604 yards and 53 touchdowns last year.
However, sophomore running back Rodriquez Moore, who ran for 1,303 yards and seven touchdowns last season, returns. EMCC also should get a boost from running back Mike Bellamy, a transfer from Clemson University, and wide receiver Nick Brassell, a transfer from the University of Mississippi.
Bellamy appeared in 12 games with the Tigers last season, and rushed for 360 yards and three touchdowns. Brassell also appeared in 12 games for the Rebels. He had 24 receptions for 336 yards and 21 rushes for 133 yards. Brassell was used in a number of ways in Ole Miss’ “Wildcat” formation.
“Every team is going to have different characteristics and a different identity,” Stephens said. “I think our identity will be speed on both sides of the ball. We have a lot of big guys who can run. … Our success will depend mainly on how quickly our offensive and defensive lines come along.
“Team chemistry is a tremendous thing. Our season will depend on how hard we work on our scheme. We recruit talent. If you can play for us, you are very talented. It is whether or not you fit into our scheme character wise.”
No. 2 Butler C.C. (Kansas), No. 3 Arizona Western College, No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., and No. 5 Blinn College (Texas) round out the top five.
No. 6 Hinds C.C. (No. 6) and No. 11 Northwest Mississippi C.C. (No. 11) are the other teams from the state of Mississippi ranked in the preseason poll.
Due to the rotation of the South Division opponents, EMCC won’t play Gulf Coast or Hinds in the regular season. A year ago, EMCC beat both squads in the regular season and again in the state playoffs.
The Lions will begin the season on a 12-game winning streak. EMCC has won eight consecutive division games, and is 22-2 under Stephens in four seasons of division play.
Stephens has carried the program to four straight playoff appearances. Prior to his arrival, EMCC had only one playoff appearance. In the past three seasons, the Lions have won the program’s first two state championships.
“It’s a tremendous honor to become the first team in school history to be ranked No. 1 during the preseason,” Stephens said. “It’s all you can ask for coming off a national championship season, so we’ll just try to do what we have to do in order to best represent the No. 1 ranking.”
JCGridiron.com ranks EMCC fourth in its preseason Dirty 30 national poll. Mt. San Antonio Community College (California) is No. 1 in that poll, while Hinds C.C. (No. 9), Gulf Coast (No. 15), Holmes C.C. (No. 24), and Itawamba C.C. (No. 27) also are ranked.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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