SCOOBA — D.J. Law didn’t grasp the concept of perfection when he arrived at East Mississippi Community College.
Now he understands.
“It’s all about perfection,” said Law, a sophomore running back and a native of Haines City, Florida. “We may stop a drill at noon and come back at 9:30 that night and do the same thing. We do everything in this program the right way. We will do something over and over and over until we find perfection. Great is not good enough. It’s perfection.”
For EMCC, the football field has been nothing but perfection of late. The Lions have won 24 straight games, the second longest winning streak in the history of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
EMCC, which has won three of the last four national championships, talked about its quest to become the first NJCAA team to win three straight national titles Monday at its annual Media Day.
“It’s all about championships,” said sophomore wide receiver Sammie Burroughs, a former standout at Aberdeen High School. “Everybody is excited because we have so many great players. The goal is another championship. That is what we have set our mind on.”
EMCC will play host to Southwest Mississippi Community College on Thursday, Aug. 27, at Sullivan-Windham Field. EMCC begins the season ranked No. 1 by the NJCAA. The Lions have been ranked No. 1 or 2 in the past 20 rankings.
“We have some great kids,” EMCC eighth-year coach Buddy Stephens said. “They have the right attitude. We have built the program to the point where we can go anywhere in the state and pretty much get who we want, so a lot of time is spent in the evaluation process. We want players that fit will our style and fit our program. This is not easy.”
Starkville freshman linebacker Alonzo Flowers he noticed the emphasis on hard work on his first day on campus.
“It’s nothing like high school,” Flowers said. “We work incredibly hard. Every day, every practice, every drill. I can’t imagine another team outworking us. You see quickly why the program has been successful. You see why it works the way it does. There are some really great players here.”
Stephens said this might be the youngest team he has had at EMCC. However, the recent success has paved the way for a high talent level.
“We don’t know if we will win the (Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges) North Division or the state championship or another national championship,” Stephens said. “We may go 9-1 and that may be the best this team can do.
“However, there is a tradition and there is an expectation. We are going to work them as hard as we do every year. We are going to help these players reach their potential.”
EMCC could match the nation’s longest winning streak in the second week of the season. That is when EMCC plays No. 7 Copiah-Lincoln C.C. in Wesson. On paper, that matchup should be EMCC’s most difficult game in the quest for a fourth undefeated regular season.
Any extra motivation came when Co-Lin was ranked No. 1 in the Rivals JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 national rankings. EMCC is seventh in that poll.
“Our coaches have mentioned it,” said EMCC freshman defensive back Alex Lipscomb, a former standout at Columbus High. “They have mentioned it more than once.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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