Editor’s Note: The Dispatch on Sunday began a series titled “Pieces of a Dynasty,” which examines the East Mississippi Community College football team’s rise to national prominence. Today, we look into the school’s history of second-chance players.
SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College sophomore defensive back C.J. Reavis admits he had to go to Google to gather some information before signing with the Lions in August.
A four-star high school prospect in Virginia, Reavis enrolled at EMCC the first week of August after playing one season at Virginia Tech. During his freshman season with the Hokies, Reavis appeared in 12 games.
Reavis was dismissed from Virginia Tech on July 9 for a violation of the university conduct policy, according to The Roanoke Times. It has not been made public what policy he violated.
“I really knew nothing at all (about EMCC),” Reavis said. “Never even thought about playing junior college ball. This was a new concept to me. At first, I was hesitant because I didn’t know how it would be. I didn’t think this would be something I wanted to do.”
Reavis isn’t alone. The Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) is full of second-chance players.
As highly recruited high school seniors, these players have some of the biggest celebrations on signing day. Often times, in less than a year, the excitement has faded.
Whether it is a brush with the law or a conflict with coaches or teammates, a lot of players are like Reavis. One day, they hold a scholarship at a Division I program. They next day they are surfing the Internet for information about places like Scooba, Mississippi.
A landing spot
Players transfer for different reasons. Some leave Division I schools in an attempt to find more playing time (Todd Mays, a running back, went from Arkansas State to EMCC to Oklahoma State), while others transfer due to conflicts with coaches (Bo Wallace, a quarterback, went from Arkansas State to EMCC to Ole Miss).
Chad Kelly, a quarterback, had some off-the-field transgressions before and after he enrolled at EMCC. Kelly, who helped lead EMCC to a national title last season, was named Monday as Ole Miss’ starting quarterback.
Last month, EMCC made national news when it enrolled former Florida State quarterback De’Andre Johnson. Johnson, who was removed from the Florida State football program after video surfaced of him punching a female student at a bar, is attending class and counseling with the expectation of joining the program full time in January.
For Reavis, who was Virginia Tech’s projected starter at free safety, his situation didn’t involve criminal action. The Times indicated Virginia Tech coaches had hoped to get him back on the team in time for fall practice. However, the university’s conduct panel thought otherwise.
“I have nothing but respect for all the coaches at Virginia Tech,” Reavis said. “I think they are the best in the country. Coach Shane (Beamer) and (Frank) Beamer — all of them, they mean a lot to me. The coaches took time out to recommend me to EMCC, and that meant a lot to me, too. I have nothing but great memories of my time there. I am sorry it couldn’t work out.”
‘We feel good about what we’re doing’
But EMCC has had great success with these raw talents.
“The second-chance players are important to our association,” EMCC football coach Buddy Stephens said. “We are a forgiving society. Just because a young person makes one mistake does not mean we give up on them…you are always taking a chance with someone who has been in trouble. However, we feel good about what we are doing.
“We feel like we have a system in place to help make them a better football player and person.”
Reavis declined to give specifics about his situation last week after EMCC’s season-opening 69-20 victory against Southwest Mississippi C.C.
Instead, Reavis called the situation “a closed chapter in his life,” but he said the incident was neither football-related nor academic-related.
“There were all kinds of emotions,” Reavis, who started at free safety, said. “I felt sorry for myself. I talked to God and my parents and realized I needed to keep moving forward. (Coming to EMCC) was so last minute. I was about ready to go to (Oklahoma).
“I took a visit (to Oklahoma). When I got home, I had a voice mail from (EMCC coach Jordan Lesley) and he told me (EMCC) had a scholarship for me. He told me to come play a year here and they would help me play anywhere in the nation I wanted to go after that.”
Reavis and top-ranked EMCC face No. 7 Copiah-Lincoln C.C. on Thursday night in Wesson. The non-division game will be huge in the national championship race. With a win, EMCC will match the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) record for consecutive wins at 26. EMCC’s last loss was in a 2012 state playoff game to Co-Lin.
Reavis will be asked to lead the way for EMCC’s defense to excel Thursday night. University of Miami transfer Malik Mayweather, an Olive Branch native, is Reavis’ backup. Sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Jones and sophomore quarterback John Franklin III are at EMCC after playing for Florida State. Sophomore wide receiver and Amory native Dario Robinson transferred from Southeastern Louisiana.
Sophomore offensive lineman James Davis played at Southern Mississippi, while sophomore defensive lineman Aikeem Coleman was first at Central Arkansas.
‘Something special’
Reavis hopes things will work out at EMCC. He started his road to Scooba by returning Lesley’s voice mail. He made the call after spending a couple of hours researching about EMCC and watching highlights of each of the past two national championship teams.
“The biggest thing for me is how many players (EMCC) has sent to Division I programs,” Reavis said. “When I watched the highlights, I saw relentless passion. Coach Lesley is a lot like my former D-coordinator, coach (Bud) Foster. This isn’t a slouch school. A bunch of these players could play (Division I) right away.
“I came here to be a part of something special. This is a legacy.”
Since he is a transfer from a Division I program, Reavis can move back to Division I after one season. Kelly followed a similar path, as he was in Scooba for only one semester.
Reavis enrolled a couple of days before players reported for fall practice. Right away, he knew he made the right choice.
“After coming here, I think this is the best JuCo in the country and these are the best coaches in the country,” Reavis said. “I am glad I made this choice. These guys are great. I love them already.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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