The football team at East Mississippi Community College was eliminated from postseason play Friday by the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges.
The ruling came after an onfield brawl during a game Thursday. MACJC stated that the punishment was mandated by the National Junior College Athletic Association rules.
While Friday’s ruling ends EMCC’s bid for a third consecutive national championship — its fourth in five years — we would not be surprised if there are some in the EMCC family, particularly administrators and members of the board of trustees, who are relieved this season is over.
For all of its success on the field, this season has been a nightmare of bad publicity generated by a football program that had previously been a point of pride for the institution.
Thursday’s brawl marked the third development in three months to cast the school in an unfavorable light, events that brought unwanted national attention.
In August, EMCC was embroiled in controversy after it was revealed De’Andre Johnson, who had been kicked off the Florida State football team in July after video showed him punching a woman in the face, had enrolled in EMCC.
EMCC football coach Buddy Stephens announced that the player, who faces a battery charge for the punching incident, would not play for the team this year, but would enroll as a student and could be eligible to play in 2016 under certain conditions. He said in August that Johnson would go through “mandated counseling.”
Earlier this month, Stephens was suspended for two games for his part in a physical altercation with an official during the Lions’ game Sept. 26 at Itawamba C.C.
Thursday’s incident, to borrow a term from another sport, was strike three. The Lions are out.
Questions remain, however.
It is important to note EMCC does not bear full responsibility for the ugly incident that occurred Thursday. In fact, EMCC may not own, pardon the phrase, the lion’s share of the blame. Let the Delta program, its administration, board of trustees, and community deal with its culpability.
The focus for the EMCC administration and its board of trustees should be on its football program and its conduct, not only in relation to this most recent incident, but in the full context of its previous missteps.
It is difficult, maybe even inaccurate, to draw too close a link between the three incidents that have so badly damaged the school’s image over so short a period of time.
When viewed as a whole, it is reasonable to ask if there is a culture within the EMCC football program that allows these sorts of incidents to continue to happen. What kind of football program does EMCC want to have? And at what cost?
There is no question Stephens is an excellent coach if success is measured only in terms of wins and losses. But when the on-the-field success is tainted by questionable choices and bad conduct, it is Stephens who bears responsibility as the head of the program.
It is up to EMCC President Dr. Thomas Huebner Jr. and the school’s Board of Trustees to determine if Stephens is part of the problem or part of the solution.
In either case, changes must be made before the Lions take the field again next fall.
The school’s image and reputation rely on the decisions they will make between now and then.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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