SCOOBA — Football has taught East Mississippi Community College sophomore TyQuan Ulmer many valuable lessons.
Patience is high on that list.
Waiting for his chance to blossom in his first season with the Lions, Ulmer has made the most of an opportunity stemming from starting quarterback Vijay Miller’s injury and found that this was his time to shine.
Ulmer ran for three touchdowns and passed for one more as No. 1 EMCC beat Holmes Community College 56-21 before a capacity crowd assembled on a picture-perfect Homecoming Saturday afternoon at Sullivan-Windham Field.
“This is like a brotherhood,” Ulmer said. “We have a lot of fun here. Just everyday with these guys, it’s been a blessing. Going out there and making plays of course makes it even better.”
With the win, EMCC improved to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in division play. One win in the final two games (home to Coahoma Community College and at Northeast Mississippi Community College) will mean a ninth North Division championship in Buddy Stephens’ 11 seasons as head coach. Those two final opponents are a combined 1-13.
After helping lead Laurel High School to a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) North State championship in 2016, Ulmer caught 25 passes and appeared in six games as a freshman at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 2017.
He is now at EMCC and may be that final ingredient needed for the Lions to repeat as National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national champions.
“TyQuan is going to come up really big for us this season before it’s all said and done,” Stephens said. “He is a sophomore and he has been the league. He just has really good football instincts. For us, it’s like an ace in the hole. Total confidence in him to go out and make plays.”
Ulmer is still listed only as a wide receiver on the EMCC roster. In that department, he has four catches for 41 yards.
Throughout the season, Stephens has also been working Ulmer at quarterback. That decision has paid off after Miller went down with injury in the opening series against East Central Community College.
“When Vijay went down, (new starter Messiah deWeaver) and I talked about it,” Ulmer said. “We knew we had to both step up for the good of the team. It hurts that Vijay went down but that’s what we are here for and that’s why we are a team. Time for new guys to step up and get the job done.”
Stephens has played two quarterbacks most of his time at EMCC. Typically, the offense has been built around a pocket passer and a dual-threat alternative used mainly in short-yardage situations.
The script was flipped this year with Miller — the team’s best running-passing threat — taking over as the starter and the pocket-passer deWeaver serving as the backup.
Now, a little more normalcy has returned with Miller starting and Ulmer handling “change of pace” duties.
“Really like where our offense is right now,” Stephens said. “We have a lot options. There have been some changes with our injuries along the offensive line. Still, it has fallen into place.”
Holmes (3-4, 1-3) fell the rest of the North Division has this season. The Lions had a couple of key stops on defense and another pair of back-breaking special teams plays. Braden Boykin had another punt block, which has become a staple of EMCC victories this season.
A 3-yard run by Deon McIntosh got things going. EMCC then benefited from a bad punt snap on fourth down for Holmes.
The Lions needed two plays before Ulmer plowed in from six yards out for a lightning-quick 14-0 lead.
After Holmes pulled within 28-21 in the early stages of the third quarter, the Lions found another gear.
McIntosh capped a 106-yard night with a 15-yard touchdown run.
“We haven’t lost a Homecoming game since I have been here,” Stephens said. “This is always the big game. All of the former players are back. There is a lot of energy in the stadium. I am just glad we won.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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