East Mississippi Community College head coach Buddy Stephens added assistants Story and Smitherman to complete his 2026 coaching staff, closing out a rebuild cycle that started after last season's departures. The hires fill the final two positions on a roster that now stands at full strength heading into spring practice.

The moves lock in continuity for a program that sends 15-20 players per year to four-year programs, most to mid-major FBS and upper-tier FCS schools. EMCC's coaching staff turnover typically runs 30-40% annually as assistants jump to Division I roles or regional high schools with better pay. Stephens retains six returning assistants from last year's staff, unusual stability for a junior college operation.

The timing matters for recruiting. EMCC enters the spring transfer window with a full staff in place, allowing position coaches to manage their own pipelines instead of Stephens covering multiple roles. The school brought in 22 mid-year enrollees in January, most from four-year programs looking for immediate playing time or academic resets. Story and Smitherman inherit recruiting territories that need immediate attention: Florida panhandle high schools and Mississippi JUCO transfers who didn't sign in December.

The financial structure hasn't changed. EMCC assistant salaries remain in the $35,000-$45,000 range, funded by a combination of state allocation and the program's Netflix royalty pool from the *Last Chance U* series that ran 2016-2019. The school's athletic department operates on a $2.8 million annual budget, with football accounting for roughly 60% of that figure. Stephens himself earns approximately $85,000 base, supplemented by camp income and speaking fees that likely double that number.

The staff completion also signals scholarship allocation is nearly finished. EMCC carries 85 scholarship players on a full roster, identical to FBS limits despite the school's two-year structure. The program fills roughly 40 spots each recruiting cycle, replacing departures to four-year schools or attrition. Story and Smitherman join with their position groups already at 90% capacity, suggesting minimal roster churn expected between now and fall camp.

Watch whether either assistant brings transfers from previous stops. Story's last known role was at a Mississippi high school; Smitherman's background isn't public yet. If either coached at a four-year program recently, expect 2-3 players to follow within the next 60 days as late additions. Also watch spring practice attendance in April—EMCC typically draws 30-40 FBS and FCS scouts during its April scrimmages, and a stable staff helps showcase players more effectively than a patchwork operation.

The staff is now set. The roster fills in next.