JCJC prepares for East Mississippi

ELLISVILLE, Miss. - The Jones County Junior College (JCJC) football team had its media day Tuesday.

Last year, head coach Steve Buckley coached his first year at JCJC and helped guide the Bobcats to a (6-3) record. And with this being his second year, he feels confident that his team can improve and be one of the top teams in the league.

"Just being together for a year, I think you understand each other from a communication standpoint. Players know coaches. Coaches know players now. So I think that's the main thing you take out of it. So the results will be up to the players here soon," said Buckley.

Former South Jones running back, Scott Phillips is entering his second season with JCJC, and has verbally committed to play for Ole Miss.

"Hard work pays off. I go out every day, compete hard with my teammates, and just get better," said Phillips.

The Bobcats are just a few weeks away from their first game of the season against national powerhouse, East Mississippi Community College (EMCC). Coach Buckley wants his players mentally prepared for not only that game, but the season as well.

"Our goal is very simple: one game at a time. Right now, it's one week at a time, one day at a time. So we're trying to go in camp mode right now. We want to get the pads on in a couple of days. I think that you're going to see an improved JCJC football team. I think this is a tough league. You're not going to out-coach people in this league. You better out-recruit them because everybody in this league can coach," said Buckley.

JCJC beat EMCC at home last year. This year, the Bobcats will be traveling to Scooba to take on EMCC on August 31 where they are hoping to beat them for the second year in a row.