38.8 F
Oxford

Newly-Released Netflix Documentary ‘Last Chance U’ Features EMCC

Newly-released Netflix’s documentary Last Chance U documents the entire 2015 football season at East Mississippi Community College from the opening contest against Southwest Mississippi Community College to the season-ending brawl against Mississippi Delta.

The documentary focuses on the students that have come to the junior college in Scooba and their path to becoming senior college eligible. It especially focuses on players such as John Franklin III, Ronald Ollie, Wyatt Roberts and D.J. Law.

Franklin was a transfer from Florida State who didn’t see much playing time at quarterback for the ‘Noles. Franklin spent much of the season at Scooba as the backup quarterback, but was offered a full scholarship by Auburn and will compete for the job this season with Sean White and Jeremy Johnson.

Ollie was one of the most interesting stories of the documentary. It shows how much he needs football, and how much the young man had gone through. Ollie lost his parents at an early age and had battled throughout his highs school years at Wayne County to get a scholarship. The documentary follows Ollie throughout the season and shows you the inner side of him. Ollie eventually signs a scholarship with Nichols State in Louisiana.

Wyatt Roberts was the starting quarterback for EMCC last year. Roberts started off the year in competition with Franklin III but he eventually took over the full-time reigns of the offense. Roberts, a Louisville native, decided to forego his football career after the season and just attend Mississippi State as a student.

D.J. Law signed with Ole Miss out of high school but didn’t have the grades to immediately attend a division one college. Law wound up in Scooba, where he was the running back for two years. The documentary details his academic struggles and how he was struggling to get division one eligible. Law eventually signed an NOI to play at UAB pending his graduation this summer.

The documentary also does a great job in showing Brittany Wager, an athletic academic advisor, and how she gets the young athletes to be eligible for transfers to universities. In the documentary, one can see her tracking down kids at their dorm rooms or wherever they may be to make sure they attend the classes.

The documentary does well in humanizing the athletes as it shows that at the end of the day these are still extremely young men and aren’t just recruits for certain colleges.

It gives you an inside look at EMCC’s football head coach Buddy Stephens and how he runs the program that has won so many championships over the past few years. The Rebels have benefited greatly from East Mississippi Community College as its last two starting quarterbacks each won national championships in Scooba: Chad Kelly and Bo Wallace.

To learn how this documentary came to be, check out the Q&A with Greg Whiteley, the director of Last Chance U.

Q&A with Greg Whiteley, director of Last Chance U

HottyToddy.com: How did you hear about EMCC?

Greg Whiteley: By a guy named Drew Jubera who appeared in GQ Magazine and that’s how we heard about it. The article was so entertaining and their coach Buddy Stevens is so colorful and interesting that you can just imagine having a series in which he was one of the lead characters.

HottyToddy.com: What part of the documentary is your favorite?

Greg Whiteley: I don’t know if there is one part… The whole season (from) episode one to episode six works as a very pleasing story art. I’m excited for audiences to go on this journey for this entire football season that’s completely shot from a perspective that’s unprecedented. Nobody has ever had this kind of access – kind of a front row seat into what we believe to be is a pretty remarkable season.

HottyToddy.com: What were your interactions like with current Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly?

Greg Whiteley: He was terrific while at EMCC and his shadow was large while we where there filming. We filmed, of course, the year after Chad had left. He is one of those success stories that you will hear at a place like East Mississippi. Chad had a troubled past and then comes to East Mississippi and turns his life around and wins a national championship and then is offered ultimately the starting job at Ole Miss. So we were thrilled we were granted access to interview him in his spotlight and what was like and he was very responsive.

HottyToddy.com: How long did it take to film?

Greg Whiteley: It took from August until November so four or four and half months to film.

HottyToddy.com:: What do you hope the audience will take away from this documentary?

Greg Whiteley: We try and remain agnostic. We show up and try to be a fly on the wall and technically document what is in front of us so whatever message the audience gets from it. We try and leave it up to them. I’m not sure that I have any particular thing that I want the audience to get from it. I want them to keep watching more stuff that we produce.


Collin Brister is a staff writer for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at collin.brister@hottytoddy.com. Adam Brown is the sports editor for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com. Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.

Follow HottyToddy.com on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…

Most Popular

Recent Comments

scamasdscamith on News Watch Ole Miss
Frances Phillips on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Grace Hudditon on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Millie Johnston on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Binary options + Bitcoin = $ 1643 per week: https://8000-usd-per-day.blogspot.com.tr?b=46 on Beta Upsilon Chi: A Christian Brotherhood
Jay Mitchell on Reflections: The Square
Terry Wilcox SFCV USA RET on Oxford's Five Guys Announces Opening Date
Stephanie on Throwback Summer
organized religion is mans downfall on VP of Palmer Home Devotes Life to Finding Homes for Children
Paige Williams on Boyer: Best 10 Books of 2018
Keith mansel on Cleveland On Medgar Evans
Debbie Nader McManus on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: The Last of His Kind
Richard Burns on A William Faulkner Sighting
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Ruby Begonia on Family Catching Rebel Fever
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
jeff the busy eater on Cooking With Kimme: Baked Brie
Travis Yarborough on Reflections: The Square
BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH on Oxford is About to Receive a Sweet Treat
baby travel systems australia on Heaton: 8 Southern Ways to Heckle in SEC Baseball
Rajka Radenkovich on Eating Oxford: Restaurant Watch
Richard Burns on Reflections: The Square
Guillermo Perez Arguello on Mississippi Quote Of The Day
A Friend with a Heavy Heart on Remembering Dr. Stacy Davidson
Harold M. "Hal" Frost, Ph.D. on UM Physical Acoustics Research Center Turns 30
Educated Citizen on Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
Debbie Crenshaw on Trump’s Tough Road Ahead
Treadway Strickland on Wicker Looks Ahead to New Congress
Tony Ryals on parking
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
C. Scott Fischer on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Sylvia Williams on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Will Patterson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Rick Henderson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
George L Price on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
on
Morgan Shands on Cleveland: On Ed Reed
Richard McGraw on Cleveland: On Cissye Gallagher
Branan Southerland on Gameday RV Parking at HottyToddy.com
Tom and Randa Baddley on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
26 years and continuously learning on Ole Miss Puts History In Context With Plaque
a Paterson on Beyond Barton v. Barnett
Phil Higginbotham on ‘Unpublished’ by Shane Brown
Bettina Willie@www.yahoo.com.102Martinez St.Batesville,Ms.38606 on Bomb Threat: South Panola High School Evacuated This Morning
Anita M Fellenz, (Emilly Hoffman's CA grandmother on Ole Miss Spirit Groups Rank High in National Finals
Marilyn Moore Hughes on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
Jaqundacotten@gmail williams on HottyToddy Hometown: Hollandale, Mississippi
Finney moore on Can Ole Miss Grow Too Big?
diane faulkner cawlley on Oxford’s Olden Days: Miss Annie’s Yard
Phil Higginbotham on ‘November 24’ by Shane Brown
Maralyn Bullion on Neely-Dorsey: Hog Killing Time
Beth Carr on A Letter To Mom
Becky on A Letter To Mom
Marilyn Tinnnin on A Letter To Mom
Roger ulmer on UM Takes Down State Flag
Chris Pool on UM Takes Down State Flag
TampaRebel on UM Takes Down State Flag
david smith on UM Takes Down State Flag
Boyd Harris on UM Takes Down State Flag
Jim (Herc @ UM) on Cleveland: Fall Vacations
Robert Hollingsworth on Rebels on the Road: Memphis Eateries
David McCullough on Shepard Leaves Ole Miss Football
Gayle G. Henry on Meet Your 2015 Miss Ole Miss
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Neely-Dorsey: Elvis Presley’s Big Homecoming
Jennifer Mooneyham on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Wes McIngvale on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
BARRY MCCAMMON on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
Laughing out Loud on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Dr.Bill Priester on Cleveland: On Bob Priester
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
paulette holmes langbecker on Cofield on Oxford – Rising Ole Miss Rookie
Ruth Shipp Yarbrough on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Karllen Smith on ‘Rilee’ by Shane Brown
Jean Baker Pinion on ‘The Cool Pad’ by Shane Brown
Janet Hollingsworth (Cavanaugh) on John Cofield on Oxford: A Beacon
Proud Mississippi Voter on Gunn Calls for Change in Mississippi Flag
Deloris Brown-Thompson on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Sue Ellen Parker Stubbs on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Karen fowler on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Don't Go to Law School on Four Legal Rebels Rising in the Real World
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
Joanne and Mark Wilkinson on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Mary Ellen (Dring) Gamble on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Cyndy Carroll on Filming it Up in Mississippi
Dottie Dewberry on Top 10 Secret Southern Sayings
Brother Everett Childers on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Mark McElreath on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Bill Wilkes, UM '57, '58, '63 on A Letter from Chancellor Dan Jones
Sandra Caffey Neal on Mississippi Has Proud Irish Heritage
Teresa Enyeart, and Terry Enyeat on Death of Ole Miss Grad, U.S. Vet Stuns Rebel Nation
P. D. Fyke on Wells: Steelhead Run
Johnny Neumann on Freeze Staying with Rebels
Maralyn Bullion on On Cooking Southern: Chess Pie
Kaye Bryant on Henry: E. for Congress
charles Eichorn on Hotty Tamales, Gosh Almighty
Jack of All Trades on Roll Over Bear Bryant
w nadler on Roll Over Bear Bryant
Stacey Berryhill on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
John Appleton on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Charlotte Lamb on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Two True Mississippi Icons
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Jeanette Berryhill Wells on HottyToddy Hometown: Senatobia, Mississippi
Tire of the same ole news on 3 "Must Eat" Breakfast Spots in Oxford
gonna be a rebelution on Walking Rebel Fans Back Off the Ledge
Nora Jaccaud on Rickshaws in Oxford
Martha Marshall on Educating the Delta — Or Not
Nita McVeigh on 'I'm So Oxford' Goes Viral
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on How a Visit to the Magnolia State Can Inspire You
Charlie Fowler Jr. on Prawns? In the Mississippi Delta?
Martha Marshall on A Salute to 37 Years of Sparky
Sylvia Hartness Williams on Oxford Approves Diversity Resolution
Jerry Greenfield on Wine Tip: Problem Corks
Cheryl Obrentz on I Won the Lottery! Now What?
Bnogas on Food for the Soul
Barbeque Memphis on History of Tennessee Barbecue
Josephine Bass on The Delta and the Civil War
Nicolas Morrison on The Walking Man
Pete Williams on Blog: MPACT’s Future
Laurie Triplette on On Cooking Southern: Fall Veggies
Harvey Faust on The Kream Kup of the Krop
StarReb on The Hoka
Scott Whodatty Keetereaux Keet on Hip Hop — Yo or No, What’s Your Call
Johnathan Doeman on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
Andy McWilliams on The Warden & The Chief
Kathryn McElroy on Think Like A Writer
Claire Duff Sullivan on Alert Dogs Give Diabetics Peace of Mind
Jesse Yancy on The Hoka
Jennifer Thompson Walker on Ole Miss, Gameday From The Eyes of a Freshman
HottyToddy.com