ROCHELLE, Ga. (WALB) – When the season kicks off Friday August 15, 2025 the Wilcox County Patriots will have a new voice leading the way. Out is Rob Stowe, enter longtime Patriots baseball coach Stephen McDuffie.
“Family. It’s a family here. We’re one of those small towns when you play football you shut the town down and everybody goes and so it’s a family oriented program I like that. I like that these kids we know most of their families. We played ball with their dads, their uncles, their brothers or whatever,” said McDuffie.
They’re keeping it in the family in Rochelle. After six-year head coach Rob Stowe’s departure, former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Stephen McDuffie has taken the reigns of the Patriots football program.
From the staff to the players one things coach prides this collective on is bleeding blue and gold.
“We’ve got 11 coaches from middle school to high school on staff and only one of those guys didn’t go to school here and play here. The other ten did so we know how much it means here.”
This isn’t McDuffie’s first rodeo as head coach. He served as the head baseball coach for the past 11 seasons, leading the Pats to the title game this past season.
“We’ve got five guys that played on the baseball team that competed for the state championship this year and I talked to those guys. These guys have been around winning a lot. Coach Stowe did a great job of building the culture here and discipline and winning. And so winning that’s a hard thing to teach.”
Stepping away from such a talented group wasn’t an easy decision, but with the winning culture already established, that allows coach to focus on making an even greater impact on this team.
“It’s an opportunity that I wanted to take. God opened the door and I wanted to take it and step foot in it. Not just to benefit the football program but to be a better part of more kids lives and to reach them and help them in their lives.”
Coach McDuffie and the pats will get the ball rolling this Friday at Emanuel County Institute.
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