By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — It was sort of a mixed bag of results for George County on the football field last season under new head coach Kelly Causey.

After all, the Rebels won just three games total, which marked the first losing season in three years.

But, GCHS did manage to extend their South State playoff streak to three straight years by finishing as the fourth seed in Region 3-6A, even after losing one of the most talented senior groups in recent program history from the year before.

So, Causey, who is in his fifth head coaching role over the past 27 years, including four different stops in the “Southern Six”, now has his sights set on improving on that 3-8 record from last year as his Rebels get ready to kick off yet another campaign.

“The first year is always a transition for everyone,” Causey said, in a recent interview. “I got the job late, and when you have a new philosophy it takes a little time to get used to that. But I think this year is gonna be better for us. The kids have worked hard, we’re bigger, faster and stronger, and all those things help you win ball games.”

Causey and his squad will have a new quarterback this season, after Maddox Dunn transferred over from East Central. He took the bulk of the snaps for the Hornets last season, and finished up accounting for over 2,200 yards of total offense and 20 total touchdowns.

Included in that total was an impressive 1,432 yards rushing with eight games in which he eclipsed the 100-yard plateau. That rushing total was one of the top marks in the state for Class 5A signal-callers.

Dunn will be at the controls of the new “Flexbone” scheme and will be joined in the backfield by former Rebel starting quarterback turned fullback in Wyatt Spidahl. He started all 11 games for the Rebels last year as QB1.

George County will have to figure out a way to replace tailback Branden Gautier, who ran for over 1,000 yards as a senior last season.

But Causey thinks the play of a very experienced offensive line, a unit that he calls perhaps “the strongest on the team”, to off set the loss of the bell cow runner as up front GCCHS has four starters back plus Rance Brown, who missed all of last season with an injury.

On defense, the top prospect to play one day on the next level leads the way as Braylon Fairley returns to patrol the secondary. The physical Fairley leads a defensive group that will also look to linebacker Jerepatrick Bolton and lineman C.J. Browder, among others, for key contributions as well.

And, the Rebels also possess one of the more effective special teams weapons in the “Southern Six” in place kicker Layton Fryfogle. Last year, he had 13 touch backs on kick offs last season and was 5-for-7 on field goals and converted 19-of-20 extra point attempts.

“I think the kids are buying into what we are doing,” Causey concluded. “We’re going to be more physical and have a different look on offense. I believe we’re gonna take some big steps and surprise some people this year.”

The Rebels kick off the new season on the road against Gautier on Fri., Aug. 28th.