25 Teams in 25 Days: George County Rebels

For the George County football team, the goal is simple: be better than they were a year ago.

The Rebels still have a bad taste in their mouths after winning just three games last season. That disappointment has fueled a summer of improvement — and now, in head coach Kelly Causey’s second year at the helm, George County believes it’s ready to take another step forward.

“It’s on the way up. It was a struggle with last year being a rough year. We still made the playoffs, but it’s on the way up. We’ve bulked up. We did a good job in the weight room. We fed the kids because we started a feeding program trying to get more protein in them, and I think it has paid off. We had a lot of people in the community helping us with it. We’re bigger, faster and stronger, and all those things help you win ball games,” said Head Coach Kelly Causey.

“I feel like we all got stronger over the summer. We’ve all been gaining weight and have been coming together as a team. We’ve built a stronger relationship than we had last year,” said Braylon Fairley.

“I came up here and I’m seeing a lot. I throw a bit more and balls are looking a lot better. I got faster, and I think I’m just overall better than last year,” said Maddox Dunn.

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the Rebels this fall, especially with the emergence of junior quarterback Maddox Dunn. Along with the talented signal-caller, George County returns plenty of experience, with 17 seniors on the roster, including six returning starters on offense and five on defense.

“We’ve got a good offensive line. Every offensive lineman is returning except Bransyn, who was hurt last year, but everyone else started,” said Karson Tolbert.

“For overall depth, we’ve probably got more depth than anywhere and experience at the offensive line. We’ve got a really good O-line and got some guys behind them that have some playing experience also. We’ve got a lot of skill guys. We have some really good players in the secondary, in Braylon Fairley. He’s doing a great job. We’ve got some young guys mixed in. We’re kind of a mixture of some old heads and young guys. We’re starting a lot of sophomores on both sides of the ball, but I think those guys are ready,” said Causey.

“The defensive backs are a position group doing well. We’re really coming together. We’re still getting there and have a lot to work on. We’ve got to fix the little things because those things matter the most,” said Fairley.

“I’m excited about my two slots, Bo Dixon and Rylan Papania. I’ve got Wyatt Spidahl behind me because it’s going to be a lot, and it’s going to take all of us. We’re going to be pretty good, and we’re going to make plays happen,” said Dunn.

And those big plays aren’t the only thing the Rebels will be relying on this season.

If George County truly wants to turn things around, the players know they’ll have to trust the person lined up beside them — a message Causey has emphasized since taking over the program.

“We started using the motto ‘count on me’ last year when Coach Causey came in. It just means you can count on the guy next to you, and the guy next to you can count on you. We trust in each other,” said Tolbert.

“As long as you’ve got everybody’s back, the person next to you, they should do everything they can for you, and you should do the same for them,” said Wyatt Spidahl.

“It’s a motto we’ve had. ‘Count on me’ means you can count on the person next to you that they’re going to do what their job is to do, and I’m going to be here at practice and be at the workouts and do what I’m supposed to do to make the team better. And if we all do that, we’re going to be fine,” said Causey.

Now, as the Rebels continue to count on each other, they’ll be counting on their fans to make the trip for Game One.

George County kicks off its 2026 campaign on the road at Gautier on August 28.