25 Teams in 25 Days: George County Rebels

For the second year in a row, George County is home to the top high school football recruit from the six coastal counties.

- for the second year in a row...- george county is home to the to- high school football recruit...- from the six coastal- counties.

- george county is also home to - stop number 5, on news 25's 25- teams in 25 days... where the - rebels pass one baton from mc-- kinnley jackson, to m-j - daniels... and the other... fro- former- head coach matt caldwell... to- his successor james ray.- - 25 teams in 25 days... brought- to you by gulf coast business - supply... your source for - covid-19 supplies and all of- your sanitation needs.- nat ---> "one-on-one routes dow- there!

One-on-one routes down - there!"

- "i was a head coach prior to- coming here, too those four - years off and it was fun for- four years to say that's a coac- caldwell question.

And now i'm- finding out that i've got - to answer those questions."

- 26 years of coaching- experience... and finally...- james - ray's first head coaching job,- at the 6-a level... where most- of- those questions do have - answers... in the form of four-- star recruits.- "well, i've never been in a - program that had back-to-back - dandy dozens, back-to-back- sec guys in mckinnley last year- and m.j.

This year.

He can- dominate a game - and that's good as a head coach- to know that not every call - you've got to be- perfect on, that this guy can - make plays even if something ba- happens."

- "i mean being back there at - quarterback with all the skill- guys we have, we have a - lot of speed on the outside, a- lot of speed in the backfield.

- mean if i don't get it, - somebody is going to get it.- we're going to put it in the en- zone."- division i confidence to go - along with a boat load of - division i offers... which m-j- daniels just narrowed down to a- top 6...- less than a month ago.- despite de-committing from ole- miss, on june 1st... the rebels- still make the list... as well- as georgia... texas a&m...- tennessee... indiana... and - minnesota.- "i'm getting less and less call- every day so hey, that's a- blessing for me."

- daniels says he was getting up- to 20 calls per day, prior to - his - first cut... mostly from- - - - scouts... but also from an old- friend.

- "we talk just about every night- he's just always telling me - don't get the big head and- like i say, you've got to take- care of business here before yo- go and do your future."

- now a true freshman at texas- a&m... mc-kinnley jackson - would know a little something - - - - about being the man of the hour- at george county... and yet - still putting the team first...- coming just one point away from- winning a playoff game, in- 20-19...- which hasn't happened in- - - - lucedale, since the program's - run... to the 5-a state - championship game... all the- way back, in 2007.- "mckinnley is gone.

But george- county is still here, and we- aren't going- anywhere."- "i think people think since we- lost mckinnley jackson that's - going to be like- oh, our defense is not going to- be good.

But we just have to- show them."

- "i want to be a part of that- team, that team that says that.- and we can't replace- mckinnley.

He's a generational- type player.

It'll take three - guys to do what he's- done.

But our guys don't back - down from it."- overall... the rebels return 21- seniors... for a 20-20 season - starting september 4th, at- pascagoula.

- their big thing this year, is - e+r=o... which applies to - anything, from adversity on the- field... to a global- pandemic... and everything in - between.- "e+r=o which is event plus- response equals outcome.

We're- down at - halftime.

What are you going to- do?

Are you going to quit?

Or - are you going to go - harder?"- "can't control the event.

Can't- control that we lost our first- two ball games- because of covid.

Can't control- if it rains that day or if the- field is not in great shape.- we can't control any of those - things.

I can't control if a- player comes in here and his- girlfriend broke up with him.

- but i can control my response t- that and those players can- control their response to that.- and that response should get yo- the outcome that- - - - you're looking for."- - as a part of the region 3 field- that's produced six out of the- last nine 6-a state champions..- the rebels lose two - big home games to start the - season against west jones, on - august 21st... and greene - county... which is now a- scrimmage... on - august 28th.- however... george county has- since picked up d'iberville at- home, to fill some of that- void... on september 18th.- and speaking of the warriors...- they just so happen to be - stop number 6... tomorrow night- - the