Head Coach: Drew Causey
2025 Record: 9-4 (4-1 Region 3-7A)
Classification: MHSAA Class 7A
First Game: Aug. 21 vs. Gulfport
Some high school football programs enter a new season hoping to discover whether they have enough talent to compete.
Oak Grove already knows. The Warriors enter the 2026 season with one of the most talented offensive cores in Mississippi, a proven quarterback, a powerful senior running back and an offensive tackle committed to one of the premier programs in college football.
That does not mean Drew Causey’s team is without questions.
Oak Grove graduated an experienced senior class that included several productive skill players and a large group of linemen and defenders. Six Warriors signed with Mississippi junior colleges in February, while do-everything playmaker Chavel Williams Jr. signed with Arkansas State.
Still, the Warriors have enough returning firepower to begin the season ranked among Mississippi’s leading Class 7A championship contenders.
Three-star quarterback Kellen Hall returns after throwing for more than 2,700 yards and 34 touchdowns. Senior running back Roman Causey gives Oak Grove an experienced physical presence in the backfield. K.J. Roberts returns after emerging as one of Hall’s most dangerous receiving targets, while massive Georgia commitment D.J. Dotson anchors the offensive line.
Oak Grove will not enter 2026 searching for an identity. The Warriors know exactly what they want to be.
The question is whether this talented senior class can take Oak Grove back to the final weekend of the season.
Kellen Hall Returns to Lead the Offense
Oak Grove’s greatest reason for optimism begins at quarterback.
Kellen Hall enters his senior season after developing into one of Mississippi’s most productive passers in 2025. Hall completed 202 of 315 passes for 2,709 yards, 34 touchdowns and only four interceptions while leading the Warriors to nine victories.
Hall completed better than 64 percent of his passes and protected the football throughout the season. He also rushed for 189 yards and a touchdown, giving Oak Grove another option when plays broke down.
The experience gained during last season’s difficult opening stretch could prove valuable. Hall faced talented defenses, played in rivalry games, helped Oak Grove win a region championship and started two Class 7A playoff contests. He will enter 2026 having already experienced nearly every situation a quarterback can face.
Hall committed to Old Dominion during the offseason, giving the Warriors a Division I quarterback leading an offense loaded with experience.
Oak Grove will likely give Hall plenty of freedom to attack defenses vertically, distribute the football to several receivers and make adjustments before the snap. He does not have to carry the offense alone. But if the Warriors are going to make a deep postseason run, Hall will almost certainly be at the center of it.
Roman Causey Gives the Warriors a Physical Running Game
While Hall commands attention through the air, senior running back Roman Causey gives Oak Grove balance. Causey led the Warriors in rushing during the 2025 season, averaging approximately 85 yards per game and scoring 12 total touchdowns. He developed into a physical runner capable of gaining difficult yards between the tackles while also possessing enough speed to create explosive plays.
Oak Grove leaned on Causey during several important moments last season. He rushed for 116 yards against Hattiesburg and became one of the central figures in an offense that averaged approximately 37 points per game through the first half of the season. Causey’s importance will increase following the graduation of Chavel Williams Jr. and Martez Blackwell.
The senior should receive plenty of help from a talented offensive line.
If Oak Grove can consistently establish the running game, opposing defenses will face a difficult choice. They can commit additional defenders to slowing Causey or remain spread out against Hall and Oak Grove’s passing attack.
D.J. Dotson Anchors a Massive Offensive Line
Quarterbacks and running backs usually receive most of the attention, but Oak Grove’s most physically imposing player lines up at offensive tackle.
D.J. Dotson enters his senior season listed around 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds. The three-star prospect committed to Georgia in May after attracting offers from programs including LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and Nebraska. Dotson gives Oak Grove an enormous presence on Hall’s blind side.
His combination of length, size and athletic potential makes him one of the most highly regarded offensive linemen in Mississippi’s 2027 recruiting class. More importantly for Oak Grove, he gives the Warriors a proven tackle capable of protecting their quarterback and opening running lanes for Causey.
The Warriors must replace several members of last season’s offensive line, including Edward Ruffin, Caleb Jones and other seniors who contributed in the trenches.
That makes Dotson’s leadership especially important.
Oak Grove will likely work younger linemen into the lineup during the early portion of the schedule. Having a future SEC tackle anchoring one side of the formation should make that transition considerably easier.
K.J. Roberts Becomes the Featured Receiver
Oak Grove graduated one of its most versatile offensive players when Chavel Williams Jr. signed with Arkansas State.
Williams finished second on the team in rushing yards per game and scored 10 total touchdowns. He could line up at running back or receiver, contribute in the secondary and impact the game on special teams.
Replacing that versatility will require multiple players. Kendrell “K.J.” Roberts Jr. appears ready to become Hall’s primary receiving target.
Roberts scored nine touchdowns during the 2025 season and produced one of his best performances against Hattiesburg, finishing with 112 receiving yards in the 48-7 victory.
He enters his senior season with an established connection with Hall and the ability to stretch the field. Oak Grove will also look for contributions from senior athlete Brian Brown Jr., junior running back Kayden Toney and a collection of younger receivers who gained experience behind Williams, Roberts and DeAvious Weary.
The Warriors may not have one player who can duplicate everything Williams provided.
They may not need one.
Hall’s experience should allow Oak Grove to spread the production among several playmakers.
The Defense Must Replace an Experienced Senior Group
Most of Oak Grove’s nationally recognized talent is located on offense, but the defense played a major role in the Warriors’ 2025 turnaround.
After allowing 91 combined points in the first two games, Oak Grove’s defense held Hattiesburg, Neville and Laurel to a combined 17 points. The Warriors later limited Brandon to seven points during the regular season and Pearl to seven in the region championship-clinching victory.
Several important members of that unit have now graduated. The returning roster includes senior linebacker Kaden Knight and senior defensive back Drelin Warner. Their experience will be especially valuable while younger players settle into larger roles.
Oak Grove’s defense does not necessarily have to dominate every opponent. With Hall, Causey, Roberts and Dotson leading the offense, the Warriors should score plenty of points. The defense must prevent explosive plays, create turnovers and give the offense enough opportunities to take control.
Five Games to Watch
Aug. 21 – Gulfport
Oak Grove begins the season against another program with Class 7A championship expectations. The opener should provide an immediate test for the Warriors’ rebuilt defense and offensive line.
Aug. 28 – at Starkville
Starkville defeated Oak Grove 57-54 in a shootout to open the 2025 regular season. Hall and the Warriors will have an early opportunity to avenge one of last season’s most painful losses.
Sept. 11 – Hattiesburg
The Battle of the Burg returns to Oak Grove. Oak Grove dominated last season’s meeting 48-7, but rivalry games rarely remain one-sided for long.
Oct. 9 – at Petal
Petal ended Oak Grove’s four-game winning streak last season and defeated the Warriors for the first time since 2019. This game could again carry major Region 3-7A implications.
Oct. 23 – at Brandon
Oak Grove defeated Brandon during the 2025 regular season before the Bulldogs ended the Warriors’ season in overtime. The rematch should be one of the most anticipated games on the Class 7A schedule.
2026 Schedule
Aug. 21 – Gulfport
Aug. 28 – at Starkville
Sept. 4 – Germantown
Sept. 11 – Hattiesburg
Sept. 18 – Laurel
Sept. 25 – Open
Oct. 2 – at Houston
Oct. 9 – at Petal*
Oct. 16 – Meridian*
Oct. 23 – at Brandon*
Oct. 30 – Northwest Rankin*
Nov. 5 – at Pearl*
*Region Game
Players to Watch
Kellen Hall – Quarterback (Senior)
The Old Dominion commitment returns after passing for 2,709 yards, 34 touchdowns and only four interceptions as a junior.
Roman Causey – Running Back (Senior)
Oak Grove’s leading returning rusher scored 12 touchdowns last season and gives the Warriors a powerful, experienced option in the backfield.
D.J. Dotson – Offensive Tackle (Senior)
The 6-foot-7 Georgia commitment anchors Oak Grove’s offensive line and protects Hall’s blind side.
Kendrell “K.J.” Roberts Jr. – Wide Receiver (Senior)
Roberts scored nine touchdowns in 2025 and should become Hall’s featured receiving target following the graduation of Chavel Williams Jr.
Kaden Knight – Linebacker (Senior)
Knight will be counted on to provide experience and leadership for a defense replacing several senior contributors.
Drelin Warner – Defensive Back (Senior)
Warner gives the secondary a veteran presence as Oak Grove works younger players into the defensive rotation.
Kayden Toney – Running Back (Junior)
Toney gained experience behind Causey and Williams last season and could emerge as Oak Grove’s second option in the backfield.
Oak Grove Alumni Playing Division I Football (2026)
- A.J. Maddox – Quarterback – Ole Miss (SEC)
- Former four-star recruit and Mississippi Mr. Football finalist. Enters the 2026 season as a sophomore quarterback for the Rebels.
- Andrew Maddox – Defensive Tackle – Ole Miss (SEC)
- Four-star defensive lineman and one of Mississippi’s top recruits from the 2024 class. Redshirt freshman for the Rebels in 2026.
- Johnnie Evans – Defensive Back – Southern Miss (Sun Belt)
- Veteran defensive back who transferred to Southern Miss after beginning his collegiate career at Alcorn State.
- Jeramie Posey – Defensive Lineman – Southern Miss (Sun Belt)
- Continues his career with the Golden Eagles after starring along Oak Grove’s defensive front.
- Luke Stewart – Tight End – East Tennessee State (Southern Conference/FCS)
- Former Warrior who transferred to ETSU after previous stops at Southern Miss and Jones College.
- Chavel Williams Jr. – Wide Receiver – Arkansas State (Sun Belt)
- Signed with Arkansas State following a standout senior season in which he starred as a receiver, running back and defensive back for the Warriors.
Magnolia Coast Sports Outlook
Oak Grove enters 2026 with expectations few programs in Mississippi can match.
The Warriors return a Division I quarterback who threw 34 touchdown passes, a senior running back who led the team in rushing, a productive veteran receiver and an offensive tackle committed to Georgia.
That is enough talent to make Oak Grove dangerous against anyone on its schedule.
The biggest questions are found around those stars.
Can the Warriors replace the versatility and production of Chavel Williams Jr.? Can a rebuilt defensive front hold up against the physical running games in Region 3-7A? Can Oak Grove develop enough depth along the offensive line to keep Hall protected throughout a demanding schedule?
Oak Grove should again compete for the Region 3-7A championship. The Warriors are capable of accomplishing much more.
Magnolia Coast Sports Prediction: 10-2 overall with Oak Grove advancing to at least the Class 7A semifinals and entering the postseason as a legitimate state championship contender.
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