Dangerous Dodge County team depending on leaders, determined to ‘finish’ stronger

In addition to their usual lifting and conditioning this offseason, Dodge County football players were assigned some homework in the form of a multi-week book study they undertook as a team. 

The required reading? A title called “The Twin Thieves,” by Lucas Jadin and Steve Jones. 

A self-described “leadership parable,” it identifies the closely related fears of judgment, and of failure, as unseen enemies who quietly steal the greatest aspirations and potential from teams in any field that opt to settle for less than their best. 

Through the story of a fictional football program, the text illustrates how having strong chemistry and leaders who create a culture of thorough preparation and strict accountability are the keys to any association of people making the jump from ordinary to excellent. 

Its message has resonated just as much with the Indians as it did their head coach, Phillip Brown, who was convinced that the word on community and coaction was just what his team needed to take to heart coming off of a 2025 season in which it didn’t quite get over the hump. 

“One of my assistant coaches recommended it to me, and I read it over Christmas break,” he said. “It was about a high school team, and man, when I read it, it sounded so much like the situation we were in at the end of last year that they were in, and kind of how they got out of it, how they formed leaders and taught their kids to lead. 

“I thought it really helped our guys understand what it takes to be a leader, and what goes into that.” 

Dodge is looking to some determined ones across its roster who’ve stepped up and taken the initiative of steering this season’s effort to get the program back on an elite track. 

The Indians seemed to be headed that way at full steam after the Brown era got off to an inspiring start with nine wins and a second-round playoff berth in 2024. But a returning team that felt it had every opportunity to build on that success, by its own judgement, took a slight step back last season. 

Dodge finished with a comparable record (only two fewer wins and just one additional loss), but walked away with a gnawing sense of missed opportunity after spending five early weeks ranked in the top 10, but never really making a move. 

Despite a big opening win over Bleckley County and six more in the next seven weeks, another signature victory would be elusive, as setbacks against ACE and region champ Northeast Macon led into a haunting Halloween finale at Dublin, in which turnovers cost them a second-half lead. 

It turned the chance of a second-straight home playoff game into both a long drive, and a long night, at Rabun County as the season came to an end in the first round. 

Brown, after a chance to put it all in perspective and talk things over with his staff, settled on some pretty clear takeaways. 

“There’s two things we wanted to get a lot better at, and none of them had anything with what we were doing football-wise,” he said. “It was more dealing with us being more of a unit, a cohesive unit. I felt like we weren’t as together as where I felt like we needed to be to be successful down the stretch, and then just doing a great job of developing leadership.”

Those points of emphasis, in the past eight months, have brought players to a better understanding of their role in raising the standard. And many of them have responded to the call to take ownership of that responsibility. 

The senior class as a whole has been instrumental in stepping up, but Brown highlighted a few members who have been faces of the team whose strides as leaders were just as important as ones they made on the field.  

• Quarterback Kain Mincey… “He’s done a really good job of being more vocal with the offense, and taking that role on,” Brown said.  

• All-around playmaker at receiver and DB Jerimiah Burns… “I’ve seen him just being a team guy more this offseason, taking that role, and trying to hold guys accountable.” 

• Inside linebacker, and more or less the defensive captain, Kawaski Robinson… “He’s just done a really good job of taking ownership and leadership of the defense, and running that side of the ball.” 

There’s usually something powerful about the collective will to go out on a strong note, when that type of group resolves to leave no stone unturned in its last chance to do something great. And this year’s Indians appear intent on tying up the loose ends, and pulling themselves by the bootstraps to a higher level. 

“The big thing for us is finishing,” Brown said. “We had a good little run there, and we got beat early in the year by ACE and then went on a little run, but we felt like we didn’t finish. That’s kind of been the thing we’ve been pushing, is we want to finish everything.” 

Top-flight weapons… 

Wherever Dodge County goes this season, it’ll probably get there through a passing dimension of its offense that’s set for memorable year, with a veteran starting quarterback behind center and not only two, but three top-line receivers at his disposal. 

The aforementioned Mincey (6-3, 190), back for his fourth year of varsity action and third as starting QB, is loaded for bear as he sets out to top some personal bests from a junior season that featured a healthy 2,242 yards passing and 23 touchdowns, against nine interceptions, on a 54 percent completion rate. 

And his coaches are working to find every way they can to optimize his abilities at the position. 

“We’re just finding kind of new ways to expand his skill set, and translate it over to our offense,” Brown said. “He checks all our protections on the offensive line, and does a really good job handling that. And we’ve also incorporated more of the RPO game and added that to the offense. He’s done a really good job of reading those out and making decisions off of that.” 

Mincey won’t have any lack of capable receivers out wide, where a transfer pickup joins a couple of returning seniors in Jauriel Bray (44 receptions, 776 yards and 10 touchdowns) and Burns (36 for 714 and seven) who were his top targets a season ago. 

“I’m looking for them to pick up right where they left off last year,” Brown said.  

The Indians also add a third senior to that mix: Florida-commit Aamaury Fountain, a move-in from Northside, Warner Robins. 

Fountain (6-3, 195) and Bray (6-1, 175), both primary corners, bring some length to man-to-man matchups on both sides, and speed in the 4.5 (40-yard dash) range that you can’t overlook. 

Burns (5-9, 170), a few ticks faster at full throttle, will threaten primarily with his explosiveness after catches, on kick returns and in various other situations the Indians will try to create with motion and misdirection.  

For a third-straight year, Dodge is starting over at running back, where all three of its leading gainers (representing over 200 carries and 17 touchdowns) from 2025 graduated. In fact, the team’s best returning rusher is actually Mincey, on a little more than 100 yards. 

It was one of few holes on the depth chart the Indians had to fill in, but Brown comes away from the summer feeling really good about the group of new backs – some native rushers and a few converts from other positions – they’ve put together.   

Senior Jordan Johnson (5-8, 190) and junior Blayc Fluellen (5-9, 150) project as the committee’s Co-No. 1s. 

Johnson, who saw very limited action in mop-up duty a year ago, has impressed coaches with his work to earn an opportunity this summer. 

“Jordan’s kind of sat back and played the role we’ve given him throughout his career,” Brown said. “Now, it’s an opportunity for him to get some significant playing time.” 

Fluellen, who will be a newcomer to Friday-night action, features a complementary running style. 

“He’s more of your speed, one-cut back that can get it quick,” Brown said. 

A second Jordan, Jordan Spady (5-10, 175), will be available to help out at the position on the side of his primary role at safety. 

Each of the above fit the profile of a traditional running back, but there’s one more the Indians are liable to utilize – a guy recruited from the opposite side of the ball in junior Lee Carr (6-1, 250) – for some short-yardage situations, and the like. 

“I really challenged our coaches in the offseason to kind of think outside the box when it comes to personnel, and we really found another back that we can put in the fold,” Brown said. “He was playing defensive line for us, and one of our coaches wanted to try him out at running back. We ended up doing it, and he’s done a really good job just learning everything and fitting his skill set into our scheme. Being 250 pounds, he can pretty much fall forward and get us three and a half.” 

A well-rounded team… 

Weak spots are few anywhere else you look on the depth chart. 

If there’s a question mark to be found, it’s on special teams, where the graduation of Julius Roberts has the Indians breaking in a new punter and kicker. 

But a succession plan at both positions was already in the works last season, which new starters – junior Noah Studstill (5-9, 205) and senior Cale Johnson (5-10, 170) –  spent backing him up. 

The Indians will also look pretty doggone good in the trenches, with likely the most formidable and experienced offensive and defensive lines they’ve fielded since the Rex Hodges era. 

Each of their incumbents up front on offense – all five returning – have a minimum two years of starting experience. And as leaders go, they’ve been some of the most influential on the entire offense. 

It starts with two-time all region pick Keyzan Harris (6-2, 325), who Brown describes as “consistent, day-in and day-out,” at guard.

Dorian Hughes (6-1, 275) will play tackle, and also pull double duty as part of the defensive line rotation. 

Brayden Sheffield (5-10, 285) is the lone underclassmen, a junior, at center, but also boasts two seasons of experience after starting his ninth grade year. 

Adam Wells (6-1, 275) is expected to hit the ground running at the other guard spot, though he’s coming off a minor knee injury that has had him shelved for part of the summer. 

Last but not least is the other tackle, Kendall Simmons (6-1, 240), whose intensity throughout the summer has set the tone for the unit. 

Established stalwarts headline the defensive line as well, with another third-year starter, junior James Branch, back as nose, and major “physical presence” in the middle. 

Though Dodge is turning to a first-timer next to him, that sophomore, Keyzan’s younger brother Jakavion (6-5, 260), has some size and skills that are unusually well-developed for a 10th grader, and should make a name for himself quickly.  

Robinson (5-7, 180) is moving from nickel to an all-important inside linebacker position where the Indians have consistently played some of their most reliable defensive athletes. 

“We had a need there, and he has exceeded my expectations,” Brown said. “I’m excited to watch him this year.” 

At outside ‘backer, look for the “very versatile” all region first-teamer Peyton Butts. 

“We can move him down and rush him off the edge, and he can play back in the box and read and fit, but he is a very physical football player,” Brown said. “He is old-school.” 

In between Bray and Fountain (at corner) and Burns (alongside at safety) as an underrated cornerstone of the secondary is Spady, who finished his freshman season as one of the team’s top six tacklers, and likely won’t leave the field. 

“He played every snap at safety as a freshman, and got better every game,” Brown said. “He is playing some really good football.” 

Get your mind right… 

Even for the best of teams, the gauntlet you traditionally run in Dodge County’s shoes is one that can very easily get the best of you. 

Looking ahead to this fall, the situation is all too familiar for the Indians, whose schedule has a lot of the same teams they’re used to having to go through to earn a playoff spot, and  – once you hit October – pretty much no gimmes.  

Add Brown to the list of 2-AA coaches who are firmly convinced there’s no league in the classification that can rival the depth of competition you get in this one. 

“Our region is the best in the state from top to bottom,” he said. “It just speaks for itself. You’re looking at all these preseason polls, and you’ve got four teams in the top 10.” 

Much like the past two seasons, this journey isn’t one for the faint of heart. Nor, as Dodge can attest, is it one for the faint of mind. 

That’s why getting things right between the ears, for this team that’s already got most of it down pat between the lines, could be critical to making the most of this year’s opportunities. 

“We felt like coming into the offseason, we had a lot of guys coming back, and a very talented bunch, but talent can only take you so far,” Brown said. “We needed to develop not only leadership, but also just the people in our building, and let those guys go into this thing with the right mindset, because, hey, there’s a lot of talented teams in our region, and we’re going to face challenges. How do we overcome those adverse moments against really really good teams?” 

Between the quality players and legit weapons the Indians will have on the field, and improved chemistry in the locker room, they look to have all that’s needed to take on those challenges with some confidence. 

And if you’re Brown, that positive energy is something you love to be feeling. 

“I wouldn’t rather go into this season with any other group, because I think these guys are built for it,” he said.