Kosciusko High School has named its new head football coach; dipping into Bolivar county with the hire of Cleveland High School’s Kelly Causey. The hiring was approved during Thursday night’s special called meeting of the Kosciusko Board of Trustees.
Causey replaces Chad Peterson, who was released from his contract midway through the season after a 1-5 start. Sid Wheatley, who served as the interim coach for the final four games with an 0-4 mark, as accepted a position at McLaurin.
"I would just like to thank the board and committee the vote of confidence," Causey said. "This job has always been one I seen as a prominate job in Class 4A Mississippi. This is definitely a place I want to be and I'm excited about the opportunity."
Causey secured a 52-27 mark over his six years at Cleveland, including a 2014 season where his team made it to the third round of the MHSAA playoffs. Before Cleveland, Causey spent two years as the defensive coordinator at Grenada and five years as the head coach at Pass Christian High. He was also an assistant coach at the University of North Alabama and Mary Montgomery High in Mobile, Alabama.
Causey’s first head coaching job was St. Martin HS in Ocean Springs. His first full time job was as defensive coordinator and boys track coach at Biloxi HS. The first coaching job for Causey was a defensive graduate assistant coaching position at Arkansas State University.
His playing career was at Cleveland HS then on to Miss. Delta Community College and Delta State. In junior college, Causey took part in the All-Star Game.
At DSU, he was a second team All-GSC pick as a defensive lineman. He was a two-year letterman and was named Best Defensive Lineman.
"What you can expect from me is that I’m going to work my butt off and give everything to the program," Causey added. "I'm going to make decisions based on the team not on the individual. I'm ready and anxious about the opportunity to start working with these young men."
Causey’s approved contract will be through the remainder of the 2016-17 school year, pending a release from the Cleveland School District and a background check. He will also serve as a physical education teacher.
In other business the Kosciusko Board of Trustees officially appointed former KME principal Robert Simpson as the principal at Kosciusko Upper Elementary after the resignation of former principal Presley Tate last month.
Simpson will take over the school through the end of the current school year.
Other action included hiring Laura Lee Bell as a bus driver for the remainder of the school year after a resignation.
The next scheduled meeting of the Kosciusko School Board of Trustees will be Feb. 13.
