Tom Causey, Ola head coach
Today’s interviewee is Ola coach Tom Causey, whose team is 4-0 entering its Region 2-5A opener Friday night at No. 10 Warner Robins. Ola has avenged two of its losses from 2022, when the Mustangs finished 6-5. Causey, hired in 2022, came from Alabama, where his record was 146-104, coaching most recently at Pelham. Causey won an Alabama Class 5A title in 2009 with Demopolis.
1. What do you feel you and your staff have done that's made the most difference in the improvement we’ve seen at Ola? “The biggest thing is consistency, us being here every day. Last year in the offseason with them, I was retiring in Alabama, and I had to finish my contract at Pelham. I was driving back and forth, in and out. I was uncertain who was going to be on staff here. The biggest thing for any organization is being consistent and being with your guys every day, holding them accountable, having them hold each other accountable. The offseason is probably the most critical time for any team. Last season we were working on eight weeks to get ready as opposed to January through July this year.”
2. What would you want people to know about this particular team? If Gary Danielson or Kirk Herbstreit were doing the color commentary before your next game, what would you expect them to say? “How hard they play. We have high-character guys. They’ve learned to serve each other. Every year a coach is looking for a team of guys who will play for each other. I don’t think we do anything special scheme-wise. It’s about how hard they play and making sure they’re in the best place possible to have success.”
3. What brought you to Ola, and now that you’ve been here, how would you contrast and compare Alabama football to Georgia football? “Both my girls had graduated from high school and were in college. A former teammate of mine, his brother had coached at Ola, and honestly, Georgia high school football is one of the best in the county, right? I felt it was a great chance to challenge myself to get better. You’d better be ready every Friday night. The level of talent in this state is really high. There are obviously going to be lumps. We’re playing football teams that have done it for years and years, and we’re excited for the opportunity to go against that. As for comparing the states, one of the biggest things is the number of top-level players. Alabama has dang good football players, but it seems in Georgia there are twice as many top-level players. We see guys every Friday night who are committed to Power 5 teams, and they’re the real deal. You didn’t see that every Friday night in the state of Alabama.”
4. What do you believe is the difference-maker between winning and losing in Georgia high school football? What ultimately wins the day? “How you come to practice every day. How you coach every day. It comes down to attitude and effort. Those are the only two things you can control. Your opponent matters as far as their scheme goes, but we only control what we can control. Be consistent with attitude and effort and let the coaches allow you to get better.”