Lee County football sees growth with Roswell OTAs

LEESBURG — Dean Fabrizio wasn’t interested in wins and losses this week.

The Lee County football coach wanted to know one thing: how his Trojans stacked up against one of Georgia’s best programs.

By the end of two days of OTA (Organized Team Activities) competition against Roswell, Fabrizio liked what he saw.

“It was phenomenal work,” Fabrizio said. “Roswell has a really good football team and by working against them, we got better.”

The Hornets, who finished 12-2 and reached the Class AAAAA state semifinals last season, provided exactly the kind of competition Lee County wanted before entering the GHSA’s mandatory “Dead Week.”

Roswell also brought a familiar look to Leesburg. Four former Lee County assistant coaches are now on the Hornets’ staff, adding another layer of familiarity to the summer workouts.

For Lee County, the OTAs served as another checkpoint for a team carrying lofty expectations into the 2026 season.

The Trojans return the nucleus of last year’s 8-4 squad, including eight players already committed to Division I programs, with several others continuing to attract interest from college recruiters.

“We have a good football team and we are really excited about the coming season,” Fabrizio said. “However, we play in a division and in a region where there is little room for error.”

While Lee County’s roster is loaded with experience, Fabrizio believes several players have taken noticeable steps forward during summer workouts.

Quarterback Jordan Bush has been one of the biggest surprises.

“We’ve been impressed with Jordan Bush at quarterback,” Fabrizio said. “He has always been a great athlete, but his passing has really improved.”

Bush will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, beginning with Texas A&M commitment Jaden Upshaw, one of the state’s premier playmakers.

“Jaden will always make that catch,” Fabrizio said. “But he’s really gotten better at running the ball.”

Defensively, the Trojans continue to build around one of the area’s most experienced units.

Three-year starting linebackers Greg Batson and Jace Murray return to anchor the defense, while an athletic junior secondary consistently made plays against Roswell.

“Trey Bush, Champ Brown and KJ Streeter all made some big plays against Roswell,” Fabrizio said.

Lee County wasn’t at full strength. Defensive back Montravius Clay continues to recover from an injury, while Clemson-bound tight end Carter Blackwell sat out after receiving stitches.

Even with so much returning talent, Fabrizio insists that few starting jobs have been secured.

“There is still a lot of time this summer to work,” he said. “We believe in competition, and our guys will compete for those spots and playing time. July is about improving and getting ready.”

That competition has become one of the trademarks of Lee County’s program.

The Trojans expect every position to be earned, not given, and the coaching staff plans to continue evaluating players when practice resumes after the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

For now, the players get a brief break during the GHSA’s annual “Dead Week,” seven days when coaches are prohibited from conducting workouts or practices.

When they return, the focus shifts from summer development to preparing for a season filled with high expectations.