In searching for a new Head Football Coach, Maury Athletic Director Ed Boyd figured the best candidate would be one of their own.

Former Commodores player Dyrri McCain, most recently an assistant coach at Norview High School, has been tabbed as their new Head Football Coach. McCain played for Dealton Cotton, now Norview’s Head Football Coach, during one of Maury’s best stretches in football in the program’s history.

“I was just looking to do my part as a coach at Norview and then the opportunity came across,” McCain told VirginiaPreps.com.

“First of all, I really have to give thanks to God. I definitely also have to give thanks to Coach Cotton for everything he’s done for me, both as a player and as a coach. Through the early stages of my adulthood, he’s taught me a lot and put me in the best position to succeed. I have also to thank Principal [Karen] Berg and Mr. Boyd believing in me and giving me this opportunity.”

McCain, 28, graduated from Maury High School in 2007. He was a Second Team All-State performer his senior year, helping the Commodores beat Hampton – reigning State Champs – by a count of 30-28 in the Eastern Region Division 5 semifinals. In that game, McCain hauled in four passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns, none bigger than his eventual game-winning score on a 42-yard reception with 2.4 seconds to play.

In college, McCain played football at nearby Hampton University, where he was joined by Maury teammates James Butts. With the Pirates in 2011, McCain caught 44 passes for 673 yards five touchdowns, plus ran for another score.

When McCain finished at HU, it was time to stay close to the game, just in a different capacity. That’s where he found coaching. He spent four years as an assistant coach at Norview, where his role eventually developed into handling the play-calling duties. The Pilots flourished, becoming one of the top scoring offenses in all of Hampton Roads and Group 5A.

“One of the main things that I learned, especially being a young coach, is that it’s definitely more than x’s and o’s,” McCain believes. “Coach Cotton let me run a lot of things and helped get me prepared for situations, whether it was taking care of your players in the classroom, behavior in the school, organization.”

Cotton sees a promising future ahead for his former player and assistant who’ll now be a crosstown rival when the 2017 campaign rolls around.

“He’s going to work hard, do the right stuff and I think he’ll do a heck of a job,” Cotton stated. “Of course, we hate to lose him at Norview, but we feel like it’s a promotion for him. It’s a good thing. He’s been real professional all the way around and handles himself most guys his age don’t. I’m proud of him.”

At Maury, McCain replaces Chris Fraser, who stepped down after going 22-42 in six seasons at the helm and recently became the new Head Coach at Turner Ashby. The Commodores finished 3-7 last season and haven’t had a winning record since finishing 8-4 overall in 2013.

Although Lake Taylor and Norview have been the top contenders out of the Eastern District to go on to play deep in the playoffs in recent years, the Commodores aren’t lacking talent. Maury has produced NFL players, a few of which McCain played alongside such as Kam Chancellor, Vinston Painter and LaRoy Reynolds.

“Giving back to these players at Maury High School, I can let them know I was under success as a player and also as a coach. They do have some pieces over there. It’s up to me as a coach to get the most out of those guys,” McCain commented.

“I’m working on getting together a coaching staff to be on the same page with the vision of what we’re trying to do. We want to lead these guys down the right direction, even more than just wins and losses. It’s about changing their lives, getting them into school and teaching them for life. I think when you do things like that, it’ll equal out to those wins that you need or be able to compete. It’s definitely not going to be done overnight and it’s going to be a process. I’m excited to get ready to work with those guys and I can’t wait.”

Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a staff writer for Tar Heel Illustrated. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10AM on ESPN Radio 94.1.