NEWPORT NEWS, VA (WTKR)- It's hard to be the guy who follows the guy, but Jarren Dyson feels he is more than up to the challenge.
Dyson was named the new head men's basketball coach at Christopher Newport on June 17, taking over for John Krikorian, who departed to take a Division I assistant job at Elon. Krikorian was one of the most successful head coaches at any level, leading the Captains to a 362-84 record in 15 seasons and a 2023 national championship.
"It's a great honor," Dyson said of following a legend. "Coach Krikorian did some great things here at Christopher Newport. I was honored to be on his staff, I'm honored that he's a close friend and he's somebody I'm going to rely on a lot this first year to help me get through some things.
"It's a great opportunity. I can't be Coach Krikorian. I can just be the best Jarren Dyson possible."
Dyson spent a total of five years during two separate stints on Krikorian's staff. He helped the Captains to two Final Fours, three Sweet 16's and the 2023 national title. Dyson returns to Newport News with a handful of Division I experience, spending the last three seasons as an assistant at Army. He was an assistant for five years at Lafayette between his stops at Christopher Newport.
Combing that experience with being at CNU before is a perfect mix. The new head Captain knows the expectation at Christopher Newport and the type of student-athlete the university prefers to have on campus. Being a key part of the 2023 championship coaching staff doesn't hurt either.
"Obviously with the guys there's a little bit of respect there," he noted. "They understand that I was part of the staff here and I know what it takes. It also helps me in recruiting, I think. I know the type of player and the type of character that is needed to compete for championships."
So what will a Jarren Dyson-coached team look like when fans file into the Freeman Center? He says expect a squad that's sound on both ends of the floor.
"We're going to be aggressive defensively," he promised. "We want to make our [opponents] uncomfortable. We're going to rebound the ball. I think the defensive rebounders are the key to winning championships. On offense, you're going to see an unselfish team. We're going to really move the ball."
Dyson has the good fortune of an experienced group returning. CNU only lost one senior from last year's team that finished 25-6 and advanced to the Final Four. Having seasoned players used to success in the locker room may make breaking into the head coaching ranks a little bit easier.
"These guys know what it takes," pointed out the head coach. "It does make it a little bit easier to hold these guys to a high standard, for them to understand that I'm not lowering the bar just because Coach Krikorian isn't here. The bar's going to stay where it is and we're going to try to do great things."
A Yorktown native, Dyson graduated from Tabb High School.
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