Tyson had plenty of preparation for head coach position at Lincoln

By St. Clair Murraine

Outlook staff writer

    Jimmie Tyson’s passion for working in the background might have been the main reason his promotion to the head coach position at Lincoln High School seemed surprising.

For as long as Tyson has been a part of the coaching landscape, no one should be surprise, tough. In fact, those who run in his circle say Tyson is well prepared for the top job.

He started coaching right after graduating from FAMU in 2004, taking a job at FAMU High. That was followed by a stint as graduate assistance under former FAMU coach Reuben Carter. 

Joe Taylor eventually replaced Carter, and Tyson became a holdover with the job of coaching the Rattlers’ secondary.

The run up to being named head coach at Lincoln included a four-year stop at Godby as defensive coordinator and later he held the same position under Quinn Gray at Lincoln.

Tyson replaces BJ Daniels, who left the Trojans program after one year to take a quarterback analyst position at his alma mater South Florida. 

“If you ask me, he should have gotten that job last year when I left,” said Gray, Daniels’ predecessor at Lincoln.

 “Tyson is an awesome Christian man. He loves the kids and he’s loved the kids since I’ve known him.”

Tyson refused to fuss when he didn’t get the job last year, instead holding down the defensive coordinator position.

“I just felt like wherever God puts me I’m going to do the best,” he said. “When he chooses to elevate me, I’d elevate. I’ve just been trying to change the lives of the kids and develop them into being men and not being so focused on just winning.”

Dorian Collier, a senior who played running back for the Trojans this past season, was optimistic that Tyson will maintain the school’s reputation of winning.

“He just really deserves it,” Collier said. “I love coach Tyson. Players are definitely going to adapt to his attitude and what he believes in is going to trickle down to everybody.”

Tyson actually applied for the job after Gray left to take a an assistant position with Alcorn State football program.

Tyson’s resume should leave no doubt about his ability to run the Trojans’ program, Gray said.

“I know how much the game means to him,” Gray said. “Coach Tyson is a guy that’s going to do his research. He is going to make sure he knows whatever it is to better himself in the game. That’s just part of being a professional and getting better at what you do.”

As much as he wants to build a winning program, Tyson said he can’t overlook the challenges that his players will face when they aren’t on campus. Teaching them how to cope with off-the-field challenges is just as important as the x’s and o’s, he said

“It’s not a talk. It’s a day-to-day walk and we walk with them through all of life’s situations so they don’t go down the wrong road,” Tyson said. “It breaks my heart when they go down the wrong path – jail or get in gangs and those types of things. 

“We want to be that outlet so that they can lean on us to lead them down the right path. A lot of young men don’t have a male role model. My job is to be that beacon of light that leads them down the right path.”