Sophie B. Wright tabs Dennis Christopher to lead football program

It is safe to say he is prepared, ready for the challenge.

Landry-Walker defensive coordinator Dennis Christopher has been named head football coach at Sophie B. Wright.

Christopher, 33, replaces DeCarlos Holmes, who left following the 2017 season to take the head coaching position at Washington-Marion. Holmes went 2-16 at Sophie B. Wright in two seasons. Holmes guided the Warriors to a pair of wins in 2017.

Christopher spent the last eight seasons as the defensive coordinator at O. Perry Walker and Landry-Walker, fashioning outstanding defenses as part of outstanding teams. Christopher was a star player at Landry-Walker, an All-State defensive back in 2003. He went on to play four seasons at Oregon State.

Christopher is the second top assistant since the end of last season to leave Emanuel Powell’s staff at Landry-Walker for a head coaching position. Earl Cager departed at the end of 2017 to become the new head coach at the newly branded John F. Kennedy High School.

Athletic Director Jason Bertrand made the hire and is bullish on his pick.

“Obviously, we have a young football program and want to thank Coach DeCarlos Holmes for building the program to where it is,” Bertrand said. “I have been keeping an eye on Coach Christopher since we worked together at O. Perry Walker as an assistant. We always discussed over the years how he would be ready at some point for a head coaching job. That time is now. His time is now. We reached out. It was a match made in Heaven.”

Christopher led the Charging Buccaneers defense which won the Class 5A state title in 2016. He is quickly putting together an All-Star staff which will include former NFL player Keenan Lewis, along with former Arena League star Courtney Smith of the New Orleans VooDoo.

Smith went to camp with the New York Jets in 2011 but was waived before the start of the season. He prepped at John F. Kennedy. Lewis starred at O. Perry Walker and played seven seasons in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. Daryl Johnson will join the staff and help with defensive backs as well, coming out of retirement to do so. Johnson played at O. Perry Walker and at LSU. He was a teammate of Christopher’s at O. Perry Walker.

“Having a support staff is huge,” Christopher said. “We want our kids to have mentors that have competed and succeeded at a high level and we are building that type of staff. This will set them on the right track through an excellent support system.”

Christopher is familiar with the team he is inheriting.

“I went to a couple of there games last year and to their spring game this year,” Christopher said. “They have a good school, good kids with good ACT scores and they can and will have enough good athletes. It is an outstanding academic institution. I see how Jason turned around their basketball program in just a couple of years. It is in the heart of the city. I don’t see why we cannot build a championship program in the near future with excellent playgrounds in the area. It is an attractive job.”

The strengths Christopher brings to Sophie B. Wright are clear. As head basketball coach, Bertrand has taken the Warriors to the semifinals in Class 3A most recently, building an elite-level program. He feels Christopher can do the same with football.

“Dennis brings championship pedigree to us,” Bertrand said. “He brings the know-how. Our program is at the point where it is ready to progress to the next level, similar to our basketball program. We firmly believe Dennis is the man to take us there.”

“I coached with Jason for three years and we have a great relationship,” Christopher said. “You have to have great support up top at any school and I feel I will have that with Jason and with our principal, Sharon Clark. They are outstanding.”

Christopher knows it will not happen overnight but knows what must be done, including getting Bertrand to lend him a few players.

“You have to build from the foundation up,” Christopher said. “You have to get the junior varsity squad built up with numbers and quality. They went winless last year but they have some good young players. I feel we can get a few basketball players to play football as well as many other schools do. Jason will help us in that capacity. He will do so with open arms. We both want to win games. He wants me to win and win fast. That is our goal as well.”