PREP PRESEASON: Brother duo creates interesting dynamic at Catholic

The Dees brothers, Cayden and Marcus, will have an interesting coach-player relationship for Catholic. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

You could say Cayden Dees recruited his coach to join the Catholic coaching staff.

His brother, Catholic alumnus Marcus Dees, had graduated after playing four years of football for Wofford and was looking for a job.

“He was like, ‘I’m looking for a job,’” Cayden recalled. “I said, ‘You can get a job at Catholic. Come coach.’ He was, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know how long I’m going to be here.’ Next thing you know, there we go. He’s a coach.”

Catholic coach Jonathan Chandler announced the hiring this week, putting Marcus Dees in charge of coaching the defensive linemen, which just happens to include his brother Cayden.

“It was multiple parts,” Chandler said. “I think the biggest part is one of the people he’s going to be coaching, his brother, started the conversation. I knew Marcus had graduated and we were trying to finish the pieces of our staff and it was, ‘Hey, Cayden, what is your brother doing?’ ‘He’s trying to find a job.’ ‘Would he be interested in coming to coach?’”

Marcus, a 2021 graduate of Catholic and a two-year captain of the Knights, was intrigued by the offer.

“Me being a D-lineman, I can teach him, so I was like, I’m not doing anything right now, I might as well come back and coach,” Marcus said. “I love the people that are here so why not be back in this atmosphere?”

Marcus was a standout football and baseball player at Catholic but was a little undersized as a 6-foot defensive lineman and was recruited by mid-level colleges. Cayden, a 6-foot-2 offensive lineman who is projected as a defensive end in college, has received the same level of interest and is committed to Miami, Ohio. Cayden will play both ways this fall as he showcases his defensive talents for the first time with his brother as the teacher.

“It’s kind of funny,” Cayden said. “I used to always come out to the games and see him playing, thinking that would be fun. Next thing I know, he’s out here coaching me. With him being out here, it just brought another spark to the game that I didn’t know I needed.

“He was already kind of coaching me, but it wasn’t as formal. But even with him now, it’s basically the same. I say ‘yes, sir, no, sir,’ because everybody else has to say it. But at the end of the day, it’s a brotherly bond that nobody can break. We’re out here playing football.”

Marcus has adjusted to his new role quickly and has picked up on the defensive philosophy of coordinator Patrick Plott.  

“The short time that he’s been here with us, meeting with coaches, understanding the scheme, we’re about coaching coaches, too,” Chandler said. “Coach Plott feels comfortable enough that Coach Dees is already handling his own individual periods.” 

Marcus said it was an easy transition, simply teaching the techniques he learned at Catholic and at Wofford.

“I took over the D-line drills,” Marcus said. “Whatever I learned in college, on top of what I had here, I brought it straight here. So whatever I know, I’m giving it straight to them. It’s kind of weird because it’s the place I grew up. It’s like coming back home and seeing it’s different, but it’s the same. It’s still the same atmosphere, still the same loving family, but now it’s my turn to pass on what I’ve learned to the younger generation.”

Teaching to the younger generation is something every coach does, but it’s certainly rare to teach your younger brother.

“I think it’s a really big testament to what that family is about,” Chandler said. “I think it all goes back to how they were raised. I have not had to have a conversation with either one of them about ‘this is your brother, take care of him.’ They are very mature people. I think that’s why Cayden is a leader on our football team and why Marcus wanted to come back and serve at a school that gave so much to him.”

Marcus admits the opportunity to coach his brother was the biggest attraction in his new job.

“That’s the best thing in the world,” Marcus said. “Yeah, I fussed at him at home, now I get to fuss at him on the field. So why not do it?

“I think the dynamic changes a little bit, but I’m still a little kid on Friday night. I’m ready to win and play the game. Now I’m on the side that instead of me making sure I’m good, I’ve got to make sure everybody else is good.”

And the Knights’ top recruiter couldn’t be any happier at the way things have turned out.

“After he graduated and he was coming home, I can’t explain the feeling,” Cayden said. “It was overwhelming joy. My brother’s back. When he first left, I told him I wasn’t going to cry but I cried. When he got back, I was like, I’ve got to spend as much time as I can while he’s here. Now he’s my coach so I have even more time.”