Meet Dylan Moran, Nicholas County’s new basketball coach

Nicholas County named Dylan Moran as the next boys basketball coach on Thursday.

Dylan Moran graduated from Nelson County High School in 2015.  After graduation, he attended Eastern Kentucky University.  While a freshman at EKU, Moran coached the Model freshman boys basketball team and was an assistant under Wes Scarberry.  Scarberry, now the coach at Frederick Douglass, led his team to the Sweet 16 semifinals and 33-3 record this season.  Moran later moved on to coaching freshman and junior varsity under Eric Swords at Berea.  He was also an assistant for Whitley County this past season.

When asked about his coaching philosophy, Coach Moran already had plans to implement his style of play, saying, “I am a firm believer that defense kind of leads to everything. You’re going to see a whole new team defensively. I like to think that defense turns into the offense… get out early in transition and play an exciting, gritty style of basketball.  I don’t like to run a lot of sets, and we’ll have a motion setup, but the defense is going to lead the charge offensively.  Guys will be bought in on both ends of the court.  Just an exciting all-out effort every single night.”

While newer to the coaching profession and getting his first job in the region, Moran is familiar with the region.  “The 10th Region has always been very competitive.  I coached at Model and Berea, so I have a lot of experience against 10th Region teams.”

Moran also has experience at those small All “A” schools with small communities, which is part of the reason he became interested in the Nicholas County job.  After he and his fiance visited Carlisle, he knew it was the place to start his career as a head basketball in Kentucky.

“They brought me in for an interview, and I instantly fell in love with the place.  They really sold it on how big of a family Carlisle and the Nicholas County school system are.  That’s something me and my fiance really fell in love with while we were there.  I spent a lot of time at All “A” schools. So, I know how tight-knit the school systems are.  I could just tell how bought in the entire interview committee was.  I knew I was going to have the support that I needed.”

Summer basketball starts next month.  The Bluejackets will be playing in an All “A” showcase at Walton-Verona and at the Harrison County team camp the second week of June.

The Bluejackets also found out this week they will once again play Bishop Brossart in the first round of the 2024 10th Region All “A” Classic.  Last year, Nicholas County lost in overtime to the eventual champion, 61-55.  This year’s All “A” tournament will be held in Carlisle.  

The Bluejackets are led by soon-to-be senior Wyatt Clark.  Clark averaged 18.3 points per game last year.  

Coach Dylan Moran had one final thing to say about philosophy, a nod to Dean Smith of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

“My three biggest things are play hard, play smart, and play Together. That’s something I’ve tried to preach to everybody I’ve ever coached, and that’s something that I hope to instill in the guys here. I’ve already met with a couple of them, and they seem to be bought into that already.  I’m excited to come in and instantly compete for the All “A” Region.  I feel like we can compete for the district, then hopefully get some roots set with the younger guys coming up and build for the future.”