NORFOLK — Crying is something that Mike Privott doesn’t do often.
The last time he cried was five years ago when his daughter, Malia, was born.
Before that, he cried at his mother’s funeral.
But the tears flowed Saturday night as Privott watched the Maury Commodores celebrate their third consecutive Class 5 state football title.
That’s because Privott, who has been the Commodores’ defensive coordinator for the past eight seasons, knew his time with the program was over.
Beginning Monday, Privott will be the new head football coach at Booker T. Washington High.
“I was fine until the last 20 seconds of the game. I realized then that this ride was coming to an end,” he said. “It was an eight-year process where we really put the time and energy into the program. I helped build this program into a powerhouse. To know that I was no longer going to be a part of the program, it hit me.”
Privott, who turns 36 on Friday, takes over a struggling program that finished 0-10 this season and has lost 12 games in a row. The Bookers have had just two winning seasons since 2011, with the last one coming in 2021.
“I’m excited for the challenge,” he said. “I know, as a coach, it’s going to be night and day. I know it’s going to take a little while to get it going, but it can be done. I’m excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started.”
Privott is a former two-time All-Tidewater linebacker for Lake Taylor High. He played collegiately for Louisville and finished at Norfolk State.
He got into coaching in 2014 at Booker T. Washington. He also spent time at Oscar Smith, Salem and then Maury.
“It’s always been a dream of mine since college to be a head coach,” he said. “So, I’ve always wanted to run my own program.”
He’s learned from the best in Lake Taylor coach Hank Sawyer and Maury coach Dyrri McCain.
In Sawyer, he saw a “father figure” during a time when he needed it most.
“He took care of us, down to lunchtime when he would give me a dollar,” Privott said about Sawyer, who won his fourth state title Saturday. “I want to impact guys’ lives like he did for us when we played for him. I want to be an impactful guy that these males need.”
In McCain, he saw someone who worked tirelessly to build one of the top programs in the state.
“I learned so much from him on how to carry yourself and how to be organized,” Privott said about McCain, who won his fourth state title Saturday. “And I’m going to do the same thing here. Why wouldn’t I? I’d be a fool not to.”
Privott knows success won’t come overnight, but he’s confident it’s going to come sooner than later.
“Don’t be surprised that in two or three years, Booker T. will be in the mix to compete for a 3A state championship,” he said. “I’m so excited to have this opportunity to build this program into a winning product.”
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com
