Gerard Wilcher Speaks On 'The Power Of The 'M'
ATLANTA — "The power of the 'M' is very great!" The Morehouse man and new head football coach Gerard Wilcher told HBCU Legends. He played college football for the Maroon Tigers more than thirty years ago. Today, he's been hired to restore a struggling football program.
Over the previous three decades, Wilcher's coaching resume spans from the collegiate ranks to the NFL. In his last position, the Morehouse alum served as the defensive back coach for the Rice Owls in Houston, Texas. Now that he's returned to Da' House, the former player will blow the whistle as a head coach rather than a coordinator or position assistant.
Wilcher has had nearly four months to acclimate to being Morehouse's head coach after officially being named on Feb. 7. This is the first time he's in charge of a football program. Since returning to Da' House with a series of football camps this summer, Coach Wilcher has hit the ground running. At the Mega Camp on June 13, he shared thoughts about being head coach a few months into the job.
June 13, 2023; Coach Wilcher of Morehouse College; Credit: Mason T. Smith, HBCU Legends
"It's about growth," Wilcher said. "Once you move in and put that crown on, it gets heavy. But it's been great. Everybody's been fantastic. I'm just learning and trying to grow every single day." When a new coach takes over, there is typically a high turnover rate among players. While the extent of this turnover may vary, it is common for the entire coaching staff to be replaced.
Wilcher has changed his coaching staff, appointing Stan Clayton as the new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, replacing David Hart and Sean McCleary. Charles Alexander is now the new defensive coordinator, and David Clowney IV is the new quarterbacks' coach.
But the first-year coach has retained several members from the previous staff as well. Although he is no longer the defensive coordinator, George Copeland retains being the assistant head coach while overseeing the defensive line and special teams. Adrian Billingslea becomes the linebackers coach, and Corey Russ will have an expanded role as the wide receivers coach and academic liaison.
Russ was in attendance during the summer camp, and he shared his early impression of Wilcher and what it's like working with him.
"Transition is always different," Russ said. "There's always that bit of uncertainty with a new regime. But he's come in and hit the ground running. He's allowed us to continue to be who we are, implementing what he's doing and ensuring it meshes well with what we already do to keep the continuity for the staff and the players.
"The biggest thing for us is to keep the ship moving in the right direction. There will be bumps and bruises along with change, but we're really about finishing up the rest of this summer with our guys and the guys we're bringing in, then getting ready for next season and hitting the ground running."
Wilcher spoke positively about his staff, calling them "self-motivated" and saying they "take care of business."
Deion Sanders, previously the coach of Jackson State and now the head coach of the University of Colorado, was supposed to attend the Mega Camp on June 13. However, he had to cancel his appearance due to the discovery of blood clots in his legs. However, several Colorado staff members assisted in running the camp and evaluating the talent.
Several Morehouse players also assisted in running the camp, including wide receiver Malcolm Jones and WR/TE Garrison Hand. Their time with Wilcher has been limited, but both guys have enjoyed getting to know their new coach.
"Coach Wilcher is definitely one of best coaches I've ever had," Hand said. "He's really player-oriented, always asking, 'What can I do for you?' He's one of those types of guys."
Wilcher's personality has helped him establish positive relationships with his players and quickly develop a strong connection with his staff. This is an impressive feat, especially since it can be challenging for someone new to step into the head coach role.
While good character is one trait of a great coach, it's also essential that a coach has a great understanding of the Xs and Os. There is no doubt about his defensive acumen - the vast majority of his coaching career has been on the defensive side of the ball, including serving as a defensive backs coach at Cornell, where the team topped the Ivy League in pass efficiency defense in 2003.
The concern comes on the offensive side of the ball, where the stigma is that head coaches with defensive backgrounds need help to maximize the offense's potential.
The Maroon Tigers' offense was at the bottom of the SIAC in 2022. Wilcher faces the difficult task of finding new offensive players to replace the team's top rusher, Earnest Davis, and passer, Derrach West, who entered the transfer portal. The new coach hasn't expressed concern about the offense or players leaving the program.
"If you go back far enough, I won the FCS National Championship coaching wide receivers," Wilcher said with a slight smirk. He was part of the staff during UMass' championship win in 1998. "I can do both. I'm good as long as they don't put their hand in the ground. It doesn't make a difference with wide receivers, defensive backs, or linebackers."
Jones was not concerned about Wilcher's offensive mind either, saying, "Coach knows ball, period. He's always involved, talking to receivers, quarterbacks, and running backs. He is hands-on in our practices and quick to give pointers and tips."
The Morehouse program is in Wilcher's hands; while his hands are full, the future is just as crucial in building a program. That includes the football camp, where about 200 young men participated. After camp concluded, he hung around and took as many pictures as were asked of him, and he even had extended chats with players who performed well.
The former Rice University defensive backs coach began his coaching career at Morehouse over 30 years ago and now brings a breadth of experience to his home team, including his time as co-defensive coordinator at Lehigh University, where he won four Patriot League Championships and had three NCAA Playoff Appearances during his ten-year tenure. Morehouse Athletics
Wilcher has also worked with the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, and Philadelphia Eagles. Collegiately, he has also coached at Delaware State University, Seton Hill University, Cornell University, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (where he won the 1998 FCS National Championship), Boston College, and Cheyney University.
A four-year football letter winner at Morehouse College football team, Wilcher earned a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the school in 1992. But despite the hype surrounding Deion Sanders and the thoughts of the event being a "mega camp," Wilcher didn't buy into the fanfare. To him, it was just football camp with some guests. And he was out there doing what he loves to do.
Still, the Maroon Tigers' new head coach knows the Morehouse name's weight and how people can gravitate to it.
"Any time you bring people to you, it sells itself. Morehouse sells itself," Wilcher said. "I call it the power of the 'M.'
Wilcher will use that power to begin a new era of Morehouse College Football, starting with the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic against Virginia Union on Sunday, Sep. 3 at 4 PM ET in Canton, Ohio.