New Morehouse Coach Brad Sherrod Outlines Five Pillars For Football Success

New head coach Brad Sherrod provided the blueprint for the new standards and pillars of the Maroon Tigers football program.

Morehouse College Head Football Coach Brad Sherrod | Credit: Morehouse Athletics

Morehouse College ushered in a new era Monday as Athletic Director Harold Ellis formally introduced Brad Sherrod as the Maroon Tigers' head football coach.

The atmosphere in Archer Hall was upbeat as Sherrod stepped to the podium on Feb. 23, delivering a message rooted in clarity, conviction, and culture.

The new coach also outlined his goals and presented the "Five Pillars" for the Morehouse College football program.

"I am humbled and honored to be here today and to be the head football coach here at Morehouse," Sherrod said. "It's an unbelievable institution that has produced a lot of leaders for our country that have done a lot of good things for our community."

From the outset, Sherrod made it clear that arriving at Morehouse was more than a career move. It was, in his words, a calling.

“When God opens the door, it’s an assignment; it’s just not an opportunity,” Sherrod affirmed.

Morehouse College | Credit: Kyle A. Mosley, HBCU Legends

The Five Pillars of the Sherrod Era

Central to Sherrod’s vision is a foundation he calls the “Five Pillars," the non-negotiable cultural standards that will define Morehouse football moving forward. He immediately set the tone.

1. Integrity—“Doing what is right when no one is watching,” being accountable, and avoiding excuses.
2. Enthusiasm—Recognizing that “energy is a choice” and that leadership sets the tone.
3. Mental & Physical Toughness—Staying steadfast in adversity and humble in success.
4. Caring & Selflessness—Holding each other accountable because “Selfless teams win. Selfless men lead.”
5. Great Effort—Outworking others with consistent daily habits, because "Talent varies. Effort does not.”

One aspect that Morehouse Men will appreciate is Coach Sherrod’s emphasis on these principles being more than mere slogans. They represent unwavering standards for his players, staff, and all members of the Maroon Tigers football program.

Morehouse vs. Howard at the 2022 HBCU NYC Classic | Credit: Kyle A. Mosley, HBCU Legends

Can Morehouse Win?

Morehouse College alumni and fans have been longing to win, me included. The Maroon Tigers have not posted a winning season since 2018, when the program went 7-3 under Rich Freeman.

Since then, the numbers tell a difficult story: 14 wins and 45 losses from 2019 through 2025, including the 2020 COVID year.

After Freeman’s resignation in 2022, head coach Gerard Wilcher went 1-8 in his lone season, followed by Terence Mathis posting a 4-16 record over two years.

How does Sherrod reverse the trend of losing for the Maroon Tigers?

"When people watch us, what I want them to see is, one, a team that loves to play together. [The] next one is that we discipline. Another way we play hard. And those three things have to show up every week," he said.

He laid out the blueprint: "We must be able to run the football." Running the football makes you a tougher football team and a physical football team. "After talking about his basic defensive, offensive, and special team strategies, Coach Sherrod emphasized that he wants them to be a "physical ball club."

Morehouse College - 2024 | Credit: Morehouse Athletics

Experience Meets Expectation

Harold Ellis informed the press conference attendees of the importance of experience. "We wanted a coach with a lot of experience."

Sherrod's 30+ years of coaching experience checked the box for the Morehouse head coach search committee.

Nonetheless, will it be enough for the Maroon Tigers to become winners? Only time will tell.

Coach Sherrod has a good mix on his résumé. Tenure with Power 4, FCS, and HBCU programs should provide him with a solid foundation for growth as a head coach. Once given the opportunity to lead Texas Wesleyan, he immediately turned a struggling operation into a winner, going 10-1 in the first season and 7-5 the next.

A Clear Expectation

He acknowledged that winning would be a "hard process" requiring "hard work," as you have to "change mindsets and what the expectations are for the players, alums, and administration."

"I expect to win; I didn't come here to lose.

For Morehouse alumni and supporters who have waited since 2018 to celebrate a winning season, those words resonate.

Now, the real work begins for Sherrod and his staff at Da' House.

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Previous article on Sherrod's appointment:

MOREHOUSE SELECTS SHERROD TO LEAD MAROON TIGERS

Morehouse College has appointed veteran coach Brad Sherrod as the new head coach of the Maroon Tigers. Most recently, Sherrod led Texas Wesleyan University to a nationally ranked 12-2 record and a Frisco Bowl appearance in 2024.

Last season, the Roadrunners finished 7-5 overall and 7-1 in conference play, but lost to William Penn University 38-9 in the NAIA Football Championship Playoff.

With Sherrod taking the reins at Morehouse, they get a proven head coach who raises the standards for the Maroon Tigers to make a run at the SIAC title. He instills discipline and pride in a program eager to compete at a high level.

Sherrod's hire closes out the open HBCU football head coaching positions around the nation.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM MOREHOUSE

Brad Sherrod, a veteran coach with more than 30 years of experience across the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) levels, brings championship leadership, proven program development, and sustained success to his new role.

Sherrod arrives at Morehouse following a two-season run at Texas Wesleyan in which he posted a 17–6 overall record, including a 10–1 mark in 2024, and guided the Rams to two NAIA playoff appearances.

Sherrod most recently served as head football coach at Texas Wesleyan University, where he quickly elevated the Rams into one of the NAIA's top programs. In his debut season (2024), he led Texas Wesleyan to a historic 10–1 overall record, a perfect 8–0 conference mark, and the program's first Sooner Athletic Conference championship. The Rams advanced to the second round of the NAIA Playoffs and ranked among the nation's top scoring offenses. In his second season, Sherrod continued his success by guiding Texas Wesleyan to a share of the conference championship and a second consecutive NAIA Playoff appearance, marking the first back-to-back postseason berths in program history.

"Coach Sherrod is a proven program builder with a track record of sustained success and postseason performance," said Harold Ellis '92, Director of Athletics at Morehouse College. "More importantly, he understands what it means to develop young men with purpose. Morehouse football has always stood for excellence, discipline, and leadership. We believe Coach Sherrod is the right leader to carry that tradition forward."

During his time at Texas Wesleyan, Sherrod's teams established a consistent standard on both sides of the ball, pairing conference success with national postseason opportunities. His leadership helped position the program among the NAIA's notable risers, culminating in back-to-back playoff berths.

"I'm honored to join Morehouse College and guiding this program is a responsibility that I do not take lightly," Sherrod said. "Our goal will be to build a championship-caliber program rooted in toughness, accountability, and brotherhood, while representing the College the right way on and off the field. I want to thank President (Dr. F. DuBois) Bowman, AD Harold Ellis, and everyone involved in the selection process for believing in me."

Prior to Texas Wesleyan, Sherrod spent three seasons at UTSA, helping lead the Roadrunners through one of the most successful stretches in program history. UTSA captured back-to-back conference championships, earned multiple national Top-25 rankings, and made three consecutive bowl appearances. His linebacking units were central to a defense that ranked nationally in takeaways, rushing defense, sacks, and tackles for loss.

Sherrod's coaching résumé also includes roles at Wake Forest, Sam Houston State, Delaware, Elon, Tennessee State, Western Carolina, East Tennessee State, and UMass. As a coordinator and position coach, he has helped teams achieve conference titles, playoff appearances, bowl victories, and national rankings while developing All-Americans, all-conference performers, and NFL talent.

A former team captain at Duke University, Sherrod earned second-team All-ACC and Academic All-ACC honors. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from Duke and a master's degree in sport management from Western Carolina University.

Sherrod and his wife, Monique, have two children, Elijah and Angelena.

Sherrod will begin his duties immediately, working with current student-athletes, assembling his staff, and preparing the Maroon Tigers for the upcoming season.

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