Remembering Legendary Churchill Football Coach Fred Shepherd, Who Won Two Maryland State Titles, dies at 87

Shepherd, 87, was the heart of Winston Churchill High School athletics, built a powerhouse program in Montgomery County and mentored future NFL and college stars

Fred Shepherd, who guided Winston Churchill to two Maryland high school football state championships, has passed at 87. / Winston Churchill Athletics

Fred Shepherd, the former head coach who guided the Winston Churchill High School football program to a pair of Maryland state championships in the 1970’s, has died. He was 87. 

Remembering a Coaching Icon

Dan Shepherd, Fred Shepherd’s son, announced his father’s death in a social media post on September 10. 

“Dad passed today,” Dan Shepherd said in an Instagram post. “He can finally rest in peace.” 

The Montgomery County Public School’s athletic department paid tribute to Shepherd in a social media post on September 11. 

“Coach Shepherd wasn’t just a coach; he was the heart and soul of our program,” the Winston Churchill High School athletic department said in an Instagram post. “His unwavering passion, tireless dedication, and deep love for every player, student, and colleague shaped generations and built a legacy that continues to echo through our halls and on our field today.”

 Shepherd's Record of Championships and Excellence

• Career record: 209-78 over nearly three decades
• State titles: 1976, 1977
• Regional championships: five
• State finalist appearances: 1982, 1985, 1988, 1993, 1995
• Inducted into the Maryland High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame (2001)

During his tenure at Churchill (Potomac, Maryland), Shepherd compiled a 209-78 record in nearly three decades coaching football at the Montgomery County Public School. He led the Bulldogs to state championships in 1976 and 1977. Shepherd also guided Churchill to five Maryland regional championships and state finalist in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1993 and 1995. 

Shepherd resigned in 1996 after 27 seasons leading the Churchill football program. The football stadium at Churchill is named after Shepherd. It’s known as Shepherd Stadium at Danver Field. 

“Fred was a great teacher, coach and mentor,” said former Gaithersburg head coach Kreg Kephart. “Played against his teams then later coached against his teams.” 

A Lasting Legacy

The legendary former head coach, who was inducted into the Maryland High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001, helped produce some of the finest student-athletes to ever play high school football in Montgomery County, Maryland including Travis Curtis, Brian Holloway, Jonathan Holloway, Jeff Kemp, Jimmy Kemp, Paul Palmer, Dhani Jones and Eric Smith.

Producing Generations of Stars

Coach Shepherd mentored a long list of standout athletes, including:

• Travis Curtis – WVU standout, NFL defensive back (Cardinals, Redskins, Vikings, Jets)
• Brian Holloway – Stanford, first-round NFL pick, three-time Pro Bowler with the Patriots
• Jonathan Holloway – Stanford linebacker
• Jeff Kemp – Dartmouth QB, 10-year NFL career (Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Eagles)
• Jimmy Kemp – Wake Forest QB, CFL professional
• Paul Palmer – Temple RB, Heisman runner-up (1986), NFL first-rounder, College Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Dhani Jones – Michigan linebacker, Nation Champion, NFL veteran (Giants, Eagles, Bengals), Played in Super Bowl XXXIX
• Eric Smith – Multi-sport athlete who played basketball at Georgetown

Travis Curtis, who played college football at West Virginia University, toiled in the National Football League for several teams including the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. 

Brian Holloway and his brother Jonathan both played college football at Stanford University. In 1981, the New England Patriots selected Brian Holloway in the first round of the NFL Draft with the 19th overall pick. 

During his NFL career, Brian Holloway was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and played in Super Bowl XX in 1985. 

Jeff Kemp, who played college football at Dartmouth, signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 1981. He also played for San Francisco, Seattle and Philadelphia during his ten-year NFL career. 

Jeff Kemp’s brother, Jimmy, played college football at Wake Forest University before enjoying a professional stint playing quarterback in the Canadian Football League. 

Paul Palmer enjoyed a storied college football career at Temple University where he was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1986. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round (19th overall pick) of the 1987 NFL Draft. During his rookie campaign, Palmer was named to the NFL’s All-Rookie team after leading the league in kickoff return yards.  

In 2000, Palmer was inducted into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame and he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. 

Dhani Jones, who won an NCAA championship at the University of Michigan in 1997, was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Jones, a linebacker, also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals during his NFL career. 

Eric Smith, who played college basketball at Georgetown, was a starting quarterback, safety and punter for Shepherd’s high school football team at Churchill. 

“He was very smart,” said Smith. “He was very boisterous, dedicated and he would praise you just as he would tear you down and he didn’t show any favoritism.”