Photo by Miles Pierre/The Atlanta Voice
Morehouse College introduced its new head football coach, Brad Sherrod, on Monday morning. The Division II opportunity will be Sherrod’s first time as a head coach on that level.
Sherrod, 56, comes to the SIAC and the Atlanta University Center after two seasons as the head football coach at Texas Wesleyan University, an NAIA program in Fort Worth, Texas.
The press conference took place on campus, in the third-floor conference room of Archer Hall.
“This football program will represent Morehouse with dignity,” said Sherrod, who was accompanied by his wife of 22 years, Monique. “This is an assignment and not just an opportunity.”
During his two seasons at the helm at Texas Wesleyan, Sherrod led the program to the NAIA playoffs twice. Though the Rams failed to win a playoff game during his tenure, the overall record during those two seasons was 17-6.
Photo by Miles Pierre/The Atlanta Voice
At Morehouse College, over the past two seasons, there hasn’t been as much success. The Maroon Tigers, under former head coach and Atlanta Falcons receiver Terance Mathis, were 4-16 overall during that span. The Maroon Tigers finished the 2025 season 3-7 and the 2024 season 1-9.
Morehouse College Athletic Director Harold Ellis opened the press conference by saying the coaching search committee wanted to focus on bringing an experienced coach.
“It’s a good day in Morehouse College football. We are turning the page with a coach who has a ton of experience. I believe that’s key for our young men,” Ellis said.
Sherrod, a native of Monroe, North Carolina, and a former Duke University linebacker, has coached at 11 schools during his 30-year career. That time included at an HBCU, Tennessee State University, as the safeties coach in 2020. He has also coached linebackers, tight ends, and running backs at programs such as Duke, Wake Forest, and UMASS.
Prior to taking over as head coach in Fort Worth, Sherrod spent three seasons as the linebackers coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio from 2021-2023.
Sherrod listed the five “cultural pillars” of his football program as integrity, enthusiasm, mental and physical toughness, caring and selfishness, and great effort.
“Energy is a choice,” Sherrod said. “I expect to win, I didn’t come here to lose.”
Having spent time at Duke as a player and coach, Sherrod said he understands how important it is to balance academics and athletics.
“The biggest thing is identifying kids that can be successful here,” Sherrod said. “I found a bunch of them at Duke. They are out there.”
Sherrod said Morehouse football will have to find those kids in order to compete in the SIAC. Asked about whether he understands how serious the rivalry with Clark Atlanta University is, Sherrod said he did. He’s been in the middle of the Duke/North Carolina rivalry as a player and a coach.
“I know that’s an intense rivalry, but every game is important,” Sherrod said.
The Morehouse football schedule for the 2026 season has not been released.