Brad Sherrod played and coached at Duke University and he’s confident that football and academics can co-exist at Morehouse College.
Sherrod’s introductory press conference made one thing clear: he does not see Morehouse College as just another coaching stop. He sees this HBCU opportunity as a mission, and he believes his background as a player and longtime coach at Duke University prepared him for the challenge.
Sherrod repeatedly framed the job in values-driven terms, saying when “God opens the door, it’s an assignment,” not just an opportunity. He described coaching as mentoring and pouring into young people, then tied that directly to Morehouse’s reputation for producing leaders.
A mission-first answer to “Why Morehouse?”
Asked what appealed to him about leading football at one of the nation’s most recognizable HBCUs, Sherrod pointed first to institutional mission and brand. He said Morehouse carries a national reputation and made it clear he wanted to be part of that mission.
Just as important, Sherrod said he is not arriving with a separate value system. Instead, he said his values align with the university’s values, centered on mentorship, service and leadership. He also emphasized that he wants Morehouse football players included in the tradition of leadership the college is known for across industries.
That answer gives Morehouse alumni and supporters an early glimpse of how he plans to lead: by tying football identity to institutional identity.
The Duke University connection and the Morehouse fit
The strongest “connect-the-dots” moment came when Sherrod was asked how his experience at Duke University could help at an academic-first school like Morehouse College. Sherrod said he spent 10 years at Duke and also played there, then pointed to one major lesson: finding the right balance between academic ability and athletic talent.
He said you cannot recruit only for academics and ignore athleticism, but you also cannot recruit athletes who cannot thrive academically. Sherrod added that those balanced prospects are out there and said his Duke experience proved it.
Sherrod also stressed that the right recruits must be willing to work in the classroom and on the field. He described a detailed evaluation process that goes beyond film, including conversations with teachers, counselors and others around a school to understand who a player really is.
That philosophy may be especially important at Morehouse, where fit matters as much as raw talent.
Sherrod embraces the rebuild and raises the bar
Sherrod did not pretend the job will be easy. The program has won just six games in the last four years under three head coaches. When Asked why Morehouse now, he said the process will be hard because changing a program means changing mindsets and expectations among players, alumni and administrators.
But he was just as direct about his ambition.
“I expect to win. I didn’t come here to lose,” Sherrod said, while adding that much of the work is about focus and hard work, not just money. MorehouseCoachIntro
He went even further, saying his goals include championships, playoff appearances and eventually competing for a national championship. Then he delivered the line that may best capture his vision: Morehouse expects excellence in the classroom, so the same expectation should exist on the football field. MorehouseCoachIntro
That is the challenge Sherrod accepted — and the standard he says Morehouse football must meet.