Brad Sherrod, who has spent the last 15 seasons in the college coaching ranks, including over a decade at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level, was named linebackers coach for the University of Delaware football team on Feb. 22, 2010.
Sherrod, who spent 11 seasons on the staff of his alma mater Duke University before serving the 2009 season at Western Carolina, replaced Ben Albert, who left the Blue Hen staff in January, 2010 to take a position on the coaching staff of the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
“We are excited to have Brad join our staff,", said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler in making the announcement. “He is a coaching veteran who has seen his share of games and worked with some outstanding players over the years. We welcome his knowledge and experience and look forward to him guiding what we think is a pretty good linebacker unit.”
A 1994 graduate of Duke where he was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference linebacker and team captain, Sherrod (pronounced "shuh-rod") served as linebackers coach and associate head coach at NCAA Division I FCS and Southern Conference member Western Carolina for head coach Dennis Wagner in 2009 and was running backs coach in 2008. He also served as the staff’s academic liaison.
Prior to moving to Western Carolina, Sherrod coached for 11 years at Duke, leading the linebackers for nine years and and coaching tight ends and running backs the final two seasons.
The Brad Sherrod File
How You Say It: Shuh-Rod College: Bachelor of Arts, History, Duke University, 1994 College Coaching Career:
1995: Graduate Assistant, Massachusetts 1996: Linebackers, East Tennessee 1997-2007: Linebackers (1997-2005, Tight Ends (2006), Running Backs (2007), Duke 2008-09: Running Backs (2008), Linebackers (2009), Western Carolina 2010-Present: Linebackers, University of Delaware Family: Wife, Monique; Son, Elijah; Daughter, Angelena. Recruiting Areas: New York (Bronx, Long Island, Queens); New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex counties); Pennsylvania (Delaware County)
In 2005, linebacker Michael Tauiliili was a co-recipient of Duke's Outstanding Defensive Player Award after leading the Blue Devils in total tackles with 92 and 69, respectively. Tauiliili was named first team Freshman All-America and the ACC's Defensive Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News after leading all rookie linebackers nationally in tackles and tackles for loss (10).
Also under Sherrod's tutelage was Ryan Fowler, a two-time Duke captain who made 41 career starts at Duke and earned second team All-ACC honors in 2003. Fowler racked up 495 career tackles -- the third-highest total in Duke history -- while adding 47.5 tackles for loss and 27 double figure tackle games.
Currently a member of the NFL's New York Jets, Fowler posted three 100-tackle seasons and was named co-MVP of the 2003 team. All told, Sherrod coached three Duke players currently on the school's career leading tackle charts.
Sherrod began his coaching career in 1995 at Delaware's Colonial Athletic Association foe University of Massachusetts as a defensive tackle coach before heading to East Tennessee State where he led the Bucs to a No. 8 national ranking, a 10-3 record, and a berth in the NCAA I-AA second round in 1996.
He also served two internships in the National Football League, spending the summer of 1998 with the Dallas Cowboys and the 2000 pre-season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneeers. He also is a 2007 graduate of the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy.
Serving as team captain, Sherrod earned second team All-ACC honors as a senior in 1993 when he led the Blue Devils and ranked fifth in the conference in tackles with 113 total stops. The native of Monroe, N.C., tallied 279 stops, including 26 tackles for loss in his Duke career from 1989-93.
His playing career began as a member of Duke's 1989 ACC championship team. He played in three games that season before red-shirting. For his career, Sherrod played in 47 games with 29 starts.
As a prep, Sherrod was a two-time all-state and honorable mention All-America pick at Monroe High School. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in history from Duke in 1993.
Sherrod and his wife, Monique, have one son, Elijah (5), and one daughter, Angelena (3).