Kevin Sherrer (born March 19, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the defensive coordinator at Georgia State as of March 2024.[1] Before that was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He also previously served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee (2018–2019), the outside linebackers coach at Georgia (2014–2017),[2] the defensive coordinator at South Alabama (2013), the Director of Player Development at Alabama (2010–2012), and as a high school assistant coach at Hoover High School, Spain Park High School, and Tuscaloosa County. He played college football at Alabama.[3]
 Sherrer in 2021 | |
| Georgia State Panthers | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 19, 1973 Oneonta, Alabama, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| College: | Alabama (1993–1995) |
| Career history | |
| As a coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Playing career
editA native of Oneonta, Alabama, Sherrer played tight end and linebacker at Cleveland High School in nearby Cleveland.[4] He was named All-State in 1990.[5] Sherrer played tight end at Alabama from 1993 to 1995, lettering in the latter year.[3] He graduated with a degree in physical education in 1996, and earned his master's degree in higher education administration from Alabama in 2000.[3]
Coaching career
editTuscaloosa County High School
editSherrer began coaching as an assistant at Tuscaloosa County High School in 1996, and helped the team win the state championship during his second year on the staff in 1997.[2]
Alabama
editIn 1998, he returned to the University of Alabama, serving as a graduate assistant on the staff of head coach Mike DuBose. During his tenure as a GA with the Tide, he assisted with defense, scout teams, and recruiting.[2]
Spain Park High School
editFrom 2001 to 2004, Sherrer served as defensive backs coach at Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama. During his four years with Spain Park, the team steadily improved, finishing with a 9–4 record and reaching the state quarterfinals in 2004.[3]
Hoover High School
editIn 2005, Sherrer joined the staff at Hoover High School, reuniting with college teammate (and future collegiate coaching colleague) Jeremy Pruitt. He initially served as an assistant with Hoover before taking over as defensive coordinator in 2007 following Pruitt's departure.[3]
Return to Alabama
editSherrer served as Director of Player Development at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2010 to 2012. During this time he won two national championships with the Crimson Tide.
South Alabama
editIn 2013, he was hired as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at South Alabama. During his lone season with the Jaguars, the team finished second in the Sun Belt Conference in total defense (384 yards per game) and scoring defense (25 points per game).[2]
Georgia
editIn 2014, Sherrer joined Mark Richt's staff at Georgia,[6] and remained on staff as the outside linebackers coach after Richt was replaced by Kirby Smart following the 2015 season. Players Sherrer coached at Georgia included Tae Crowder,[7] Leonard Floyd, and Jordan Jenkins.[2]
Tennessee
editIn December 2017, Sherrer was hired as the defensive coordinator at Tennessee, where his long-time colleague Pruitt had been named head coach.[8] In Sherrer’s second season on Jeremy Pruitt’s staff. Sherrer served as the team’s special teams coordinator in addition to being the teams inside linebackers coach after spending his first season as co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.[9]
New York Giants
editOn January 25, 2020, it was announced that Sherrer would become the inside linebackers coach for the New York Giants.[10][11] Sherrer assumed outside linebackers coach duties with the team after Bret Bielema left to become the head coach for Illinois on December 19, 2020.[12] It was announced prior to the 2021 season that he would continue to coach the entire linebacking core. He was let go after the 2021 season.
Georgia Tech
editOn January 4, 2023, it was announced that Sherrer was hired to be the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for Georgia Tech under head coach Brent Key.[13] On October 1, 2023, Sherrer was promoted to defensive coordinator by Brent Key.
Family
editSherrer and his wife, Carrie, have twin sons, Kaleb and Kyle.[3]
While coaching at Georgia in 2015 his sister Rasha was found murdered.[14][15]
References
edit- ^ "McGee Names Coordinators Jim Chaney, Kevin Sherrer". Georgia State University. March 5, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Kevin Sherrer, profile at GeorgiaDogs.com. Accessed December 11, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Kevin Sherrer, profile at USAJaguars.com. Accessed December 11, 2017.
- ^ Chip Towers, "Q&A: Kevin Sherrer on J.J. Green and Leaving Sweet Home Alabama," Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 3, 2014.
- ^ Cleveland All Star Players and Awards, Alabama High School Football Historical Society. Accessed December 11, 2017.
- ^ "Alabama DC Jeremy Pruitt and Georgia's Kevin Sherrer square off on biggest stage before reuniting on Rocky Top". Saturday Down South. January 5, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Giants draft pick Tae Crowder excited to reunite with Kevin Sherrer". Giants Wire. May 6, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Spenser Davis, "Report: Jeremy Pruitt to Hire Georgia Assistant Kevin Sherrer as Defensive Coordinator," SEC Country, December 8, 2017.
- ^ "Kevin Sherrer - Football Coach". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Report: Giants Adding Tennessee ILB Coach Kevin Sherrer to Joe Judge's Staff". Sports Illustrated New York Giants News, Analysis and More. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Gershon, Aaron (January 26, 2020). "New York Giants Set To Hire Another Coach With Joe Judge Ties [REPORT]". Elite Sports NY. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "OLB Coach Bret Bielema named Illinois head coach; Kevin Sherrer to assume duties". Giants.com. December 19, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ Caudell, Jackson (January 4, 2023). "Report: Georgia Tech Hires Kevin Sherrer As Linebackers Coach And Co-Defensive Coordinator". si.com.
- ^ "Alabama man convicted in couple's 2015 slayings". AP NEWS. August 23, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Sister of UGA assistant coach Sherrer found murdered". DawgNation. September 16, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2020.