Sports Illustrated reports that Morehouse College’s head football coach, Gerard Wilcher, has been let go after just eight months in the position.
Wilcher released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the abrupt dismissal, where he alleged that the team was unequipped with the necessary resources despite many requests.
“Please know that I tried every day to uplift my beloved Morehouse,” he wrote. “Statistically, we improved in almost every category. We played a challenging schedule with only 2 home games and even though we asked numerous times, we were not given the resources to have a strength and conditioning program.”
He continued, “I was hired after the recruiting season and had no recruiting budget. However, the College has made the decision to no longer retain me rather than give us the support and resources we need in order to be successful.”
Wilcher’s departure comes just days after the team defeated rival Clark Atlanta, 35-21. However, despite the achievement, the team had been on a losing streak for the previous nine matches, according to Morehouse Athletics
.Wilcher has been a football coach for over three decades and has worked for several college teams during his career, including Rice University, UMass, and Delaware State. A graduate of Morehouse College, he returned to the school in 2023 following former head coach Rich Freeman’s resignation after 16 years, according to Sports Illustrated.
Morehouse College initially announced its decision to hire the alumnus on its official site in spring 2023.
“Coach Wilcher brings a wealth of experience from both the
collegiate and national level that we believe will positively influence our players both on and off the field,” Curtis Campbell, athletics director at Morehouse College, said. “He has a tremendous work ethic, determination, and a remarkable understanding of the game. I look forward to seeing the impact on our players and the football program under his leadership.”Wilcher himself had also expressed anticipation for the upcoming season at the time.
“Returning to Morehouse College is a full circle moment,” he said. “As I embark on this journey, I am excited to lead the Maroon Tigers in orchestrating a winning program that will reflect our core values of Tradition, Integrity, Grit, Effort, Respect, and Sacrifice.”
Morehouse College has yet to respond to Wilcher’s recent remarks.
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