| Mike Sherman | |
|---|---|
| Sherman in 2003 while Packers head coach
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| Biographical details | |
| Born | December 19, 1954 |
| Place of birth | Norwood, Massachusetts |
| Playing career | |
| 1974–1977 | Central Connecticut State |
| Position(s) | DE / OT |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1978 1979–1980 1981–1982 1983–1984 1985–1987 1988 1989–1993 1994 1995–1996 1997–1998 1999 2000–2005 2006 2007 2008–2011 |
Stamford HS Worcester Academy Pittsburgh (GA) Tulane (OL) Holy Cross (OL) Holy Cross (OC) Texas A&M (OL) UCLA (OL) Texas A&M (OL) Green Bay Packers (TE) Seattle Seahawks (OC) Green Bay Packers Houston Texans (Asst. HC) Houston Texans (OC) Texas A&M |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | See below |
| Bowls | 0–2 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| NFC North Division Championship (2002, 2003, 2004) | |
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman (born December 19, 1954) is the former head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles in 2002, 2003, and 2004.[1] Before he started coaching in the NFL, he served as an assistant coach at five different colleges, including Texas A&M, where he coached the offensive line for seven seasons.
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Sherman was born in 1954 in Norwood, Massachusetts. Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Sherman spent his life in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, the southernmost neighborhood in Boston. He lived there with his parents, Claire and Frank Sherman, his two sisters, Sandra and Cynthia, and his two brothers, George and Frank. His extended family members, who lived nearby, especially his niece Katie, were devout Green Bay Packers fans and now follow the Aggies regularly. Sherman was also raised in Northborough, Massachusetts, where he attended Algonquin Regional High School, playing for the football team. Though he was considered a solid player in high school, he was never a standout.
Sherman earned a scholarship to play at Central Connecticut State University, where he played defensive end and offensive tackle. He majored in English. Though he was considered to be an average player with limited abilities in college, he was noted for his strong commitment. Right after college, Sherman became an English teacher and an assistant football coach, serving at Stamford High School in Connecticut in 1978 and at Worcester Academy in Massachusetts from 1979–80.[2][3]
Sherman's father worked for a pipe company in New England and retired in 1991. Both his parents live in Cape Cod, where his father still does consulting work. Sherman has been married to his wife Karen since 1982, and the two have five children, Sarah, Emily, Matt, Ben, and Selena. Karen enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, and reading. Sarah (1983) is a Marquette and Nebraska alumn where she got her bachelors and masters in journalism. She is married to former Nebraska quarterback, Zac Taylor, who is currently the graduate assistant for Texas A&M. The two have a son (2011) named Brooks. Emily (1987) received her bachelors degree from St. Norbert College in media communications, and later her masters degree from Texas A&M University in higher education administration. Emily works in the athletic department at UTSA. Matt (1989) is a tight end for Texas A&M University, and just completed his undergraduate degree in universal studies. Matt is now pursuing his masters at Texas A&M's Business School. Ben (1992) is a freshman at St. Norbert College and plays on the football team as a tight end. He is studying secondary education with an emphasis in history. Selena (1999) was adopted when she was a year old. She enjoys running, soccer, and swimming.
Sherman started out his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was part of Jackie Sherrill's staff from 1981–82.[4] While at Pittsburgh, Sherman wasn't able to afford an apartment; instead, he slept on a cot in Pitt Stadium.[2] After his stay at Pittsburgh, Sherman then coached the offensive line at Tulane from 1983–84, and later moved to Holy Cross, where he coached the offensive line from 1985–87 before becoming the offensive coordinator for the 1988 season.
From 1989–93, Sherman coached the Texas A&M offensive line. During the 1992–93 season, he met current Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, who had coached the A&M running backs. In 1994, Sherman left Texas A&M to coach the UCLA offensive line, which included former Baltimore Ravens pro bowler Jonathan Ogden. Sherman later returned to Texas A&M to coach the offensive line again for the 1995–96 seasons. Under Sherman, the Aggie offense averaged over 400 yards of total offense four times of his seven seasons at A&M. The 1990 Aggie team set a school record of 471.1 yards per game. Sherman also helped the Aggies to win three Southwest Conference championships consecutively from 1991–93. Additionally, he recruited Leeland McElroy, who would become one of the Aggies' top 10 all-time leading running backs.[5]
On December 20, 1996, A&M head coach R. C. Slocum promoted Sherman to offensive coordinator to replace dismissed Steve Ensminger.[6] Months later, Sherman resigned to start his professional coaching career as the assistant offensive line and tight ends coach for the Green Bay Packers. When asked by a reporter why he chose to accept the Green Bay job, Sherman responded: "There is absolutely no other college job I would have left Texas A&M for and only one professional job that I've ever had any interest in and that being the Green Bay Packers. I've enjoyed the small-town atmosphere of College Station for my family, and Green Bay offers that same atmosphere. If the truth be told, there is not a whole lot of difference between an `Aggie' and a `Cheesehead."[7] He served the position for the 1997–98 seasons. After Packers head coach Mike Holmgren resigned to accept the Seattle Seahawks head coach position, Holmgren hired Sherman to become the offensive coordinator for the 1999 season.
In his six-year head coaching career with the Packers from 2000–05, Sherman compiled a 57–39 regular season record and a 2–4 postseason record. Sherman had used the West Coast Offense offensive strategy at Green Bay.[8][9]
In 2000, Sherman became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04. From 2002–2004, he led the Packers to three consecutive NFC North Division titles. From 2000–04, he compiled a 53–27 record, and a .663 winning percentage, which was the second highest in Packers history, trailing that of Vince Lombardi's, who is one of the most successful coaches in the history of football. Additionally, Green Bay and the Philadelphia Eagles were the only two teams to make the playoffs for four consecutive seasons from 2001–04.
An offensive-minded coach, Sherman led the Packers to break franchise records for rushing in 2003 and passing in 2004. In 2003, Packers quarterback Brett Favre led the NFL in touchdown passes, in addition to setting a franchise record for rushing yardage. The 2003 team also gained a total of 442 points, which is the third most in franchise history (461 in 2009, 456 in 1996, when the team won the Super Bowl).
Despite receiving a contract extension earlier in the 2005 season, Sherman was fired by the Packers on January 2, 2006, after compiling a 4–12 record — Green Bay's first losing record since the 1991 season. The Packers had lost pro bowlers Javon Walker, Bubba Franks and Ahman Green to Injured Reserve early in the season.[10]
Sherman succeeded Ron Wolf as General Manager of the Packers in 2001, taking on the dual role of Head Coach and General Manager. Although the promotion of Sherman to GM was made prior to the 2001 NFL Draft, Wolf handled the actual draft duty in 2001. Sherman brought in 3 of the core players that were on the Packers 2010 roster. He drafted Nick Barnett (2003 Rd 1 #29), Scott Wells, (2004 Rd 7 #251 - complimentary pick), and acquired Cullen Jenkins as a rookie free agent after the 2003 draft.
Sherman's 1st solo draft pick as GM & in charge of the draft was Javon Walker in 2002, who made the Pro Bowl in 2004, and was traded to the Denver Broncos in 2006.
In 2005 the Packers hired Ted Thompson from the Seattle Seahawks to take over Sherman's General Manager duties, although Sherman remained the Packers' head coach for one more season.
The Houston Texans hired Sherman as the assistant head coach/offense coach on February 15, 2006. On January 17, 2007, he was promoted to offensive coordinator, and remained as assistant head coach. In the 2006 season, the Texans' regular season offense ranked 28th out of 32 NFL teams.[11] In the 2007 season, Sherman's first year as the offensive coordinator, the Texans' regular season offense improved to a ranking of 14.[12]
The Texans finished the 2006 season with a 6–10 record. In 2007, they finished 8–8.
Sherman became the head coach of the Texas A&M football team in November 2007.[13] He signed a 7-year contract that at the time paid him $1.8 million annually.[14] Sherman abandoned the zone read option offense run by former A&M coach Dennis Franchione, and installed a pro-style system similar to those used in the NFL.[15][16] He uses a balanced offense run primarily out of pro-style formations.[17][18]
After two straight losing seasons, the Aggies started the 2010 season 3–3 but won their final six games to finish 9–3 and earn a share of the Big 12 South Division title.[19] After the 2010 season, he signed a contract extension through the 2015 season. His salary was raised to $2.2 million.[20]
In 2011, the Aggies began as a top 10 ranked team, but fell out of the polls after losing 4 games, three of which had double digit half time leads. Three of those four losses were to teams later ranked among the top ten in the nation. On November, 19, 2011 the Aggies defeated Kansas by a score of 61-7 and became bowl eligible for a third straight season.
Sherman was fired by Texas A&M on December 1, 2011.
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| GB | 2000 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3rd in NFC Central | - | - | - | - |
| GB | 2001 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 2nd in NFC Central | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to St. Louis Rams in NFC Divisional Game |
| GB | 2002 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in NFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Atlanta Falcons in NFC Wild-Card Game |
| GB | 2003 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in NFC North | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Philadelphia Eagles in NFC Divisional Game |
| GB | 2004 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in NFC North | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Minnesota Vikings in NFC Wild-Card Game |
| GB | 2005 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in NFC North | - | - | - | - |
| GB Total | 57 | 39 | 0 | .594 | 2 | 4 | .333 | |||
| Total | 59 | 43 | 0 | .578 | ||||||
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M Aggies (Big 12 Conference) (2008–2011) | |||||||||
| 2008 | Texas A&M | 4–8 | 2–6 | T–5th (South) | |||||
| 2009 | Texas A&M | 6–7 | 3–5 | 5th (South) | L Independence | ||||
| 2010 | Texas A&M | 9–4 | 6–2 | T–1st (South) | L Cotton | 21 | 19 | ||
| 2011 | Texas A&M | 6–6 | 4–5 | T–6th | Meineke Car Care* | ||||
| Texas A&M: | 25–25 | 15–18 | * Did not coach bowl game | ||||||
| Total: | 25–25 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title | |||||||||
| †Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches' Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll. |
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