Jump to content

Gerard Wilcher

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gerard Wilcher
Current position
TitleSpecial teams coordinator & defensive backs coach
TeamMillersville
ConferencePSAC
Biographical details
Bornc. November 1969 (age 55)
Alma materMorehouse College (1992)
Boston College (1997)
Playing career
1988–1991Morehouse
Position(s)Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1992 (spring)Morehouse (SA)
1992–1993Morehouse (RB)
1994Morehouse (DB)
1995Cheyney (DB)
1996Boston College (GA)
1997UMass (OLB)
1998–2000UMass (WR)
2001–2003Cornell (DB)
2004Lehigh (DB)
2005Lehigh (DC/DB)
2006–2011Lehigh (DB)
2012–2013Lehigh (co-DC/DB)
2014–2015Seton Hill (DC/CB)
2016–2017Delaware State (DC)
2018–2022Rice (CB)
2023Morehouse
2024Western Michigan (off. analyst)
2025–presentMillersville (ST/DB)
Head coaching record
Overall1–9

Gerard Anthony Wilcher (born c. November 1969) is an American college football coach. He is the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for Millersville University of Pennsylvania, positions he has held since 2025. He was the head football coach for Morehouse College in 2023. He also coached for Cheyney, Boston College, UMass, Cornell, Lehigh, Seton Hill, Delaware State, Rice, and Western Michigan. He played college football for Morehouse as a defensive back.

Playing career

[edit]

Wilcher played college football for Morehouse as a defensive back.[1] He was most notably a member of the 1991 team, led by head coach Craig M. Cason, that finished tied for first in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.[1]

Coaching career

[edit]

After Wilcher's graduation, he returned to Morehouse as a student assistant in the spring before being named as running backs coach in the fall. He was retained for the 1994 season when Cason resigned and Vincent Williams, the team's defensive coordinator, was promoted. That same year he transitioned to defensive backs coach, replacing Keith Smyre.[2] Wilcher spent the 1995 season as defensive backs coach for Cheyney before,[3] in 1996, becoming a graduate assistant for Boston College. At Boston College, he worked closely with the defensive backs.[4] After one season with the Eagles, he was hired as the outside linebackers coach for UMass under head coach Mike Hodges.[4] He replaced Ben Albert.[4] After one season, Wilcher transitioned to wide receivers coach.[5][6]

After four seasons on the UMass staff, Wilcher was hired as the defensive backs coach for Cornell.[7] In 2004, he accepted the same position at Lehigh. In 2005, he was promoted to defensive coordinator by head coach Pete Lembo.[8] Wilcher took over a defense that regularly finished among the top team's in the Patriot League.[8] In 2006, Lembo left and Andy Coen was hired, with him, he hired Dave Kotulski as his defensive coordinator, leaving Wilcher to revert to his former role of just defensive backs coach.[9] In 2012, Kotulski left for Stanford, leading Coen to promoted Wilcher, alongside Donnie Roberts, to co-defensive coordinator.[10][11]

In 2014, Wilcher was hired as the defensive coordinator for Seton Hill under head coach Isaac Collins. In 2016, he rejoined the Division I ranks as the defensive coordinator for Delaware State.[12][13] After going a combined 1–21 in two seasons, Wilcher was hired as the cornerbacks coach for Rice.[14]

In 2023, having spent the previous five seasons with Rice, Wilcher was hired as the head coach for his alma mater, Morehouse.[15][16] He took over for Rich Freeman, who resigned after 16 seasons. He was hired after the recruiting season and later stated that he "had no recruiting budget."[17] Wilcher made his head coaching debut against Virginia Union in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, where they lost 45–13.[18] Due to not being able to properly recruit, Morehouse finished the season going 1–9, with their lone win coming against conference rival Clark Atlanta, who finished winless at 0–10.[17] Wilcher was fired after just one season, stating that Morehouse had "made the decision to no longer retain me rather than give us the support and resources we need..."[17][19]

In 2024, Wilcher was hired as an offensive analyst for Western Michigan. In 2025, he returned to on-field coaching and joined J. C. Morgan as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for Millersville.

Head coaching record

[edit]
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Morehouse Maroon Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (2023)
2023 Morehouse 1–9 1–7 T–11th
Morehouse: 1–9 1–7
Total: 1–9

[20]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Mahone, Derrick (November 3, 1991). "Morehouse blanks Miles 24-0". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 64. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  2. ^ Reese, Earnest (January 26, 1994). "Morehouse promoted Williams to head coach". The Atlanta Journal. p. 45. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  3. ^ "Broncos announce Bill Walsh Minority Intern coaches". Denver Broncos. July 28, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "UMass hired Wilcher". The Republican. March 9, 1997. p. 25. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  5. ^ Thomas, Jeff (February 9, 1998). "Focus falls on returnees". The Republican. p. 26. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  6. ^ "UMass Football Coaching Tree". University of Massachusetts Amherst. November 11, 2005. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "Cornell". The Mississippi Press. March 22, 2001. p. 10. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Lehigh University football team makes coaching changes". The Morning Call. May 24, 2005. p. 24. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  9. ^ "Lehigh football team hires defensive coordinator". The Morning Call. February 15, 2006. p. 28. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  10. ^ Groller, Keith (March 24, 2012). "Lehigh ready to raise the bar again". The Morning Call. pp. C2. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  11. ^ "Lehigh ready to get it on and get it over ** Run-oriented Hawks can expect brisk pace and a sturdy test". The Morning Call. August 31, 2006. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  12. ^ Tresolini, Kevin (September 1, 2016). "Rivalry (Continued from Page 1C)". The News Joural. pp. C8. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  13. ^ "Hornets Announce Football Coaching Staff Changes". Delaware State University. March 31, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  14. ^ Bartlett, Matthew (February 2, 2023). "Rice Football: CBs coach Gerard Wilcher to Morehouse College". The Roost. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  15. ^ Smith, Mason (June 26, 2023). "Coach Gerard Wilcher Speaks On 'The Power Of The 'M' At Morehouse College". HBCU Legends. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  16. ^ Gaither, Steven J. (February 2, 2023). "Morehouse College to hire alumnus, FBS assistant as coach". HBCU Gameday. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Coach Gerard Wilcher fired after only one season, one win with alma mater Morehouse". The Atlanta Constitution. November 8, 2023. pp. B3. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  18. ^ Holland Jr., Peter (September 2, 2023). "Morehouse College alum Gerard Wilcher makes his head coaching debut in BCFHOF Classic". The Canton Repository. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  19. ^ Mosley, Kyle T. (November 6, 2023). "Morehouse College Fires Coach Gerard Wilcher". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  20. ^ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Gerard Wilcher". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerard_Wilcher&oldid=1284963393"