Tag: Jackie Sherrill

Legendary Texas A&M head coach Jackie Sherrill is named to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame

Legendary Coach Jackie Sherrill has been named to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame 2024 class

On Wednesday, it was announced by The Board of Trustees of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame that former Texas A&M Athletic Director and Head Football coach Jackie Sherrill will be part of the 2024 Hall of Fame Class.

Below is the excerpt from the announcement from the official website of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame:

Jackie Sherrill started coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, the University of Alabama during the 1966 season. From there, he moved to the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University, University of Pittsburg, Washington State University, Texas A&M University, and Mississippi State University. Sherrill coached Texas A&M from 1982-1988 and had a 52-28-1 record. He led the Aggies to three Southwest Conference Titles (1985, 1986, & 1987) and won the 1986 Cotton Bowl over Auburn and the 1988 Cotton Bowl over Notre Dame. Over his coaching tenure, he compiled a record of 180–120–4, recognized for his coaching prowess by receiving the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (1981) and winning Southwest Conference Coach of the Year three times in (1985-1987). In 1983 he revitalized Texas A&M’s beloved 12th Man traditions when allowed walk-on tryouts from the student body to field members of the Aggies kickoff coverage team.

Congratulations to former Texas A&M AD and head football coach Jackie Sherrill in the 2024 induction into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

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Texas A&M’s goal line stance keeps Heisman winner out of the end zone and changes the game

A quick look back to 50th Cotton Bowl Classic where a fourth quarter goal line stand changes the game.

With Auburn coming to town, it’s only fitting that we take a look back at one of Texas A&M’s most clutch defensive stops in history.

It was New Year’s Day 1986, and the Aggies and Tigers were in a close battle at the 50th Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas, Texas. Heisman winner and one of the greatest college athletes of all time, Bo Jackson, was having a pretty dominant game leading into the 4th quarter.

Up by a slim lead of 21-16, The Auburn Tigers were inside the 10-yard line with four downs and the best running back in college football. No matter the situation, this would be a daunting task for any defense.

There wasn’t a soul in that stadium that didn’t believe that Auburn would score for this distance, but the Aggie goal-line defense was on a mission to deny that touchdown. Auburn ran the ball three straight times with Jackson but came up empty. Being two yards out, the Auburn head coach made a call that changed the course of the fourth quarter. On fourth and goal, Auburn handed the ball to Jackson for a fourth straight time, and he was stopped for the fourth straight time.

Below is what Auburn head coach Pat Dye had to say about that moment in the game.

”I think if we had scored on that fourth-down play, we would have won the ball game,” Dye said, via the New York Times. ”But when they stopped us, it gave them the edge and the momentum.”

The Aggies defeated the Tigers in a final score of 36-16, ending the season 10-2 record and ranked 6th in the Nation. Jimbo has the second hurdle of the season coming up on Saturday, and what we see will show us a lot about where the defense is at two weeks removed from the Miami game.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Jackie Sherrill named honorary captain for Tennessee-Pittsburgh game

Jackie Sherrill named honorary captain for Tennessee-Pittsburgh game.

Pittsburgh has named former head coach Jackie Sherrill as an honorary captain for the Johnny Majors Classic against Tennessee on Saturday (noon EDT, ESPN).

Majors, who died in 2020, played for and coached the Vols. He had two head coaching stints at Pittsburgh.

Sherrill served as an assistant coach under Majors at Iowa State (1968-72) and Pittsburgh (1972-75).

He left Majors’ staff in 1976 to become Washington State’s head coach.

After one season with the Cougars, Sherrill returned to Pittsburgh, replacing his one-time boss as the Panthers’ head coach.

In 1977, Majors returned to Tennessee as the Vols’ head coach.

Majors served as Tennessee’s head coach from 1977-92, winning three Southeastern Conference Championships (1985, 1989, 1990).

Sherill played at Alabama and served as a head coach at Texas A&M and Mississippi State after his time with the Panthers.

He won the SEC West Division championship in 1998 and lost the conference title game to Tennessee.

Sherill won three consecutive Southwestern Conference titles with the Aggies between 1985-87. He retired with a head coaching record of 180-120-4.

The Vols and Panthers will play at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania next season.

Majors guided the Panthers to the 1976 national title and returned to Pittsburgh as head coach from 1993-96.

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Jackie Sherrill discusses predicting super conferences in 1989, how expansion will continue

Jackie Sherrill discusses predicting super conferences in 1989, how expansion will continue.

The Southeastern Conference granted membership to Oklahoma and Texas on July 30.

Membership is slated to begin for the Longhorns and Sooners on July 1, 2025.

Following news of expansion, former Texas A&M and Mississippi State head coach Jackie Sherrill joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” and discussed Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC.

Sherrill discussed how he predicted conference expansion in 1989.

“1989, January, I did a FOX TVshow, an hour show, that we drew the map of the U.S., and the program was we would have four major conferences with 16-20 teams in a each conference,” Sherrill said. “At that time, everybody kind of blew it off, but the realization, we have to understand, and it is called college football fans. The college football fans dictate your program, your conference.”

Texas A&M coach Jackie Sherrill, left, visits with Texas coach David McWilliams after Texas A&M defeated Texas, 28-24, in Austin, Nov. 25, 1988. (AP Photo/Kevin Geil)

Sherrill also discussed how conference expansion is not finished following Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC.

“I have said this all along, that we were not through with expansions of teams moving,” Sherrill said. “The reason that is, ESPN wants to make money. FOX wants to make money. ESPN knows that if they added two or four more teams, and the right teams, and increase their footprint, then they would be able to demand more from the advertisers, and the package they would put together, that FOX, CBS, NBC could not match. That’s basically where we are today.

“Is it over with — no. We will still have quite a few teams that will be struggling and trying to get into a conference. Right now, we know that this is another nail in the coffin of the NCAA because it is a very short time before the NCAA will have any input in the Power Five conferences, which will end up being the Power Four conferences.”

The entire show with Sherrill can be listened to here or below. Sherrill further discusses conference expansion and the Texas A&M-Texas rivalry.

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Jackie Sherrill reflects on Johnny Majors, a ‘Tennessee treasure’

Jackie Sherrill reflects on Johnny Majors.

Former Tennessee head coach and player Johnny Majors died June 3.

He was 85.

Majors first became a head coach in 1968 at Iowa State. He came to Iowa State after serving as an assistant at Arkansas under Frank Broyles.

Jackie Sherrill, former college football head coach at Washington State, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, served as a graduate assistant at Arkansas in 1967.

NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
Nov 28, 1981, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jackie Sherrill stands on the sidelines against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Pitt Stadium during the 1981 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Majors hired Sherrill as his defensive backs coach at Iowa State when he became the Cyclones head coach. Sherrill also coached alongside Majors at Pittsburgh from 1973-75. He was defensive coordinator for the Panthers when Majors became head coach at Pittsburgh.

Sherrill joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” to discuss his football career, coaching alongside Majors and the last time he spoke with the former UT player and head coach.

“Coach and I became very close,” Sherrill said of Majors. “We talked Sunday night and we talked for over an hour.”

Sherill mentioned Majors “was sitting out on his porch and looking at the river” during their conversation and that the former Vol was in “great spirit.”

“We lost a Tennessee treasure and can’t be replaced,” Sherrill said.

The longtime college head coach mentioned that Majors was a “mentor and father figure” for him.

The entire interview with Sherrill can be listened to here or below.

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