COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Gerard Wilcher
Alumni Gerard Wilcher begins his first year as head football coach of the Maroon Tigers football team.
The former Rice University defensive backs coach began his coaching career at Morehouse over 30 years ago and now brings a breadth of experience to his home team, including his time as co-defensive coordinator at Lehigh University, where he won four Patriot League Championships and had three NCAA Playoff Appearances during his ten-year tenure.
Wilcher has also worked with the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, and Philadelphia Eagles. Collegiately, he has also coached at Delaware State University, Seton Hill University, Cornell University, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (where he won the 1998 FCS National Championship), Boston College, and Cheyney University.
A four-year football letter winner at Morehouse College football team, Wilcher earned a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the school in 1992.
In May of 2019, he was honored by the City Council of Missouri City, Texas with an Award of Exemplary Action for his role in rescuing a young boy from drowning at a local swimming pool in the summer of 2018.
Wilcher and wife Ayanna are parents to three children. A son, Xavier, a graduate from Delaware State who works for Deloitte, and daughters Jalen, who also graduated from Delaware State and works for MD Anderson, and Jehlani, who is a junior at Sam Houston St University and a member of the Air Force Reserves.
Assistant Head Coach George Copeland
George Copeland joined the Morehouse coaching staff in 2007. He is the defensive coordinator and linebackers’ coach. Copeland has more than 15 years of coaching experience.
Employing an attacking style, the 2010 Morehouse defense finished the regular season ranked 1st nationally, in takeaways and tackles-for-loss. The 2009 Maroon Tigers led the SIAC in Red Zone defense and posted top numbers for takeaways. The 2008 Tigers were 2nd in total defense.
During his time at Morehouse, Copeland was instrumental in the development of Derrin Nettles, an American Football Coaches Association All-America selection and the 2010 SIAC Defensive Player of the Year. He also helped to develop Jeffery Cargile, a Daktronics All-America honoree and the 2008 SIAC Defensive Player of the Year.
A Valdosta, GA native, Copeland won state and national championships, during his playing days at Valdosta High School. Known as “Cope” to his many friends, Copeland went earned a degree in social work at Tennessee State University. While there, he played inside linebacker for three years, recording more than 120 tackles, in his senior year.
Copeland began his coaching career at his alma mater and coached outside linebackers, from 1995 to 1997. From there, he moved on to become the defensive coordinator at Northside High School in Memphis, TN.
At Alabama State University, Copeland coached the linebacker. His teams won three Eastern Division championships and a Southwest Athletic Conference championship in 2004. His ASU team led the conference in total defense, in 2006.
Copeland is a member of the Masonic Lodge #679, the American Football Coaches Association and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His favorite pastimes include chess and lifting weights.
Coach Copeland is married to the former Senta Chandler.
Assistant Coach Adrian Billingslea
Adrian Billingslea joined the Morehouse staff, in 2013, to coach outside linebackers.
Wide Receivers Coach Corey Russ
Linebacker Coach John Jefferson
John R. Jefferson Jr. enters his second season as the Morehouse Defensive Backs Coach.
Jefferson brings extensive coaching experience and energy to the staff. Served as the Defensive Coordinator for the EAC 2016 Conference Champions Georgia Prep/Juco, Defensive Co-Coordinator for Delaware Gamecocks Junior College, Defensive Backs Coach for Gattaca Junior College, Defensive Backs Coach at Pencader High School (DE), and Co-Offensive Coordinator at Woodrow Wilson High School (NJ).
Originally from Wilmington, DE, Jefferson began his coaching career, in 2008 at Woodrow Wilson High School.
Prior to coaching, Jefferson was a USA Today High School Honorable Mention All-American Quarterback. Jefferson went onto to play at D1 Delaware State University. Where he started at CB and played sparingly at QB and WR. Additional he was a holder on all extra points and field goals. As an option QB, he showed his versatility and was often used to change the pace of the game. As a result he drew comparisons in college to Antwann Randle El. After graduating from Delaware State in 2002, Jefferson went on to play six years of professional football in arena football league.
Jefferson lives in Atlanta, and has a son Jadon E. Manlove-Jefferson