State's Sherrill shows softer side

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Oct. 21, 2003
STARKVILLE In a rare moment, Jackie Sherrill displayed his emotions publicly.
The normally stoic veteran Mississippi State University head coach, who began his career in 1966 as a graduate assistant at Alabama, paused during his opening comments at Monday's press conference in the Bryan Athletic Administration Building.
In a surprising announcement last Friday, Sherrill, along with university president Dr. J. Charles Lee and athletic director Larry Templeton, released statements on the school's website that the 59-year-old coach would step down at the end of this season.
Monday's press conference was the first time Sherrill publicly discussed his decision to leave his position as the head coach at MSU.
After joking about being available to come to the sideline to argue with game officials and having to figure out how to sneak a cowbell into a stadium, the 38-year coaching veteran had to pause to collect his thoughts as he addressed members of the media and a small gathering of supporters and representatives from the university.
Sherrill arrived at MSU in 1991, after he took a two-year hiatus from coaching, to take over a program that had just one winning season in the nine previous years.
He quickly turned the program around, posting back-to-back seven win seasons in 1991 and 1992, and he took the Bulldogs to three bowl games in his first three years.
During the Sherrill era, the Bulldogs compiled seven winning seasons, went to six bowl games, won the Southeastern Conference Western Division in 1998 and posted a school-record 10 wins in 1999.
Sherrill also brought plenty of controversy to MSU when he was hired by Templeton.
He departed his previous coaching job at Texas A&M prior to the school's athletic program being charged with NCAA rules violations.
During his tenure at MSU Sherrill has not been afraid to stir things up with opposing teams and the media, whether he was showing his team how a bull is castrated before playing the University of Texas in 1992 or saying Auburn gave its kickers an edge by using helium-filled balls.
Sherrill has more wins and losses than any coach in Bulldogs history, posting a 75-69-2 record since arriving at MSU. He has also been at the school for more seasons than any previous coach.
But despite his success since arriving in Starkville, MSU has struggled lately, posting back-to-back three-win seasons and finishing last in the SEC West both years.
The dramatic downturn by the program had led many to speculate that 2003 season would Sherrill's final season with MSU, which currently holds a 2-5 record (1-2 SEC).
Sherrill would not speculate on his future, but he did say he was retiring from coaching at the end of the season, adding, "This is my last rodeo."