Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Football :: Official Athletic Site
Jan. 29, 1998
Former Army Assistant Sheridan Joins MSU Football Staff
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Detroit native Bill Sheridan, a member of the coaching staff at the U.S. Military Academy for the last six seasons, has been named outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Michigan State, according to an announcement made Thursday by Spartan head football coach Nick Saban. Sheridan replaces Greg Colby, who was named defensive coordinator at Kent State University Jan. 7.
In addition to Sheridan's appointment, Saban announced two staff promotions and a change in responsibilities for another assistant. Wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett has been promoted from assistant to associate head coach while defensive line coach Todd Grantham has been elevated to the position of assistant head coach. Tight ends coach Pat Shurmur, who also previously served as recruiting coordinator, has traded those duties for those as special teams coach.
The 39-year-old Sheridan spent the last two seasons coaching Army's defensive backs. He previously worked with the Black Knights' outside and inside linebackers. Sheridan helped Army to a combined record of 34-32-1 during his six-year tenure, including a 10-2 mark in 1996 and a Top 25 national ranking.
"It's a homecoming of sorts for Bill Sheridan since he grew up in Detroit," Saban said.
"Bill is a very impressive young coach. He has great enthusiasm to go along with excellent football knowledge. He's an extremely hard worker who comes to Michigan State highly recommended by Army head coach Bob Sutton.
"Bill is such a promising young coach that some Mid-American Conference schools have tried to hire him as a defensive coordinator."
Sheridan came to West Point following three seasons at Cincinnati (1989-91) where he coached the inside linebackers under Tim Murphy. His full-time coaching credits also include a two-year stint at Maine (1987-88) where he worked with the outside linebackers. He also served as a graduate assistant at both Michigan (1985-86) and Eastern Michigan (1984-85).
Sheridan began his coaching career on the high school level as an assistant at Shrine School in Royal Oak, Mich., where he tutored the defensive backs, linebackers, receivers and offensive linemen.
A 1982 graduate of Grand Valley State College in Allendale, Mich., Sheridan earned four letters as a linebacker for the Lakers. He graduated from Detroit De La Salle High School.
Sheridan and his wife Jaycine have four children - Joseph, Nicholas, Mark and Natalie.