Thomas Wilcher - Director of Community and High School Relations - Football Support Staff

Thomas Wilcher

Title:
Director of Community and High School Relations
Email:
football@msu.edu
Phone Number:
355-1647

Thomas Wilcher joined the Michigan State football staff in 2021 as the program’s Director of Community and High School Relations.

Wilcher builds and coordinates relationships with key groups in the state of Michigan to enhance the reach and engagement of Spartan football in the community. He previously spent 24 years as the head football coach at Detroit Cass Technical High School in Detroit, winning three state titles (2011, 2012, 2016), while teaching physical education. He also coached the boys’ track and field team and won three Class A state championships (1994, 1995, 1996) along with two Division 1 runner-up finishes (2001, 2002). Wilcher was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2018 and was named the Detroit Lions Michigan High School Football Coach of the Year in 2011 and the Michigan High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2017.

While at Cass Tech, Wilcher led one of the top football programs in the state of Michigan, guiding the Technicians to three Division 1 state championships (2011, 2012, 2016), 13 straight playoff appearances, including eight consecutive appearances in the state semifinals from 2010-17, and a record of 120-21 since 2010 (.851). He helped develop eight NFL Draft picks (Vernon Gholston, Joseph Barksdale, William Campbell, Jourdan Lewis, Lano Hill, Mike Weber, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michael Onwenu), the most of any high school in the state of Michigan since 2006, along with numerous college prospects at the FBS level. His 2016 team finished the season 14-0 and ranked No. 14 in the final MaxPreps national high school football rankings.

A native of Detroit, Wilcher was an exceptional athlete at Detroit Central High School. He won seven state track and field championships (1980: mile relay; 1981: mile relay, 440 relay, 120 high hurdles; 1982: 400 relay, 300 long hurdles, 110 high hurdles) in addition to three team state titles; was a two-time Michigan High School Track and Cross Country Athlete of the Year; set state records in the 110-meter and 120-meter high hurdles; and was a Junior Olympics champion in the 110-meter hurdles. He also was an all-state and All-American tailback on the football team and garnered all-city swimmer honors. He stills holds the MHSAA state record in the 110-meter high hurdles (13.6 seconds) and also the now-retired 120-meter high hurdles.

Wilcher went on to have a heralded athletic collegiate career at the University of Michigan. He was the 1986 NCAA Indoor 55-meter hurdles champion and 1987 Big Ten 110-meter high hurdles champion en route to earning All-America accolades three times (Indoor, 1985; Outdoor, 1985-86). Wilcher also was a two-year letterwinner (1985-86) in football and was selected in the ninth round (No. 226 overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He was inducted into the Michigan Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2009 and still holds the school record in the 110-meter hurdles.