Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer announced on Tuesday the hiring of Nick Sheridan and JaMarcus Shephard to lead the Crimson Tide’s offensive staff.
Sheridan will be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, with Shephard serving as the associate head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and wide receivers coach.
“Nick and JaMarcus are both fantastic coaches, and we are excited to have them join us at Alabama,” DeBoer stated in a press release. “They have expertise with our offense and understand what we’re trying to do on that side of the ball. They both bring passion and excitement to their job and have demonstrated excellence as teachers and recruiters throughout their careers.”
Sheridan’s previous experience includes two years as offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2020-21, as well as three years teaching tight ends under DeBoer at Indiana (2019) and Washington (2022–23).
“It is a tremendous opportunity to join Coach DeBoer at Alabama,” Sheridan stated in a press release. “I’m looking forward to working with this offensive staff each week to create a plan that will put our team in a position to succeed. Alabama has an unparalleled tradition, and I recognize the necessity of maintaining that level while developing our guys.”
Under his leadership at Washington, the Huskies’ tight end room became a catalyst for one of the most explosive offenses in the country in 2023. The UW passing game rated second in the nation (343.7 yards per game), while the offense ranked 13th in scoring (36.0 ppg). In 2022, Sheridan coached a Husky attack that led the nation in passing offense (369.8 yards per game) and third-down conversions (57 percent), while placing second in total offense (515.8 yards per game).
Sheridan, Indiana’s offensive coordinator (2020-21) and quarterback coach, guided Michael Penix, Jr. to a Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist and second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2020. Sheridan coached quarterbacks at Indiana in 2017-18 before DeBoer arrived in Bloomington, and 247Sports.com rated him one of the best 30 coaches under 30. Under his leadership, IU passed for 265.7 yards per game in 2017 and 257.7 in 2018.
Sheridan worked as an offensive graduate assistant at Tennessee for three years before joining Indiana. He was South Florida’s passing-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2013, after working in the same capacity at Western Kentucky in 2012.
Nick and his wife, Sarah, have two sons, Beau and Heath, and a daughter, Sloan.
Shephard brings extensive knowledge and experience to Tuscaloosa, as well as a reputation for developing some of college football’s top receivers.
“I have a passion for coaching and developing our football players both on and off the field,” Shephard said in a statement. “I am very proud of the opportunity to assist Coach DeBoer in maintaining the Alabama standard. This is a great place, and I am enthused about the prospects that lie ahead of us.”
Washington had perhaps the strongest wide receiver corps in the country in 2023, with two players earning 1,000-yard seasons, headed by first-team All-American Rome Odunze (92 receptions, 1,640 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Ja’Lynn Polk (69 receptions, 1,159 yards, 9 touchdowns). Shephard oversaw a receiving unit in his debut season with the Huskies, which helped the Husky offense rank among the most productive in the country. UW led the country in passing offense (369.8 yards per game) in third-down conversions (57%), while ranking second in total offense (515.8 yards per game).
Shephard joined Washington after spending the previous five seasons at Purdue coaching wide receivers, the last four as co-offensive coordinator. He worked with All-Big Ten receivers Rondale Moore and David Bell while at Purdue. Arizona drafted Moore in the second round of the 2021 draft, while Cleveland selected Bell in the third round of the 2022 selection.
In 2016, he served as wide receivers coach for Mike Leach at Washington State for one season. Shephard started his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky in 2011. He remained with the Hilltoppers as an offensive quality-control coach in 2012 and 2013, before being elevated to wide receivers coach in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Shephard, a Fort Wayne, Indiana native, was a four-year letterman in football for DePauw University (2001-04). He was a two-time All-American and still owns the school record for career kickoff return yards (1,430), while finishing sixth in receptions (168) and seventh in receiving yards (2,382). Shephard received a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from DePauw in 2005 and a master’s degree in recreation and sport administration from Western Kentucky in 2013. He and his wife, Hallie, have three kids.
While appropriate members of The Board of Trustees have been advised of the proposed terms and circumstances of this proposed appointment, the financial terms are still subject to Board approval.
