14 Mike Sherwood

Hometown: Bellaire, OH

Career: 1968-1970

Record: 25-7, Bowl Record: 1-0

Mike Sherwood came to Morgantown following in his family’s footsteps. Sherwood would get a chance to start for Coach Carlen’s Mountaineers squad in 1968 as a sophomore. During the 1968 season, he would dazzle WVU coaches, earning the starting spot at quarterback for the rest of his career. Sherwood would power the Mountaineers to a 7-3 record as a sophomore, following that up with a 10-1 record as a junior (including a Peach Bowl victory). As a senior, Sherwood would have his most impressive statistical year, completing 60.6% of his passes for 1,550 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Sherwood would stay on at WVU after graduation to complete a Master’s degree and serve as an assistant to Coach Carlen and Coach Bowden. Sherwood’s career would be honored in 1997 with induction into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.

Memorable Game: Mike Sherwood proved his talents to the Mountaineers coaching staff in only his second start in 1968, against the Pitt Panthers. Sherwood led the Mountaineers into Pittsburgh, seeking a big road victory early in the season. The Mountaineers offense, anchored by Sherwood’s play, dominated the Panthers defense. Sherwood completed 73% of his passes against the Panthers secondary for 416 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He added a pair of rushing touchdowns, giving the Panthers defense a multi-dimensional attack that they could not handle. West Virginia cruised to a 38-15 victory over Pitt. The win showcased Sherwood’s talents, setting him up to become the starting quarterback for years to come.

Competition: Sherwood is the only WVU Sports Hall of Famer at #14. He had the statistics and the name recognition necessary to blow the other candidates out of the water. Other distant competitors for #14 include Brad Lewis, Darren Studstill, and Brad Starks.

Teaser: Tomorrow we honor the most accurate kicker of all-time in the NFL, that is until he turned into a head-case. This player held it all together in college, giving WVU an accurate, big leg. It wasn’t until this kicker got to playing for the Colts that he lost his mind. Speaking of losing your mind, you should watch Psycho.