Micah Sherman began his life in a completely different world, scrounging for food as an orphan in Russia. Southwestern athletics photo

Micah Sherman was told by the doubters he wasn’t good enough to play college football.

But if they only knew his story, a story filled with adversity, they would have never doubted him. Not even for a second.

Football is a game. It pales in comparison to the rugged life he endured at an early age in Russia. Pushing himself to the level he needed to be at to play college football was easy compared to everything else.

“The first year I played I was a sophomore in high school and my mind was made up I was going to play in college,” Sherman said. “People said I couldn’t do it. I wanted to prove I could. I had a chip on my shoulder.”

Sherman, now a junior wide receiver at Southwestern, has more than a chip on his shoulder. He has mental toughness that is impossible to measure.

Sherman was born in Russia and his home life might as well have been hell on earth.

His mom and dad were abusive and both were alcoholics. They were rarely home. There was no running water, no electricity, no toys, no beds. He and his older sister and younger brother had to scrounge through trash cans just to eat.

Just before he turned 6, he moved into an orphanage with his two siblings. Life was a little better. But not by much. Often, they would still find themselves digging through trash cans for food because the meals at the orphanage weren’t all that filling.

How bad was it? At the age of 10, Sherman weighed just 42 pounds.

“It was a tough and difficult environment I lived in, and I still remember a lot from those years,” Sherman said. “It taught me a lot about survival skills and building character and being tough. Nothing was given to me.  It was hard to go through, but I don’t think I would be the person I am today without that experience.”

Just before he was 10, he and his brother and sister were adopted by Jeff and Heidi Sherman of Justin, Texas. Finally, there was light at the end of what seemed like an endless dark tunnel.

“I remember we flew into New York City at night and it was all lit up,” Sherman said. “I was struck with awe. It felt like I was in a movie. I was living a dream.”

It took time for Sherman to adapt to life in America. He had get used to the fact that the survival skills he used to his advantage while in Russia were no longer necessary. He had to get used to being a part of a loving family as well.

“I had to have a different mindset,” Sherman said. “It was a big adjustment. It took me about four years to get adjusted.”

He wasn’t allowed to play sports like his peers, though, as his new parents were focused on helping him get caught up from an education standpoint and get his physical health back to normal.

When he was a sophomore, they finally let him play football. He weighed 118 pounds.

His first game is still a vivid memory.

“The quarterback had gotten injured and my coach told me I was going to play the position,” Sherman said. “I was thrown into the fire but I was ready because of what I went through before I came here.”

Sherman eventually made his college football dream come true. He spent one season at McMurry before playing for the Pirates last year.

He made an immediate impact, leading the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in receptions (44) and the team in touchdown catches (4). He was named an all-league selection for his performance.

“He is an impact player,” Southwestern head coach Joe Austin said. “His teammates voted him our offensive MVP last year. He does a great job of leading by example. His effort is off the charts. So is his mental toughness.”

Austin said Sherman spent the offseason getting stronger but has battled through an ankle injury. But he has only missed one game and has caught 28 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s tough and has found a way to still step up and make plays,” Austin said. “He continues to work hard and fights through the injury to be as productive as he can be.”

Southwestern has three games remaining and is hoping to finish strong after a 2-5 start that includes two losses by less than 10 points. No matter how the year plays out, Sherman is thankful for the opportunities he has been given.

“I proved I could play college football. You can do anything if you put your mind to it,” Sherman said. “It’s a dream come true to work for this and have a chance to be a part of this team and get a great education. I can’t complain at all. I’m grateful for everything.”

Bears set record

Washington University unleashed a blistering offensive attack Saturday against Millsaps, setting the Southern Athletic Association record for most points scored in a 70-32 win. It is the third most points the Bears have scored in program history.

J.J. Tomlin led the way for Wash U., which scored on its first seven possessions. The junior quarterback completed 24 of his 34 passes for 272 yards and threw a career-high four touchdown passes. He moved passed the 4,000-yard mark for his career and now ranks third in school history (4,110 passing yards). He is second in total offense (4,127).

Kevin Hammarlund benefitted from Tomlin’s big day, catching seven passes for 106 yards. He caught three touchdown passes and is eighth all-time in catches (112).

The Bears, winners of three in a row, are 5-2 for the first time since 2013 and are 4-2 in the SAA.

Tigers have momentum heading into conference play

Trinity nailed down its second consecutive win Saturday, holding off Southwestern 26-21 in its final non-conference game. The Tigers are 6-1 overall heading into the Halloween showdown with Texas Lutheran in a game that will go a long way in deciding the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship.

Trinity has won the last five against Southwestern. The two teams meet again Nov. 7 in a game that will count in the SCAC standings.

Colby Doyal made four field goals, tying a school record, and the 40-yard kick he hit tied his own personal best.

While the 21 points was the most allowed by Trinity in a win, the defense did its job when it mattered, holding off a fourth-quarter rally in which Southwestern scored 14 points. The Tigers forced four turnovers and Luke Packard returned an interception 51 yards for a score.

Julian Turner led the way with eight tackles, pushing his season total to 83, and Martel Matthews recorded two sacks to help fuel a defensive effort that limited the Pirates to minus-21 rushing yards. Matthews has 2.5 sacks and 14 tackles on the season.

Lobos back on track

Sul Ross State snapped a three-game losing streak Saturday with a 13-7 win over McMurry. They improved to 2-5.

Jermaine Stevens rose to the occasion, returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown. The defensive score gave Sul Ross State a 7-0 lead. It was the third interception of the season for Stevens, who has also tallied 12 tackles this year.

Fernie Gonzalez led the defense with 10 tackles and is the team’s leading tackler with 54. Saturday’s win marks the first time this year that the Lobos have held a team to under 10 points.

Noteworthy

Austin College converted on a fake field goal in overtime before Madison Ross scored the game-winning touchdown in the Kangaroos’ 28-21 win over Lyon. Ross rushed for 180 yards and scored three touchdowns for Austin, which snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 4-3. Ross has rolled up 858 yards and scored 11 touchdowns this season.

Seth Peters threw three touchdown passes to lead Hendrix to a 27-21 win over Chicago. He pushed his career touchdown pass total to 50 and set school records for pass efficiency (206.2), yards per play (11.0) and yards per completion (18.7). Dayton Winn rushed for 197 yards, caught a 74-yard touchdown pass and tallied 22 return yards for 293 all-purpose yards, the third-most in school history.

Contact Me

If you have a great story idea or notable accomplishments that deserve a mention in this column, feel free to reach out to me at brian.lester@d3sports.com. You can also follow on Twitter @BLester1993.