E.J. Shelby applied for the head football coaching position at Osseo in 2025, but the school decided to hire Augsburg University head coach Derrin Lamker.

After word circulated that the Osseo job was available again this year, Shelby applied once more.

“I realized it’s all about building relationships with the players,” Shelby said. “When I interviewed at Osseo, it was so positive, that I realized this is where needed to be.”

Osseo hired Shelby in February as its head football coach for the upcoming season. He was most recently the offensive coordinator at Hamline University.

Lamker stepped down from the position at Osseo in December after one season to take the head coaching position at Wayzata. When the Osseo job became available again, Shelby didn’t intend on reapplying, but circumstances dictated otherwise.

“I really was looking get back down south to coach in college — I’m an Alabama boy — but I’ve got two sons here and I didn’t want to lose my connections with them,” he said. “Being a father is important to me.”

Shelby said he also has a 14-year-old son in California.

Shelby, a native of Birmingham, Ala., joined the Air Force out of high school, but said he was “missing football”. After playing collegiately Santa Rosa Junior College, the College of the Desert in Palm Desert and Taylor University in Upland, Ind., Shelby held coaching positions at Milliken University in Decatur, Ill. Kentucky Christian University, Concordia-St. Paul.

During his career, Shelby developed a three-letter philosophy that transcends coaching.

“I’m trying to create a culture of DEA: Discipline, Education, Accountability,” Shelby said. “I’ve already gotten support from the parents [and] the community. It takes a village. This is my ministry.”

Shelby’s football philosophy is not based a specific offensive style, but rather intends to structure a team around effort and attitude. “We are big on respect, for the game, for each other,” he said. “We will honor the game and hold each other accountable. I want the players to want to come to workouts and expect each other to do the same thing.”

Lamker coached Osseo between 2006 and 2015 and guided the program to the Class 6A state championship in his final season. He left to coach at Edina and took over at Augsburg University before returning to Osseo prior to last season.