I disagree. He was used as a run-of-the-mill WR, which is not what Shep is best at. They also abused him the first year(and possibly second) by practicing him with all three offensive skill groups all the time. I think Shep could have gotten more out of what he was given, but I still think the coaching staff could have done a lot better with him. As for Kelly's offense, if you're speaking solely in terms of talent, maybe I'd agree. Otherwise, Shep is a great fit for a gadget offense where you get the ball in space; his ability in space is probably his top attribute. And let's be real, other than Salas and Jackson, none of Philly's WRs showed much in the preseason and Cooper should've been kicked off the team.
I started out watching Shep in a Spring Scrimmage his Sr year. I also saw him play in 4 other games during the year. Got to meet his high school coach at that time, some of my good friends were coaching at Katy Taylor High and they knew his head coach. Shep was an athlete playing QB, could have played a number of positions on both sides of the ball. To add, Shep's younger brother Nick played DB during the same time in high school. Shep move the offense very well during those playing days. They had a defense and a couple good DE's and LB'ers, there were times I would have sent the LB'ers on a couple 3rd and longs, but thats another story. His position in college could have been DB like his brother Nick. Like so many high school QB's (Corey Webster, Mo Claiborne, Joe Addai, the list is endless) a position change in college is due. One thing I will say, if Cam had been here a few year earlier, no telling what he would have done with Sheps talent and how he would have been involved with the offense. Remember this, Cam took Antwaan Randle El and help him set a ton of records at Indiana. Randle El played QB, but once drafted into the NFL, was moved to WR. Up until that time, he had thrown a touchdown pass as a wide receiver for the Steelers in Super Bowl XL, the only wide receiver in history to do so. I don't know where life will take Shep, but I do wish him the best of luck, he should do well in life. I'll never forget when talking with his high school coach before that Spring Scrimmage about Russell, he was saying how good a player he was, but an even better person. In 2008, Shep won the Offensive Player of the Year award given by the Touchdown Club of Houston. A little trivia here, at that time he was the only O Lineman to ever win the Offensive Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Houston. This lineman, played at LSU. Guess who? Oh, at that time, the staff of Katy Taylor had a former LSU Asst. coach on its staff (OC) and a former walkon WR from LSU also on that staff(DC).
If all that you are saying is true, then why did Shepard NOT make the team in Philly? Forever, it seems, our fans have been blaming Shep's lack of productivity on our coaches. But it would appear that Chip Kelly couldn't turn him into a pro football player, either.
I'm scratching my head as to the first question. He played well, and analysts and fans alike were high on him. I'm only partially blaming the coaches for Shepard's lack of productivity as noted in my previous post. I think Kelly could and still can turn him into a pro football player. I don't even think Kelly disagrees or else he wouldn't have contacted Shep before the draft was over; I just think he ran out of roster spots. Regardless, Greg Schiano seems to side with me as of recently.
He practiced well, if I remember correctly, he had two terrible pre season games. Hopefully he catches on with the Bucs.
Let's see here, a motivational coach, Greg "Keep chopping wood" Schiano meets Russel "The Little Engine That Couldn't Quite (but wants to really bad)" Shepard. An interesting pair. Think of the possibilities, this can be boom or bust.
This was also my understanding of the situation. He didn't play well, but was looking good at practice.
I don't personally think he had poor preseason play overall. In the first game, he played poor on special teams, but eventually he started making tackles on kick and punt coverage. I had forgotten until now that Kelly signed Jeff Maehle, which is probably where Shepard's spot went in game 4.
