Shep?

I had to work this past weekend. I was able to listen to the game but haven't had a chance to watch the replay. I thought I heard shep playing as a runningback. Am I right that shep played the option with jj? Can someone fill me in on how shep was used, how good did he look and if you think this will be part of the jj package? Thanks.

 

Yes. He lined up at RB in a few shotgun formations behind JJ. (Perhaps setting up for a new wrinkle??)

He had a decent game. He rushed a time or two and then obviously that screen pass from Lee for a TD.

Over-all, it was "average"--I mean, scoring a TD is great--but he wasn't exceptional or a featured part of the offense.

 

Thanks. I was wondering if they were changing the way he is used and how he did.

 

They changed it a little bit from how they've been using him. He was put back in the backfield in shotgun the way they used to more often 2 years ago. Just not as featured.

 

I always thought he would do great as the outside runner in the option. I really don't like option football but shep would excel at it. He was the qb in an option offense in highschool where he was mr. Everything.

 

I really think this is being overlooked. JJ and Shep were running the read-option. This alone is an offense that is better than most in the SEC. The fact that our back-up offfense is this good makes us incredible. We have it all. The power I, read-option, and the passing attack. I don't see us losing a game this year. Think about the fact that we lost 2 games to top 10 teams by 8 points last year with THAT offense.

We are awesome.

 

And I don't view him as Mr. Anything but above average at this level. 4 years and he hasn't shown much and odds are, he won't. His "coming out play" vs Auburn in which he raced what? 60 yards for a TD was more to do with everyone saying, "THAT'S what we came to see!" when in reality, he's been pressed to duplicate or come close to that again.

He's not a hard runner and unless he jukes that first guy, he's gonna be tripped up on first contact more often than not.

I'd compare him to Demps/Rainey of Florida...but both of those guys are better, IMO. Rainey is smaller and runs a whole helluva lot harder than Shep ever will.

Am I glad he's a Tiger? You bet. But as a WR/play maker... Blaine Bech and Abrham Booty are both ahead of him and Shep will be ultimately remembered in THAT category.

 

The read option sets look to be greatly improved over last year as well.

 

Basically a decoy and that's it. What I don't get is Shep is on the kickoff team, but not the kick return team.

 

WEll .. .it was a good thing he was on the kick team last weekend .. that return was headed for 6.