Shepard is Not a Quarterback
by Poseur on Feb 26, 2010 8:44 AM CST
in Football
26 comments
I didn't really want to step on the celebration of the Tiger basketball team winning its first SEC game, but Les Miles dropped the bombshell that everyone honestly expect yesterday when he announced a few positional changes to the media.
Can you believe it? Jai Eugene being moved to safety? Is this a move that shows that Miles has lost faith in Eugene's cover skills? Does this block Craig Loston from starting? Or will Eugene capably fill the rather large shoes to fill left by Chad Jones?
OK, no one really cares about those issues right now. We have all summer to worry about the secondary and how Miles and Chavis will organize the defense. Now is the time to completely over-react to our five-star recruit moving from quarterback to wide receiver.
There is simply no other way for me to say this more clearly: this move is so obvious that it shocks me that it has raised an eyebrow. Russell Shepard is an immensely talented prospect, but he's also incredibly raw, and small, prospect. Every time he took he hit, I winced, fearing for the kid's safety. If it were not for his immense recruiting hype, there is no way Shep sees the field as a freshmen. He is listed as 188 pounds but that looked like an extreme exaggeration because he looked like a kid.
Shepard's closest comp in the public's mind is Terrelle Pryor, another immensely talented dual threat recruit who arrived with immense hype. Pryor's just coming into his own as a player, right at the end of his sophomore year. He's also listed at 6'6" and 235#. Pryor is a great runner with questionable quarterback skills, just like Shep. He's also built like a tank, completely unlike Shep. Pryor could get by as nothing but a runner because, well, he has the build to do so. If Shepard tried to be an every down running quarterback in the SEC, he'd get killed. Not metaphorically, literally. He would get killed. Shep ain't Pryor. And would you really want the second Pryor anyway?
I want all of you recruit-niks to get real close to the computer now and read what I'm saying, because this is for you... If it were not for the immense amounts of hype surrounding recruits these days, there is no chance in hell Shepard sees the field last season. Think he was misused? Yeah, so do I. Smallish quarterbacks who rushed for more yards than they passed in their senior year should be doing two things in their first year: learning the playbook and hitting the weight room. That means a redshirt. If you think Shep is a QB, you absolutely should have been advocating a redhsirt for Shep to learn the playbook and bulk up, like almost every other QB recruit at every other program. Shep has tremendous talent, but there is no earthly way he should have been playing last year, and it's only because of the pressure on the coaching staff to try out the New Toy did he line up on the field.
He did not approach ready. Yes, he busted some big runs. He also called a lot of unnecessary timeouts because he was likely confused. He didn't get many touches because it did not look like a player that small could take the tremendous pounding a regular player takes in a game. Miles' mistake wasn't misusing Shepard, it was listening to the jackals in the fanbase who tore at their present like a kid on Christmas.
And to those of you who say that Shepard "never got a shot" at quarterback, this is a big world and we are all entitled to our opinions... but you are wrong and need to shut the hell up. Or suffer a facial burn, your choice (thanks, Bill Hicks). Saying that Shepard didn't get a shot at quarterback despite practicing with the quarterbacks and actually taking snaps at quarterback is absurd. Would anyone seriously argue that Chris Garrett has not gotten a shot at quarterback because he hasn't thrown a pass in a game yet? Didn't think so.
Shep oozes talent, but right now, it is only potential. Heck, even Michael Vick, the ultimate run-first make-it-happen quarterback, was redshirted. He's also a playmaker who needs to touch the ball, and he's no fool. He's likely fourth on the QB depth chart right now behind the two guys with lots of experience (and are only juniors) and a classic drop back guy who is no slouch in the talent department. LSU wants to get him the ball, and that means he has to move to a position where he can get the ball.
Billy Gonzales coached a pretty good all-purpose player at Florida in Percy Harvin. If Shep can play in a Harvin-type role, it will hopefully make our offense more explosive while at the same time showcase Shepard's talent so he can make it to the next level. LSU wins AND Shep goes to the NFL? Isn't that a classic win-win?
Shep moving positions is a good thing. It's a good thing for the team and it's a good thing for him. I'm pretty sure he would like to play professionally, and he has to know that it won't be at quarterback. The fact there is any controversy whatsoever at moving a talented playmaker to a position which will better showcase his skills says more about those who cannot let go of the recruiting race than the coaching staff. This is absolutely 100% the right move.
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Jai
i’m ok with the move on jai eugene. if he did anything right last year it was tackle. as far as shep goes, i’m ok with him at WR especially in a harvin type role, but i hate the fact that he burned a year of eligibility last year.
Or, for an LSU example
Billy Gonzales coached a pretty good all-purpose player at Florida in Percy Harvin.
Hell we had a good one here in Skyler Green — but Jimbo Fisher was never going to use him in that way. A waste, since Skyler was never going to be a true receiver. It’d be great if Shepard can become that dangerous of a punt return threat even.
PR/KR
I think Shep is one of the finalists for the PR/KR job. I would love to see him in that role. I think his elusiveness would be an incredible asset there. He’s not as fast as Trindon, but he might be better at making people miss in the open field. Make this happen.
Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
http://www.andthevalleyshook.com
even though
it worked that one time? better hands to make sure it’s not muffed can be a better strategy if you don’t trust your explosive track star’s ability to maintain possession
Holliday/Jones
I liked the sharing of duties. Jones was our “possession” PR, just out there to make the catch securely and usually just call the fair catch, while Holliday was our “return” PR. when he was in, we were thinking big play.
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Ideally, one guy handles it all
Like Skyler or Domanick Davis. But you couldn’t count on Trindon to catch the ball with guys in his face.
by Billy Gomila on Mar 1, 2010 12:56 PM CST up reply actions
Poseur
While I agree with you on your main point that the position move for Shep is a good thing (as does probably everyone on this website), I think you are missing one point.
there is no earthly way he should have been playing last year
Remember, Shep wanted to go to a school where he could compete for playing time at QB. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that Shep wouldn’t be at LSU if Miles didn’t promise him a shot at QB, with playing time as a Freshman. I think Miles knew that it was worth the wasted year with Shep to prove to him that he wasn’t going to beat out Jefferson (and probably not Garret or Lee either) at QB. The positive side to this, is that now Shep is at LSU playing WR instead of at Texas playing WR. I’ll take that move by Miles every year.
Sure it frustrated all of us last year, but the returns that we’ll now see from that investment are well worth it in my opinion. Great move by Miles in my opinion to get the kid on campus, and following through on every promise he made the kid.
It depends on how you look at it. If you believe, as you argue, that Shep was given playing time in a clever scheme designed by Miles to convince Shep that he is not QB material… then I absolutely agree. The year was worth it.
Of course, there were probably ways to convince him of that without burning a year. But, if this was by design, then I am absolutely shortchanging Miles some credit. That would be downright brilliant.
And I absolutely do not think Shep was lied to in any way, shape, or form (not that you accused Miles of that — quite the opposite in fact). Shep was promised a shot at QB. He got a shot. I think he probably looked at the depth chart and relaized his best chance to get on the field was as a Harvin-type slot receiver and/or scatback. It’s better for him and it’s better for LSU.
Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
http://www.andthevalleyshook.com
I would LOVE
to see him finally throw some passes from his wr role. He has experience as a qb and it’s a waste of his tools to never ever ever try them in college.
(it'd be nice to have a set of Pounceys, too)
Maybe I’m wearing purple and gold goggles, but does it seem to anyone else that Shepard is faster than Harvin? It always looked to me like Harvin’s value was more in his ability to change direction rather than his straight ahead speed. (This is particularly evident in the first play in the clip Billy posted.) From the little taste we got of Shepard last year, he looks faster and just as elusive.
Last year, they clearly had no appetite for Shepard throwing the ball and opposing defenses could read the giant neon sign every time he came into the game. This move should get him just as many (probably more) touches, without trashing 90% of the playbook every time he comes in. Moreover, having guys at the skill positions who are a colorable threat to throw the ball is never a bad thing.
Or just think about
What Ole Miss did with Dexter McCluster last season. People tend to want to move those smallish gamebreakers around because they’re “too small for running back.” Sure, you can’t dot the I and run them on isolation plays, but if you use them correctly, guys like McCluster, Holiday, Skyler Green, Devin Hester or Shepard can totally be running backs.
People get wrapped up in the quantity of touches — you have to focus on getting them quality touches.
With respect to McCluster
If you’ve ever read Meat Market, which I would highly recommend, everyone at Ole Miss knew that McCluster was a tremendous threat from day one. They just had trouble keeping him on the field because he was getting creamed by guys who outweighed him by 30-50 pounds (which ties in nicely with one of Poseur’s main points about Shepard).
McCluster really came into his own only after a) he added a little muscle and b) the coaching staff learned to get him what Billy calls “quality touches” – plays where he can use his skill set, and not plays where he has to try to be Charles Scott.
That being said, I think Crowton’s inability to use Holliday was a far greater issue with the offense last year than his inability to use Shepard. In other words, the track record for using these little guys to the best of their ability isn’t great.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Feb 26, 2010 10:51 AM CST up reply actions
Its worth noting on Holiday
McCluster is 5-9, 175 — Warrick Dunn, who was a damn good college back and then played in the NFL for about 10 years, was about 5-8, 180, 185.
Trindon is 5-5 and about 165. He’s in a whole other dimension in the size-concern department. While he definitely could have been used more than he was, he never would have held up to double-digit touches per game. Plus, he had problems catching the ball so you’re already limited in how much you can use him.
by Billy Gomila on Feb 26, 2010 11:08 AM CST up reply actions
Disagree about Trindon
Like Poseur says below, Trindon’s small isn’t your typical small. He’s about as muscle packed as he can get, and like you just said, it’s not about the quantity of touches, it’s the types and quality of them that matter. I definitely think Trindon could get double digit touches per game, and I even think he could run up the middle a little bit. Not every time obviously, but enough to keep the defense honest. I can’t remember which game it was, it may have been South Carolina, but I’m pretty sure it was 07, and he just ran right THROUGH a linebacker. Speed is half of the equation to force, and along with the benefit of a low center of gravity, and being able to hide behind blockers…he was definitely underused.
I agree that he is not a QB..
I think he should be a “utility player”, in the mold of Reggie Bush or Percy Harvin. The goal should be to get him the ball with a little space and watch the scoreboard light up.
I disagree with you though about him playing last year. I am one of the ones who think he was misused. Yes, he struggled to understand his assignment, leading to a lot of wasted timeouts, but I see that as a coaching problem. Here is a kid who by all accounts is unusually bright, and he came to school for the Spring, so he was here for longer than your typical true freshman. We couldn’t set up a package for him in that time? A group of 10 or 15 plays he had down and could run, from whatever position best suited him?
Other schools seem to have no problem getting a talented freshman ready to contribute. Florida didn’t have to sit Percy Harvin as a freshman because he didn’t know the plays. They found a role for Tim Tebow. Alabama found roles for Trent Richardson and Julio Jones as freshmen.
If Shepard was not physically ready, that’s fine. I understand. I disagree, and think he was physically ready for at least a small role. I just don’t buy at all that he couldn’t have been made mentally ready. If you can’t get a guy like Shep prepared enough to contribute, you are either running too complicated of a system or you aren’t teaching it right.
Father. Husband. Lawyer. Nerd.
by Richard Pittman on Feb 26, 2010 9:32 AM CST reply actions
Hey, Richard!
We miss you round these parts, and then you show up to disagree with me? Why I oughta…
I don’t really want to re-hash the “Crowton’s offense is needlessly complex” argument, but I absolutely agree with that. There is some blame on Crowton.
But I think if you believe Shep is a QB, then he should have been a redshirt. I’m a firm believer that barring extreme circumstances, you should always redshirt an incoming freshman QB. If its any other position, then a lot depends on the depth chart and the player’s physical capabilities. But if a true freshman QB is playing, it will always be with an incredibly limited playbook by simple neccessity.
Once Shepard was playing so early, he was already on a Harvin/Skyler career path. God, I would LOVE if he’s the next Dexter McCluster. But once he was playing as a true freshman, his career as a QB was probably doomed. He’s a playmaker, but he is so much better in space. Design plays to put him in space and go for it.
And I do think Shep is absolutely mentally ready. I just think he was nowhere near physically ready. He looked like a child out there. I’m dead serious, I cringed any time he got the ball because I thought he was going to get hurt very, very badly. He was small not in the Holliday sense of being small, but small in that he looked like he hadn’t filled out in his body yet.
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http://www.andthevalleyshook.com
"God, I would LOVE if he’s the next Dexter McCluster. "
McCluster’s rushing+receiving yards by year — 300, 389, 1280, 1689.
So if you want to look on the bright side, Shepard (with 311 total yards his freshman year) is on pace to have a better career than McCluster!
I agree 100% about cringing when he got hit. That attempted slant pass when he got picked up and bodyslammed springs to mind.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Feb 26, 2010 10:55 AM CST up reply actions
You said it...
other schools have no problems getting guys ready. It’s starting to look like a real problem to me that might hurt recruiting in the future.
Redshirt
I agree that the recruiting hype played a part in the decision not to redshirt Shep, but I also think the lack of confidence in Jarrett Lee and the question marks around Jefferson were the major factors. If not for the uncertainty around QB at the start of last season, I think Shep does get the redshirt or it’s held until later in the season.
I do think that once the decision to play him was made, he was underused. You can’t run the wildcat effectively without at least threatening a forward pass. If he’s too small to take big hits, get him to the edge where he can step out of bounds. Use him beside Holliday for kick returns.
Agree that he was misused
but assumed that the main reason his redshirt was burned was because he’d probably leave early to go pro
He who swallows a coconut places great trust in his anus.
by My Dixie wrecked. on Feb 26, 2010 11:20 AM CST reply actions
Alot of 5 star recruits
these days will refuse to go to a school if they are going to get redshirted. They want to see the field immediately, for better or for worse.
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