The Coaches Corner: Russell Shepard

In the second edition of The Coaches Corner one of the most exciting players in the entire class of 2009 sits down with the Coach.  A Five Star recruit, according to Rivals.com’s rankings, a member of the Rivals Top 100 list for the class of 2009, a player from Cypress Ridge High School in Houston, Texas, Russell Shepard.

If you live in Houston, you already know who Russell Shepard is.  And if you live outside of Houston and you haven’t heard of the quarterbacking prodigy then you are a part of a minority.  Playing quarterback and being one of the fastest juniors in the entire country, being able to adjust on the fly like another former Houston hero, Vince Young, Russell is holding all the skills in hand to be able to have a very long a very successful career.   

 

Courtesy of Texaspreps.com, Russell Shepard’s highlight video.

 Russell Shepard by the numbers:

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 195 lbs.

40 time: 4.4 

Q:  First of all thank you Russell for agreeing to do this interview.  Let’s start off with what recruiting boils down to, offer. Who are some of your offers?

A:  Texas, Florida, Texas A&M, OU, Tennessee, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Alabama, Arkansas, Boston college, Stanford, Rutgers, Minnesota, Arizona State, Tulsa have all offered me.  

Q:  On a weekly basis which schools keep up with you the most?

A: Texas keeps in contact with me at least three to 4 times a week. I talk to Coach Myers at Florida at least twice a week. From OU I talk to coach Patton he is the D-line coach there, I keep in contact with him two to 3 times a week..and with every one else it varies..I am starting a good relationship with Coach Sherman at A&M… 

Q:  Of the schools you list above whom, from the staff, is doing the recruiting of you and what kind of relationship do you have with them? 

A:  With all the school i try to get to know the head coach but to me the most important things is meeting the offense coordinators and the quarterback coach and I have developed a good relationship the Coach Mullen the quarterback coach at Florida and coach apple white . When I met him actually he was the offensive coordinator at Alabama and we have stay in touch even though he is at Texas now. 

Q:  Does Major Applewhite joining the Texas staff help their chances?

A:  Yes sir coach apple white is a wonderful man and i have developed a strong relationship with him throughout my recruiting process and adding him to  the staff makes them a little more bright in this dark process.    

Q:  At this date, early still in the recruiting process, do you have a short list of “top” schools that are vying for your commitment?

A: My top 5 school right know will have to be; Texas, Florida, OU, Michigan, and LSU. And I will decide on my decision of school probably at the beginning or late September. 

Q:  Are you ready to narrow your list down to those top 5, or do other schools have opportunities to get in the race for you?

A:  Every time I narrow it down something, then, crazy happens. Like Coach Rodriguez going to Michigan or Coach Applewhite coming to Texas or even Coach Sherman coming to Texas A&M. So right now I don’t have a top 5 I just have a lot of school I am interested in. 

Q:  Speaking of Coach Rodriguez, Has he made contact with you since arriving at Michigan?

A:  Yes sir but only through mail. We haven’t talked directly over phone or in person. 

Q:  You draw strong comparisons to former Texas and Houston star, Vince Young, how does that make you feel?

A:  It always an honor being compared to someone of that level. But I will be the first to say I am my own person. Sometimes its crazy because he has done all these crazy things throughout his career but I just take it with  a like shoulder. I am the highest ranked player to come out of Houston since Vince so I look at it as a honor and I will do what ever I can do to make my own name.    

Q:  What are you looking for in a school that you will commit to?

A:  For me to commit to a school first of all I am looking for good academics. Then, does that coach put people in the league every year. Then I look at their quarterbacks coach and also the quarterbacks that he has coached in the past or present and how successful they have been throughout the year. Lastly the style of system they run. I would like to be in a spread gun formation or a west coast pro style. 

Q:  Would your preference be to stay close to home, or would you be open to travel away?

A:  It does matter where I am at. Like I said the reasons I will pick my school is by the climate, the quarterback coach, the system, depth chart and also if they have my major   

Q:   Did you have a rooting interest growing up?

A:  I didn’t watch too much football as a kid but my cousin played for Ohio State and Tennessee his name is Eddie George, Heisman winner 

Q:  Has Eddie George given you any advice going through the recruiting process?

A:  No sir even though Eddie is my cousin we don’t keep in contact like that he has his career and a family to look after and I respect that to the fullest. 

Q:  How would it feel to bring the second Heisman into the family?

A:  It would feel good to bring a Heisman to the family again it would be a wonderful thing. 

Q:  How has your family been throughout this recruiting-process?

A:  They have been supportive and also protective because I have a lot of people who want to use my name and try to use my name to there advantage. I mean you would be surprised that who will try to use a 17 year old boy. But they realize at the end of the day that it is my decision and that they only can help me and guide me through the process.    

Q:  How is your relationship with fellow teammates Hasan Lipscomb and, cousin, Craig Loston? And have you guys discussed wanting to attend the same college?

A: Me and Hasan’s relationship is great; it goes from the football field to school to out of school he is a great dude but I don’t think we will end up at same school. But me and my cousin Craig have talked about going to the same school either Florida or OU 

Q:  Do you plan to attend any camps this summer?

A:  With me graduating in December of 08 I have to go see colleges right now. Ill go up to OU. 

Q:  Have you bonded with any other players across the country whom you have met? At any camps, junior day If so, who?

A:  I have developed a friendship with Casey Pachell. He is a quarterback up in Brownwood. We went to a camp together up in Abilene. I developed a friendship with AJ Highsmith he is a quarterback at Hightower. Were kind of became real good friends after the game we played and their kicker kicked a 55 yard field goal to win the game. Jacob Karam, he is a good friend of mine. Me and him met through AJ. Koblly gray he is an amazing quarterback at Cy Falls and we have been playing against each other since middle school. But I have met people throughout the country. 

Q:   Are you looking forward to your senior year and all the “hype” that will surround you, even-more?

A:  Yes sir I look forward to my senior season I can’t wait to play ball again and every body has one senior season in there life no matter what. But we have a game on ESPN either against Matt Barkely he is a quarterback up in Cali he is the only quarterback ranked ahead of me and he just committed to USC. The other game they’re trying to get set up is me against Gilbert Grahamn. He is a very young and talented quarterback out of Lake Travis. He has set all kinds of records his junior year and me and him have been battling for that number one spot on UT’s recruiting board.  

Q: What are your goals for next year’s football season?

A:  To be honest with you coach, my only goal is to take my team to a state title and if that meant I had to throw for three thousand yards or run for three thousand I will do whatever it takes to get us were we want to be. I am a part of a team so I don’t set individual goals for myself, I set team goals.  My motto is that every one of us are a piece of the puzzle and in order to finish the puzzle you need every piece to fit right and in the right place. 

Q: What roll has your high school football coach played in your development and support?

A:  My head coach Gary Thibaud has played a big role in my development as a player, a teammate, a quarterback, and a person. People don’t realize it but I just started playing quarterback my sophomore year, so I had to develop my throwing motion, foot work, and knowledge of the position in a hurry and my coach did a good job with finding me the right camps to go to and even the camps not to go to. He was putting my name out there my freshmen year so I was taking recruiting trips when I was a freshmen in high school.   That’s the first time I ever got to UT. He has also showed me that you have to watch how you handle your self, especially myself with all the hype.  It gets crazy, I have had people travel 400 miles every week to come watch me play. People ask me for autographs and they are twenty and thirty years older than me. I mean I receive a lot of attention for being so young and my coach has done a good job to mentor me through it all.  

Q:  Let’s change the subject; do you have a favorite movie?

A:  my favorite movie is Remember the Titians. 

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Denzel Washington hands down.  

Q: Do you have a favorite performer?

A: Beyonce and if you are a man i think you know why. ha ha 

Q:  What is your favorite subject in high school?

A:  French. I took French my freshmen and sophomore year and I loved it. J’ adore 

Q: So Russell you do intend on graduating early?

A: Yes sir I graduate December of ‘08 I will enroll in to the school of my choice. It is a interesting subject because I have to go to summer school all throughout my high school years. I have to maintain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. It is a crazy and at times a different high school experience altogether.  

Q:  Do you know what your major will be in, in college?

A:  Yes, sir I am going to major in Marketing and minor in business. This field never slows down and I am an out spoken leader so I have always pictured myself barking out orders and not receiving them. The bonus is yours, your own boss and control how much money you make. 

Q:  Who do you accredit your football ability to?

A:  I am a very strong Christian and I believe that what ever God wants you to be it will happen and that every one on this earth is destined to be something and someone in life. God gave us the tools and it is up to us to use them right. But I give all credit to my parents Nikki and Russell senior because with out them I don’t know what I would be doing.  They support me emotionally, financially, and physically. 

Q: Who, growing up, did you look up to in your family?

A:  My father is my hero and will continue to be my hero no matter what.  He showed me that a man or woman controls their own life and that there is nobody that feels sorry for some one that will not help there self that’s why I always push my self and will never quit or give up because he is living proof that a person can come from nothing to something.  

Russell agreed to do further interviews and keep in touch with The Coaches Corner as his recruitment heats up.  One thing is for sure that whoever does land Russell is getting a once in a lifetime talent, or could it mean for one team a twice in a lifetime talent?   Stay tuned. 

I am Coach.