In all sports, especially college football, players take on the personality of their position coach.
Alabama football has not had a 1,000-yard wide receiver since 2021. Holmon Wiggins was a strong recruiter, but he failed to develop the most of the Crimson Tide’s talent in 2022 and 2023.
JaMarcus Shephard followed Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama after putting three receivers in the NFL Draft. Shephard has that “dawg” mentality and an excellent focus of how he wants his position to dominate. The Tide does not have a lot of experience at receiver, but the talent is all over the roster.
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In Wednesday’s availability for assistant coaches, Shephard laid out the expectation he has for receivers in Saturday’s season opener versus Western Kentucky. Alabama will work in at least five to seven players at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“I don’t know who is going to play at this point,” Shephard said. “There are a lot of guys who have been out there, we have been rotating people at various positions. The expectation is if you go out there on the field and you perform at a high level, you stay on out there and keep performing. If you don’t, come stand by me. That is just the reality of it, and they understand it.”
Coach Shephard is not playing around by this statement. He wants routes ran well, catches made, and big plays produced. A lot is expected from this room of receivers because Shephard put so much on the group in the spring, summer, and through fall camp.
The games should be simple for the Tide, especially with this expectation.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
