JaMarcus Shephard is more than an energy coach at practice for Alabama football.
The co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for Alabama is a teacher, developer of talented, and has a vast understanding of knowing when young players are prepared to perform in a college football game on the road.
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Alabama spent its first two matchups on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but it heads to Camp Randall Stadium this weekend to battle the Wisconsin Badgers at 11 a.m. CT. It is the first road test for the Crimson Tide in the Kalen DeBoer era, yet DeBoer is use to being up north. He has Big Ten experience from Indiana in 2019 as an offensive coordinator he draws from.
Alabama is favored by 15.5 points, but Shephard hilariously revealed on Wednesday how he knows young players are prepared to excel in a road game.
“You know what, just make sure you are on time,” Shephard said.
“Have your socks or a belt, that’s usually the ones they forget, having socks and a belt. If they have their socks and their belt, I know they’re ready because they’ve been paying attention to the smallest details. If they have the socks and belt, they should be okay. Beyond that, the football piece of it … you are not a young guy anymore. Most of these guys have been here. Some of them have been here through the winter. You have played in actual games. The guys who got here in the summer, you are not a young guy anymore. Our expectation is you perform at the same level as someone who has been here for four years.”
Hopefully, all the young players have their socks and belts ready.
The weather is projected to be sunny and 83 degrees in Madison, Wis.
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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.
