Purdue Assistant JaMarcus Shephard '05 Traces His Love of Coaching Football Back to DePauw

June 20, 2017

"I actually played for Nick Mourouzis for three years and Bill Lynch was my coach my senior year -- he was the one who really introduced me to this whole coaching opportunity," JaMarcus Shephard, passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Purdue University, tells Fort Wayne CBS affiliate WANE-TV. Shephard, a 2005 graduate of DePauw University, says that after working with Lynch at the Bishop Dullaghan Football Camp, "I was addicted right away from the moment I had that opportunity."

Shephard recalls, "I actually got to coach his son's team at that camp." Of coaching, he says, "I knew that's what I wanted to do and I started pursuing it."

A Fort Wayne native, Shephard comes to the Boilermakers after serving as inside receiver coach for the Washington State University football program.

Access the interview at the station's website.

A standout wide receiver on the DePauw football team and a physical performance (sports medicine) major, Shephard graduated #3 all-time in school history with 3,997 all-purpose yards, and spent a semester interning with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. His coaching career began at Northrop High in Fort Wayne, his alma mater. He then went to Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis and became an assistant track coach at DePauw. (photo at left by John Terhune/Lafayette Courier & Journal)

From 2005 to 2007, Shephard worked for the NCAA, then spent four years working at the National Center from Drug Free Sport. He joined Western Kentucky's football staff in 2011 as a volunteer assistant, then was defensive quality control coach for two seasons before becoming wide receivers and special teams coach.

The captain of both the Tiger football and track and field teams, JaMarcus Shephard earned his master's degree in recreation and sport administration from Western Kentucky.