STILLWATER - When the cameras roll and the reporters huddle, he keeps his head down and his eyes locked on the floor.
Oklahoma State wide receiver Brandon Sheperd is soft-spoken in the media spotlight. He fields questions with direct, short answers. It makes sense considering Sheperd's priorities this offseason in preparation for his final go-round with the Cowboys.
"I'm meaner," he said following a spring practice. "I got real mean."
Uh-oh. Bad news for opposing defenses. Because in his final two games last year, Sheperd was plenty unkind.
Like when he burned an OU defensive back for a 39-yard touchdown and trotted past the goal line wearing just one shoe ("I didn't even know I had it off until I got in the end zone," he said).
Or when he put a Washington safety on roller skates, juking him near the goal line with a slick stop-and-go maneuver to cap a 47-yard score. He blew a kiss to the crowd in the end zone ("That's kind of like a Madden trick on the X-Box," quarterback Mason Rudolph recalled).
Sheperd established himself as Rudolph's go-to target in those performances with 12 catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns. But his mean demeanor is more than a reflection of those stats. As Sheperd explains, it's his dedication to fine tuning technique and embracing competition this offseason.
Because there were moments in 2014 when more was expected from St. Louis native.
"We lost him for three or four games during the year," OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "Just lack of focus, for no other reason. Those are things he needs to improve on."
Effort hasn't been an issue so far this spring. Need proof? Sheperd was held out of Wednesday's scrimmage as a result of going a bit too hard.
"I think he actually broke a bone in his finger blocking," Gundy said, "which is a good thing."
Added Sheperd: "It's pretty much like a fight every day you go out to practice. It's spring ball. There are a lot of angry men out here. We've been hitting each other for about three or four weeks. After a while, it starts to get the best of you."
The Cowboys return nine wideouts who caught at least one pass next season, including starters David Glidden, James Washington and Jhajuan Seales. Rudolph was asked what makes Sheperd - at 6-foot-1 and 195-pounds - stand out from the rest.
"He's got a big chip on his shoulder where he's kind of pissed off every time he goes out there," Rudolph said. "He's ready to compete and he feels like he's got something to prove to every single DB out there."
Over Gundy's 10 seasons, the Cowboys have featured a number of lethal quarterback-to-receiver combinations. Adarius Bowman hauled in 67 passes for 1,006 yards from Zac Robinson in 2007. Brandon Weeden hit Justin Blackmon 111 times for 1,782 yards in 2010. And Josh Stewart tallied 101 catches for 1,210 yards from a combination of J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf in 2012.
Is Rudolph-to-Sheperd the next big thing in Stillwater?
"I feel like we can, but that's not really the goal," Sheperd said. "Our goal right now is just to make sure the whole team has the same goal and is willing to work the same way, the same day, every time."
DOK
Oklahoma State wide receiver Brandon Sheperd is soft-spoken in the media spotlight. He fields questions with direct, short answers. It makes sense considering Sheperd's priorities this offseason in preparation for his final go-round with the Cowboys.
"I'm meaner," he said following a spring practice. "I got real mean."
Uh-oh. Bad news for opposing defenses. Because in his final two games last year, Sheperd was plenty unkind.
Like when he burned an OU defensive back for a 39-yard touchdown and trotted past the goal line wearing just one shoe ("I didn't even know I had it off until I got in the end zone," he said).
Or when he put a Washington safety on roller skates, juking him near the goal line with a slick stop-and-go maneuver to cap a 47-yard score. He blew a kiss to the crowd in the end zone ("That's kind of like a Madden trick on the X-Box," quarterback Mason Rudolph recalled).
Sheperd established himself as Rudolph's go-to target in those performances with 12 catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns. But his mean demeanor is more than a reflection of those stats. As Sheperd explains, it's his dedication to fine tuning technique and embracing competition this offseason.
Because there were moments in 2014 when more was expected from St. Louis native.
"We lost him for three or four games during the year," OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "Just lack of focus, for no other reason. Those are things he needs to improve on."
Effort hasn't been an issue so far this spring. Need proof? Sheperd was held out of Wednesday's scrimmage as a result of going a bit too hard.
"I think he actually broke a bone in his finger blocking," Gundy said, "which is a good thing."
Added Sheperd: "It's pretty much like a fight every day you go out to practice. It's spring ball. There are a lot of angry men out here. We've been hitting each other for about three or four weeks. After a while, it starts to get the best of you."
The Cowboys return nine wideouts who caught at least one pass next season, including starters David Glidden, James Washington and Jhajuan Seales. Rudolph was asked what makes Sheperd - at 6-foot-1 and 195-pounds - stand out from the rest.
"He's got a big chip on his shoulder where he's kind of pissed off every time he goes out there," Rudolph said. "He's ready to compete and he feels like he's got something to prove to every single DB out there."
Over Gundy's 10 seasons, the Cowboys have featured a number of lethal quarterback-to-receiver combinations. Adarius Bowman hauled in 67 passes for 1,006 yards from Zac Robinson in 2007. Brandon Weeden hit Justin Blackmon 111 times for 1,782 yards in 2010. And Josh Stewart tallied 101 catches for 1,210 yards from a combination of J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf in 2012.
Is Rudolph-to-Sheperd the next big thing in Stillwater?
"I feel like we can, but that's not really the goal," Sheperd said. "Our goal right now is just to make sure the whole team has the same goal and is willing to work the same way, the same day, every time."
DOK
