JaMarcus Shephard is in his fourth season as co-offensive coordinator and fifth as wide receivers coach. He was hired Dec. 8, 2016.
In 2020, sophomore David Bell continued to shine under Shephard's guide, finishing the season with a Big Ten-high 53 receptions for 625 yards and a conference-leading eight touchdowns. His 104.2 yards receiving per game also led the league. Bell was named first-team All-Big Ten. Despite missing the first three games to injury, Rondale Moore caught 35 passes for for 270 yards in merely three games played.
Under Shephard's guide, Bell earned the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor in his first season at Purdue. Along with Moore's similar recognition in 2018, it was merely the fifth time in conference history for players from the same school to be recognized in consecutive years (also Purdue's Brian Fox and Eric Hunter in 1988 and 1989, Michigan's Steve Breaston and Mike Hart in 2003 and 2004, Wisconsin's Chris Borland and James White in 2009 and 2010, and Penn State's Deion Barnes and Christian Hackenberg in 2011 and 2012). Bell tied for the lead in the Big Ten with 86 receptions for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He was recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week a school-record-tying four times ni 2019 (also Moore in 2018). Moore, who was lost for the season in the first quarter of the fourth game of the year, still managed to catch 29 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns for the year. Moore was named Academic All-District V and Academic All-Big Ten.
The 2018 season saw the emergence of true freshman Moore as a national phenomenon and marked improvement of the wide receiver position group as a whole. Moore, who was named the Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver and Freshman of the Year, led the nation with 114 receptions for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns. The recipient of the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player and the first true freshman consensus All-American in Big Ten history, Moore broke school records for all-purpose yards in a game (313 vs. Northwestern in his first collegiate game) and season (2,215). Seniors Isaac Zico and Terry Wright, both junior college transfers, thrived in their second season, finishing with a combined 74 receptions for 1,211 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In his first season at Purdue, Shephard’s wide receivers came through when the Boilermakers needed them the most - late in the season. Anthony Mahoungou wrapped his collegiate career on a tear, finishing the final four games with 18 receptions for 366 yards and six touchdowns. Mahoungou caught the game-winning 38-yard touchdown pass with 1:44 remaining in the Foster Farms Bowl against Arizona. Gregory Phillips set the Purdue bowl game record with 14 receptions, while his 149 receiving yards rank third and his two touchdown receptions are tied for the most by a Boilermaker in the postseason.
Shephard came to the Boilermakers after spending the 2016 season at Washington State following the previous five years at Western Kentucky.
In his lone season at Washington State, where Shephard served as the inside receivers coach, he had River Cracraft en route to a career year before a torn ACL ended his campaign. Cracraft finished his final collegiate season with 53 receptions for 701 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. Washington State averaged 370.8 passing yards per game during the regular season.
Shephard joined the Western Kentucky staff in 2011 as a defensive analyst and volunteer assistant, a position he held for two seasons. He was moved to offensive analyst in 2013 before being hired full-time as the Hilltoppers’ receivers coach by current Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm in 2014. In the two seasons under Shephard’s guide, Hilltopper receivers amassed 553 receptions and 86 touchdowns. The offense averaged 374.3 passing yards per game in 2014 and 372.2 yards in 2015.
Shephard got his start in football coaching in the Indiana high school ranks, serving as an assistant at his alma mater, Fort Wayne Northrop, in 2005 before moving to Broad Ripple in Indianapolis in 2006. He served as a volunteer assistant with the DePauw track & field program in 2007, working with the long jumpers and sprinters.
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Shephard was a four-year football letterwinner at DePauw from 2001 to 2004. He was a two-time All-American and still holds the school record for career kickoff return yards (1,430), while ranking sixth in receptions (168), seventh in receiving yards (2,382) and tied for 20th in scoring (122 points) through the 2018 season. As a senior, Shephard caught 47 passes for 815 yards (17.3 average) and seven touchdowns. He played in the 2005 Hula Bowl (one of just two NCAA Division III participants) and the 2004 Aztec Bowl. Shephard served as captain for both the football and track & field teams his senior year.
Shephard served as an intern with the Philadelphia Eagles during his senior year at DePauw. He worked in the NCAA Education Services Division in 2006 and 2007 and with the National Center for Drug-Free Sport in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2007 to 2011.
Shephard (born May 30, 1983) earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from DePauw in 2005 and his master’s degree in recreation and sport administration from Western Kentucky in 2013. He and his wife, Hallie, have a son, Jaylan, and a daughter, Alana.
In 2020, sophomore David Bell continued to shine under Shephard's guide, finishing the season with a Big Ten-high 53 receptions for 625 yards and a conference-leading eight touchdowns. His 104.2 yards receiving per game also led the league. Bell was named first-team All-Big Ten. Despite missing the first three games to injury, Rondale Moore caught 35 passes for for 270 yards in merely three games played.
Under Shephard's guide, Bell earned the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor in his first season at Purdue. Along with Moore's similar recognition in 2018, it was merely the fifth time in conference history for players from the same school to be recognized in consecutive years (also Purdue's Brian Fox and Eric Hunter in 1988 and 1989, Michigan's Steve Breaston and Mike Hart in 2003 and 2004, Wisconsin's Chris Borland and James White in 2009 and 2010, and Penn State's Deion Barnes and Christian Hackenberg in 2011 and 2012). Bell tied for the lead in the Big Ten with 86 receptions for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He was recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week a school-record-tying four times ni 2019 (also Moore in 2018). Moore, who was lost for the season in the first quarter of the fourth game of the year, still managed to catch 29 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns for the year. Moore was named Academic All-District V and Academic All-Big Ten.
The 2018 season saw the emergence of true freshman Moore as a national phenomenon and marked improvement of the wide receiver position group as a whole. Moore, who was named the Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver and Freshman of the Year, led the nation with 114 receptions for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns. The recipient of the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player and the first true freshman consensus All-American in Big Ten history, Moore broke school records for all-purpose yards in a game (313 vs. Northwestern in his first collegiate game) and season (2,215). Seniors Isaac Zico and Terry Wright, both junior college transfers, thrived in their second season, finishing with a combined 74 receptions for 1,211 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In his first season at Purdue, Shephard’s wide receivers came through when the Boilermakers needed them the most - late in the season. Anthony Mahoungou wrapped his collegiate career on a tear, finishing the final four games with 18 receptions for 366 yards and six touchdowns. Mahoungou caught the game-winning 38-yard touchdown pass with 1:44 remaining in the Foster Farms Bowl against Arizona. Gregory Phillips set the Purdue bowl game record with 14 receptions, while his 149 receiving yards rank third and his two touchdown receptions are tied for the most by a Boilermaker in the postseason.
Shephard came to the Boilermakers after spending the 2016 season at Washington State following the previous five years at Western Kentucky.
In his lone season at Washington State, where Shephard served as the inside receivers coach, he had River Cracraft en route to a career year before a torn ACL ended his campaign. Cracraft finished his final collegiate season with 53 receptions for 701 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. Washington State averaged 370.8 passing yards per game during the regular season.
Shephard joined the Western Kentucky staff in 2011 as a defensive analyst and volunteer assistant, a position he held for two seasons. He was moved to offensive analyst in 2013 before being hired full-time as the Hilltoppers’ receivers coach by current Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm in 2014. In the two seasons under Shephard’s guide, Hilltopper receivers amassed 553 receptions and 86 touchdowns. The offense averaged 374.3 passing yards per game in 2014 and 372.2 yards in 2015.
Shephard got his start in football coaching in the Indiana high school ranks, serving as an assistant at his alma mater, Fort Wayne Northrop, in 2005 before moving to Broad Ripple in Indianapolis in 2006. He served as a volunteer assistant with the DePauw track & field program in 2007, working with the long jumpers and sprinters.
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Shephard was a four-year football letterwinner at DePauw from 2001 to 2004. He was a two-time All-American and still holds the school record for career kickoff return yards (1,430), while ranking sixth in receptions (168), seventh in receiving yards (2,382) and tied for 20th in scoring (122 points) through the 2018 season. As a senior, Shephard caught 47 passes for 815 yards (17.3 average) and seven touchdowns. He played in the 2005 Hula Bowl (one of just two NCAA Division III participants) and the 2004 Aztec Bowl. Shephard served as captain for both the football and track & field teams his senior year.
Shephard served as an intern with the Philadelphia Eagles during his senior year at DePauw. He worked in the NCAA Education Services Division in 2006 and 2007 and with the National Center for Drug-Free Sport in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2007 to 2011.
Shephard (born May 30, 1983) earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from DePauw in 2005 and his master’s degree in recreation and sport administration from Western Kentucky in 2013. He and his wife, Hallie, have a son, Jaylan, and a daughter, Alana.