Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
09/10/2010 -
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -Russell Shepard's career at LSU isn't turning out quite as he had envisioned, and that might be the best thing that ever happened to him.
The Tigers' quarterback-turned-wide receiver has remade his game in the mold of dynamic players like Percy Harvin, Reggie Bush and Aramanti Edwards, whose versatility allows them to be a big part of their teams' attack on the ground, through the air and even on special teams.
``I want to be a guy who's able to create that big play when we need it, something that Percy did throughout his career,'' Shepard said this week. ``I love players that are able to move around the field. At the end of the day, I want to be a football player. Receiver is my main position, but I feel like I can play other positions.''
Shepard is off to a promising start, having scored touchdowns on a 50-yard run and 6-yard catch in his debut at his new position in the No. 19 Tigers' 30-24 win over North Carolina last Saturday night.
Bush, a Southern Cal standout, is now a key player for the New Orleans Saints. Edwards quarterbacked Appalachian State to the upset over Michigan and the NFL rookie is now doing a little bit of everything for the Carolina Panthers.
But the way Shepard compares his role to Harvin, entering his second year with the Minnesota Vikings, makes sense. LSU receivers coach and passing game coordinator Billy Gonzales was Harvin's receivers coach at Florida.
When Shepard made the move to receiver, Gonzales showed him ``a million clips of Percy Harvin,'' Shepard recalled.
``Seeing how he moved from position to position, how he made things happen, definitely helped me out a lot.''
As a true freshman in 2009, Shepard saw limited action at quarterback, receiver and running back, and contends he can be effective at all three spots as needed. LSU coach Les Miles wants to get Shepard the ball more. Miles has him on the kickoff return team with Patrick Peterson and even seems willing to have Shepard take some snaps at quarterback in the wildcat formation.
``He's really just starting to receive the opportunities that he's going to get,'' Miles said. ``You'll find going forward that his productivity will continue to rise, and he's a guy we'd love to get more touches.''
That's exactly what Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell expects when the Commodores host the Tigers this Saturday.
Caldwell said Shepard ``looks like he catches lightning bugs for practice.''
``He's quick as a cat and can dodge and make you miss.''
Just like he did when he ran away from North Carolina linebacker Bruce Carter and the rest of the Tar Heels' defense on his 50-yard score.
Shepard, who is 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, recently ran an electronically timed 4.45 40-yard dash and has a vertical jump measured at 41 1/2 inches.
He was always a threat to scramble while playing quarterback at Cypress Ridge High School in Texas, where he ran for more than half of the 3,789 total yards and 48 TDs he racked up his senior year.
His speed and agility led most colleges to recruit him as a receiver, but he chose LSU in part because he would be given an opportunity to keep playing quarterback.
Shepard was the third-string quarterback as a freshman behind Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, and as that season progressed, he began to consider whether a change would be best for his career.
``I realized that Jordan and Jarrett were our two quarterbacks. So I had to sit down and think to myself, `You can play, but where do you best fit this team, and also, where can you have the most success?''' Shepard recalled. ``I realized quarterback is something I did in the past, something I love, but at the same time, I can help this team and I can better myself by playing receiver and running back. So far that's been the best thing for me and I haven't looked back.''
Shepard spent the past six months trying to master the fundamentals of a position he'd never really played, saying he's ``never worked harder at anything in my life.'' Last weekend, it was clear he still had more to learn. He dropped an early pass in the open field and later got flattened by Carter during another incompletion because he did not run his route correctly.
``That's the first time I've ever been hit in my life like that. It woke me up,'' Shepard recalled. ``I told Bruce, when he hit me, `Good hit. You're going to regret that.' A couple plays later I had my long run.''
Harvin's best year at Florida, in terms of yards from scrimmage, was 2007, when he totaled 1,622. His best for touchdowns was 2008, when he had 17.
Shepard said his goal this season is 1,000 total yards and 20 TDs. With 80 yards and two TDs in his first game, he's on pace in touchdowns and close in yardage.
He has yet to face a Southeastern Conference foe this season, but he also expects to improve.
``I had right under six months to prepare to be a starter in the SEC,'' Shepard said. ``The rest of our receiving corps has been receivers their whole life. So I really challenged myself to not be that weak point in this offense.''
He just may turn out to be its greatest strength.
---
AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Colts hoping battered line holds up against Texans
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Charlie Johnson understands the stakes in Sunday's season opener against Houston.As the Indianapolis Colts' left tackle, he must keep former No. 1 draft pick Mario Williams away from Peyton Manning. As part of the offensive line,
<< Saints grind out 14-9 win over Vikings in opener
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The New Orleans Saints opened their title defense by winning with defense.Jonathan Vilma intercepted Brett Favre, and the Saints allowed the Minnesota Vikings only two first downs and no points in the second half of a hard-fought
<< Packers' O-line expects to keep Rodgers upright
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - The Green Bay Packers' offensive line got off to such a bad start last year that it's even serving as a punchline for the satirical newspaper The Onion.In its tongue-in-cheek NFL preview this week, the paper's website wrote, `
<< Brady's day starts with crash, ends with contract
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - A loud crash. A crumpled front end. A brief stay in an ambulance.It was a very bad start to Tom Brady's day.A new contract. The highest average salary in the NFL. A deal that ties him to the New England Patriots through 2014
Wyoming, mourning death of player, faces Texas >>
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -The Wyoming football teams says they will play this weekend in honor of a fallen teammate.The Cowboys play at No. 5 Texas on Saturday night. Before the game, Ruben Narcisse's photo will grace the giant stadium scoreboard screen a
No. 11 Wisconsin on 14-game home opener win streak >>
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -Wisconsin wants to shoot down any comparisons with another top ranked team that could be made Saturday when the 11th-ranked Badgers take on San Jose State.The Spartans lost 48-3 to No. 1 Alabama last Saturday and San Jose State c
Report: NCAA looks into Tennessee basketball program >>
Knoxville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NCAA has reportedly looked into the
Tennessee men's basketball program as part of an overall investigation into
the school's athletics program.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Thursday,
No. 6 Huskers' Martinez to measure self vs. Idaho >>
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -After passing his trial run as Nebraska's starter, Taylor Martinez can strengthen his grip on the quarterback's job with another strong outing Saturday against Idaho.Martinez won over his teammates, not to mention the fans, in la
It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.
As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.
Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.
Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.
Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey betting needs.
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting