SIU cornerback Gavin Shepard started every game at cornerback last season, compiling 28 tackles and five pass breakups. This fall, he’s attempting to move across the field to 2025 All-American Jeremiah McClendon’s spot. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Barry Bottino
Cornerback Gavin Shepard has spent the spring working on what will likely be a different position than he played a year ago.
Last season as a redshirt freshman, he played the “field” corner position, with eventual All-American Jeremiah McClendon playing the “boundary” corner. Now, Shepard is aiming to move across the field to the spot played by McClendon, who is attempting to earn a spot on an NFL roster.
“That’s the goal,” said Shepard, who started every game a year ago. “I want to be able to go over to the boundary side and take that role and be more physical in my game.”
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Shepard said he usually watches film of himself to correct mistakes. Now, he’s studying how McClendon performed last season while putting up 59 tackles, two interceptions and 14 pass breakups, the second-most in FCS.
“That’s the example of what you need at that boundary corner,” Shepard said. “That guy played every game with so much confidence. He played with swag. He was so physical. He benched 20 reps of 225 (pounds).”
Shepard already has the confidence of plenty of others. He was the only redshirt freshman to start every game last season and has earned praise from SIU head coach Nick Hill.
“You’ve got to continue to develop those guys on your roster and let them go compete,” Hill said. “Gavin has to take on a role as the lead guy. You constantly have to have those guys that you’re giving new opportunities to.”
Shepard said the support of coaches, teammates and his family drove him last season.
“I had to play more confident, play a little faster,” he said of the 2025 campaign, which featured him compiling 28 tackles and five pass breakups. “But I know my team believed in me, my family believed in me and I believed in myself.”
The season was a powerful primer for Shepard in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which included Walter Payton Award winner Beau Brungard at Youngstown State and record-setting Tommy Rittenhouse at Illinois State among SIU’s opponents.
“You’re playing against some great quarterbacks,” he said. “I had never played in a college football game (before last season). It was a great opportunity.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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