ALLEN PARK -- Kelvin Sheppard has been getting a ton of love as a rising coach to watch to open his tenure as Detroit Lions defensive coordinator.
We here at MLive pointed to him as “Detroit’s next coaching star” after the Week 4 win against the Cleveland Browns. And the national media caught up to that talk after the Lions and their makeshift defensive secondary balled out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in primetime action.
Sheppard’s rise has coincided with an opening at his beloved alma mater of LSU. Brian Kelly was fired after LSU fell to 5-3 on the season last week, and Sheppard has been a popular name among fans and social media as a potential replacement. Sheppard was a standout linebacker at LSU, won a national championship there, and returned as the director of player development before landing in Detroit.
The Lions defensive coordinator held his regularly scheduled press conference on Thursday in Allen Park. Sheppard talked about his love for his alma mater, dropped a memorable line, and said he hasn’t been contacted about the position.
MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast recorded minutes after Sheppard finished his press conference, so the topic was fresh on our minds. Hosts Kory Woods and Ben Raven discussed Sheppard’s response and Aidan Hutchinson’s extension, all while opening the mailbag to answer reader-submitted questions.
As Raven noted, Sheppard even had a memorable way to describe his dual loyalty: “He said he’s a liger: half (Detroit) Lion, half (LSU) Tiger.”
Woods praised Sheppard’s authenticity: “I just appreciate the fact that with this coaching staff, and then Sheppard just proved it right there in his answer, he or they are not trying to play anybody ... He’s not maybe trying to get the job, but of course he’s aware of what’s going on. It’s his alma mater.”
The LSU rumors likely won’t go away anytime soon. But the first-year Lions defensive coordinator made it clear that his current focus remains on the Minnesota Vikings -- particularly former LSU star receiver Justin Jefferson -- and helping the 5-2 Lions make their playoff push.
“But the truth of the matter is nobody has contacted me about anything dealing with a job outside of anything I’m doing right now,” Sheppard said on Thursday.
“And that’s the honest truth.”
See below to listen to the latest episode of the Dungeon of Doom podcast:
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.