Upcoming Event: Football at FIU on September 13, 2025 at 6 p.m.
6 p.m.
Football
at FIU
Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Heart and Soul: Chris Shepherd
11/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 17, 2001
So much has been made of FAU's 2001 inaugural squad. Its speed. Its athleticism. Its promise. Its youth. It has been an outstanding three-year journey, the development of FAU football and with the first season hours away from officially being filed in the history books, it is not a time to reflect, but more importantly a time to realize that the development has just begun.
As the Owls' inaugural unit begins to develop into a team, as it looks for leadership and maturity, its youngest members may be the ones with the most maturity. Offensive guard Chris Shepherd turned 18, just 12 days prior to the program's inaugural game. It was during two-a-days, August 21. It was also during that time he earned his nickname "porkchop" for eating 17 pork chops in one sitting.
Eating soul food and uniting as a family are things that are familiar to Shepherd. He is one of 15 children and claims he fits somewhere in the middle. The son of Ruford Shepherd and Allenea Bolden was born and raised in Apopka, FL and he is quick to smile at the mention of his family and quick to defend the small hometown.
"A lot of big things come out of small towns," he says. "Warren Sapp and James McKnight are from Apopka." Sapp, a defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, graduated from the University of Miami and is one of the more feared, and vocal, linemen in the NFL. McKnight, graduated from Liberty University and is in his eighth NFL season as a wide receiver, currently for the Miami Dolphins.
"I'm not going to try to emulate those guys (Sapp and McKnight)," says Shepherd. "But, when Sapp made it, he did a lot for his mom. That is something I admire and that is my main goal. I want to succeed, so that I can do a lot for my family. When I was young, where I am from, the people who had the most did the wrong things to get it. My mom taught me that if you work for something you will appreciate it more. I'm working hard for it now, hoping that I can make it better for her, because she did all she could do to take care of us. That was hard, especially with us not doing all the right things."
It is hard to imagine Shepherd not doing the right thing. He is a yes sir...no sir type of guy who wears a smile around the office and game face on the field. He is the type of player who wants to do his best for his family and his teammates.
"A football family is when I work hard not because of the individual accomplishments or because I want to shine," says Shepherd. "It is because I know the guy next to me is depending on me to do the job, because we both want to succeed." Shepherd wants to succeed and wants this program to succeed.
"There was a lot of press at home when I signed. My friends called me silly," says Shepherd. " 'Man your going to a school you have never heard of.' Now, they see it is real. They watch the coach's show. They saw the first game on television and know we beat the Florida teams we played and now they want to come here too."
Shepherd is the first in his family to attend college and it didn't come without careful consideration. He was courted by Tennessee, Central Florida, Wake Forest and Air Force, but his visits were cut short after he visited Liberty, a school his mother liked because it was Christian, but chose FAU on his next trip.
"My mom liked FAU a lot. Both my parents came on the visit with me," says Shepherd. "The other coaches who came to my school or to my mom's restaurant were more like agents, hounding, and she said that she didn't like the way they talked. Coach (Mel) Mills came to my school and the restaurant for soul food.. It was more like a comfortable home environment.
"Then, I came to FAU before the Oxley Center was built," added Shepherd. " When I got to the trailer (recruiting office), this old guy ran up and hugged me and kissed me on my face. I thought 'what is going on'. Coach (Arnie) Romero said 'we are glad to have you baby'. He turned out to be my coach. He is a real great guy."
Shepherd is happy with his decision to attend FAU and spends a lot of time with the team, both on and off the field. Either in meetings, at the cafeteria and through designed team Play Station II tournaments. He believes the team has the athletic ability and coaching staff, all the tools necessary to build a great program, they just need time and togetherness. His time with the team has been limited after an early season injury, and two deaths in his family. Despite it all, Sheperd is determined to earn a degree in accounting and after graduating from high school with a 3.3 grade point average, who could doubt him. Nor can his playing ability be doubted. After all the time he has missed, he has worked hard for his playing time and started against St. Peter's, prior to his last family emergency.
"Coach Schnellenberger is a great guy," says Shepherd. "He is an easy guy to talk to. A lot of the people are intimidated because of his past and how much he has accomplished. When I got back, I went up stairs, he smiled and said we are glad to have you back' and asked if I was okay. A lot of coaches don't care about the players. When I told him I need to go home, he just said call me when you get there safely. I haven't wanted for anything at FAU. My mom's intuition was right."
Shepherd's dream began when he was working for his father's lawn management business as a sophomore and junior in high school. After seeing a snake, he proclaimed to his father, he was going to college where he could earn an inside job. His father's only request. "Be a role model."
"One of my brothers has decided to play football," says Shepherd. He is a senior in high school. My father told me I could be a positive influence on him. He came with me on my recruiting trip to FAU. From then on, he decided he wanted to work hard to go to college. That is a plus."
The youngest brother, Ulysses (Robinson), has also been to the FAU campus. Ulysses, who is seven, came to Shepherd's last game and praised his brother's performance following the game.
"I've been taking care of my little brother since he was born. My mother worked, so it was part of my responsibility. He had a hole in his heart. If you wanted to hold him, you had to put the respirator over your shoulder," says Shepherd. "He had a machine to monitor his heart and breathing. He just turned seven. For his birthday, I gave him a football signed by the team."
Ruford Shepherd's son is a role model. He has already made life better for his family by being a leader and will help make the football squad the family it needs to be in order to become a winning team. He is a player with dreams and with the opportunity to obtain a degree. He was raised on soul food and knows about nurturing the heart. He is the youngest at FAU, but his drive like the drive of those who put this program together will build a football program.
Inside the Owls Burrow 2025-26 #5
Friday, September 12
Alex Atcavage Pads Off
Thursday, September 11
Easton Messer Wired for Sound
Thursday, September 11
Inside the Owls' Burrow S10, EP5
Wednesday, September 10