The countdown is at three days before the kickoff of the 2022 Oklahoma football season, and today the focus is on another number three, former OU wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
The word to describe one of OU’s most abundant receivers to ever play in Norman: “competitor.” The Oklahoma City native played through his father’s footsteps and left a heartfelt impact on the Sooner faithful.
Shepard finished 2nd in total receiving yards at Oklahoma and 26 touchdowns to go with it, which ranked 4th among Oklahoma receivers. The unforgettable career of Sterling Shepard started immediately in his freshmen season at OU.
Shepard played in all 13 games as a freshman and significantly impacted everyone. He capped off his freshmen campaign with 45 receptions for 621 yards, which was the third-highest among OU freshmen receivers. With Kenny Stills and former Penn State transfer Justin Brown, Shepard was the Sooner’s third-option at receiver, but he gave quarterback Landry Jones a reliable target to throw to. Despite the Kansas State loss in Norman in 2012, Shepard had his best freshmen performance with seven receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Shepard carried on his first-year student campaign with a stellar sophomore season. It was a quarterback carousel in 2013 with Trevor Knight, Blake Bell, and Kendal Thompson, but Shepard still managed to have 603 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, which was both second on the team, behind Jalen Saunders. The sophomore season was capped off with an electrifying performance in the 2014 Sugar Bowl upset over the Crimson Tide. Many receivers stepped up in the Sugar Bowl, featuring Shepard with 63 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the 45-31 win over Alabama. It was an end-round run for Sterling Shepard that extended the lead to 31-17. Shortly after, Shepard had a 9-yard pass from Trevor Knight, who was scrambling and found Shepard in the end zone at the last second.
In his junior season, Shepard led the Sooners in receiving in six out of the twelve regular season games. Shepard had the fifth highest receiving yards in a game at OU, with 215 yards in the loss at TCU. Ironically, Shepard’s two highest receiving yard games cameShepard’ss. Two weeks later, Shepard had a 197 receiving yard performance against Kansas State. Shepard dealt with the injury bug in 2014 after a groin injury against Iowa State, which sidelined him for the next three games. It was a disaster season in 2014 for Oklahoma, ending with a lop-siding yet disappointing 40-6 loss to Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Despite being sidelined for the back half of the season, Shepard finished 2014 with 970 yards and five touchdowns.
Now the senior season of Sterling Shepard, it’s a memorable one that puts him in the discussion for best Oklahoma receivers. He shared receptions with Dede Westbrook, but Shepard was still the primary target for Baker Mayfield in 2015.
We all remember the hurdle and leap touchdown over a Tennessee defender that resulted in the deciding factor in the 2015 comeback win over Tennessee. A photographer snapped a picture of Shepard mid-air, and it’s a beautifit’sight.
It wasn’t the outcome that Oklahoma wanted, with the College Football Playoff loss to Clemson, but Shepard left it all out there. Shepard was the Sooners leading receiver in nine of the twelve games and had senior moments that warmed the hearts of Sooner fans. He stepped up on the big stage for Oklahoma in 2015, against Tennessee, Baylor, TCU, and lastly against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.
Bob Stoops on Sterling Shepard:
Former Sooner quarterback and father Derrick Shepard would look down with joy and delight with his son’s career in a Sooner uniform.