LSU Football Hiring Former Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard as Director of Player Development

Sheppard will replace Kevin Faulk, who was promoted to running backs coach

As part of his newsy press conference on Wednesday previewing spring practice, coach Ed Orgeron announced the program is hiring former LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard as its director of player development. 

Orgeron said Sheppard is expected to arrive in Baton Rouge on Friday and start work next week in his new position. Sheppard will replace Kevin Faulk after Faulk was most recently promoted to running backs coach for the 2020 season. 

"Kevin is a great teacher and mentor and someone that has earned the respect and love of our players," Orgeron said of Faulk. "We are honored to have one of the greatest players in LSU history as part of our coaching staff. This is a home run hire."

Sheppard played for LSU from 2007-10, winning a national championship in the '07 season before eventually becoming a third round pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Sheppard would play eight years in the NFL for six different teams before retiring in 2018.

In those eight seasons in the NFL, Sheppard recorded 429 total tackles, three sacks, 11 pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble. In four seasons with the Tigers, he recorded 311 tackles, 26.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and six forced fumbles. 

"Excited about him. He’s going to take Kevin Faulk’s place," Orgeron said of Sheppard. "That makes three full time assistants on our staff that played football and graduated from LSU and we’re very proud of that."

Along with Sheppard and Faulk, offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger rounds out the list of full time assistants that Orgeron referred to who once suited up for the purple and gold as players.