Why Kelvin Sheppard Is Confident He Can Be Defensive Coordinator

Kelvin Sheppard is confident in ability to lead a defense.

Lions linebacker coach Kelvin Sheppard talks with media during a practice at the Lions practice facility in Allen Park / Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kelvin Sheppard's voice is getting louder.

Now in his fourth season with the Detroit Lions' staff, Sheppard oversees the entire linebackers unit along with specialized edge rushers. He's become a prominent member working under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and at times will address the entire defense during meetings.

It's not an overstatement to indicate that Sheppard has been a big part of the team's success on defense. Despite numerous injuries to key players in his room, such as Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez, Sheppard and Glenn have formulated new ways to maximize the players that are available.

As a result, Sheppard is confident that with his accrued experience, along with the methods he's learned from working under Glenn and head coach Dan Campbell, that he could soon lead his own defense in a coordinator role.

“Yes. I would be lying to you saying no. Absoutely, and that’s what happens here. It’s not just the players within in the building, but it’s the coaches as well. I’m very appreciative of the way Dan, Brad and A.G. have structured this thing to put you in leadership roles within your own right, within your room.

"As many times as A.G. allows me to speak in front of the entire defense, they don’t have to do those things," Sheppard continued. "I have friends that coach in other buildings, and I know they are not afforded those opportunities, so I don’t take them lightly."

Indeed, the Lions have become popular for revitalizing their approach in a number of ways. The front office drew praise for its handling of stars Jared Goff, Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown's contract situations this offseason.

Campbell has become one of the most highly thought of leaders in the entire sport. His offensive and defensive coordinators, Ben Johnson and Glenn, are expected to generate heavy interest on the head coaching market once again this offseason.

If Glenn were to find an ideal spot to take over as the head coach, Sheppard would be a natural candidate to take the reigns in Detroit. That is, if Glenn didn't hypothetically take him with him.

On a coaching staff that is known for its ability to motivate and make the most out of what it has, Sheppard appears to be cut from that same cloth.

The coach isn't alone in his belief about his abilities to be a coordinator. Jack Campbell, who has been tasked with calling the defensive plays with Anzalone out, raved about Sheppard's abilities.

"Coach Shep, (since) the day I stepped in the building, he's always pushed me but at the same time made sure that I feel appreciated and encouraged me. He's just a great guy, a great coach. He's earned everything that he's got. I can't tell you what the future holds," Campbell said. "I'm never gonna be a coach, so I'm never gonna be a head coach promoting people, so I don't really know what to look for. But he shows up, works hard, holds people to the standards and I feel like that's all you can really ask for. He's done a fantastic job. I hope he stays my linebacker coach for as long as I play, but if not, congratulations to him."

The opportunities he's received, such as addressing the team and the ability to take on more responsibilities with each year, have only strengthened his confidence.

"Every day I step foot in this place, it’s an unbelieveable opportunity to grow as a person, as a player, being able to watch how Dan operates," Sheppard explained. "I had the ability to watch him operate (as the tight ends coach) being in the locker room as a player in Miami, now as a coach. And on both ends of that spectrum, I can tell you I would not rather have the opportunity to learn from another man than him. And then schematically, the things A.G. has done with the personnel of these last four years. He’s just getting his recognition, but I’ve stood up on this podium and gave you the brutal honest truth and told you the things that man has brought to the table.” 

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Detroit Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard speaks to media members during OTAs / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sheppard played with the Lions back in 2018 and has seen his responsibilities grow during his coaching tenure in Motown.

"Well, he’s earned that. He’s earned that,” Detroit's fourth-year head coach said last year at minicamp. "I feel like Shep, the more we put on Shep, the more he answers the call. And, he’s developing as a coach. We see growth, no different than the players. You want to see growth from your coaches. And so, (Aaron Glenn) AG and I talked, and we felt like it was time to put more on him, especially this year.”

Navigating injuries

Sheppard has been able to manage the loss of starters such as Anzalone, Barnes and Rodriguez. Detroit has brought in, and relied upon, new faces such as Ezekiel Turner, David Long and Kwon Alexander to handle heavy snap counts in recent weeks. Second-year linebacker Jack Campbell has been the anchor of the unit.

All three players have played plenty in the NFL, but adapting to a new scheme can be difficult on short notice. With the help of their instincts and the coaching staff, led by Sheppard and his assistant position coaches Shaun Dion Hamilton and Dave Corrao, they've been able to get up to speed quickly.

Sheppard credited Hamilton and Corrao, along with Director of Pro Scouting Rob Lohman, for the work they've done finding these newcomers and implementing them quickly into the scheme. The fourth-year coached joked that Lohman told him he's running out of players to find.

“I’m not some damn rocket scientist, I’m a football coach. But when you have guys, when I look to my right and I’ve got a guy like (Assistant Linebackers coach) Shaun Dion Hamiltion who’s fully ready to run his own room as a linebacker coach," Sheppard explained. "I look to my left and I’ve got (Defensive Assistant/Outside Linebackers coach) Dave Corrao, who helps me with the edge guys, the OLB guys. And then I look in front of me and I’ve got Aaron Glenn. I’m all good. And then, I look behind me and we’ve got the players we brought in here."

The fourth-year coach indicated that he was quicker to ease in Alexander and Jamal Adams, both of whom joined the team last week and played against the Packers, because of their ties to his alma mater LSU.

“Phenomenal coach. Super smart, obviously played the game," Adams said. "Went to the best college in the world. But I have a lot of respect for Shep. I appreciate him bringing me in with open arms and teaching me a little bit about his room."

However, with players like Long and Turner, he credited their ability to quickly acclimate to the standard that Detroit has defensively.

“Just the way he teaches, the way he carries that room. All hands on deck. Just the standard that’s in that room, the culture. You’re coming in as a new guy, you kind of feel it off rip. Just the way he runs his meetings, there’s no room for error," Turner said. "Very little room for error. Coming to be a part of this one-loss team, you don’t want to be the guy that messes up or is aligned wrong, messes up his assignments. It’s huge for everyone to be on their details.” 

The way they've treated these acquisitions are not unlike the way they've treated all newcomers. It's a way that Sheppard appears bought into utilizing — demonstrate your understanding, and earn your opportunities.

"I didn’t know David Long before three, four weeks ago. I didn’t know Zeke Turner before what was it? Six, seven weeks ago. And these guys have come in, they’ve been coached different than my coaching style, I know that," Sheppard said. "But they know, the standard is the standard, and I credit these guys. Every one of them has stepped in here, ‘Yes sir, no sir.’ This is the way we play, this is the way we do it. And they understand that if you show it in practice, you’re going to get opportunities on game day. So it just builds that belief.”