What Vanderbilt football expects to make Will Sheppard even better after emergence as a top SEC receiver

Nashville Tennessean
Where Vanderbilt football wide receivers coach Alex Bailey stood, Commodores wide receiver Will Sheppard wasn't far from his side.
Sheppard took an inquisitive approach to Thursday's practice session at Vanderbilt football's indoor facility. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound senior had a breakout 2022 season that placed him among the best wideouts in the SEC.
How he builds on that success could affect how the Commodores offense improves. The 'Dores ranked 12th among SEC teams in scoring offense, 13th in passing offense and 13th in total offense last season.
"Just going into fall camp, we wanted to communicate more," Bailey said. "I think when you see him moving around with me and kind of in my ear, it's the communication piece. It's him, whether he's in or on the sideline, he's communicating what he's seeing."
Sheppard was named second-team All-SEC last year after collecting 60 catches for 776 yards and nine touchdowns. Those nine TDs were second most in the SEC and 11th among FBS wide receivers. Sheppard was one of Vanderbilt's favorite targets with five receptions a game and caught the game-winning TD against Kentucky to break a 26-game conference losing streak and secure Vanderbilt's first SEC win since 2019.
Production has never been a question mark with Sheppard, but how he can squeeze more out of himself this fall is why he's developed a close relationship with Bailey.
"It's great for me because this is the first time that (Will) has had a receivers coach for consecutive years," Bailey said. "He was recruited by a different guy and every year he had a new position coach."
Sheppard arrived in Nashville from Mandeville High in Louisiana three years ago. He played in eight games as a freshman during Derek Mason's final season as Commodores coach. Sheppard flashed his potential as a sophomore with 560 yards and four touchdowns as Vandy improved from two wins in 2020 to five in 2021, Clark Lea's first year as coach.
Bailey, who was a receivers coach at Ball State for six years and one season (2021) at Colorado State, knows Sheppard could have taken the transfer portal route after Mason's exit, and is impressed with Sheppard's commitment to finish what he started.
"It's saying a lot about his investment in this place," Bailey said. "But also his belief in what we're doing."
"When you build that trust ... I think there's trust there," Bailey said. "I think he trusts what we're doing. He trusts me and what I'm asking of him which allows him to go play on the field."