The next installment of “Where Are They Now?” takes us to Northern California to catch up with former Fresno State Rubio Long Snapper Bobby Shepard!
What is your current occupation? I am a firefighter.
Where do you live? I live in Lodi, California.
Married? Kids? Single, with a three year old chocolate lab.
What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? Both creating lifelong bonds with teammates and getting to travel the country and play in incredible stadiums. I played for a head coach that didn’t back down from any team. I was able to play in the Rose Bowl (and beat Rubio’s Bruins!), play at Camp Randall stadium, play at Nebraska, and at Candlestick Park to name a few.
If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Work your butt off. Not only as an athlete, but even more so as a student. You can only wear pads for so long. There is so much more to your life than football. Also, have fun. It truly will be the quickest four or five years of your life. Enjoy it.
If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? Support your son. My parents only missed two games in my entire playing career. Having them there every step of the way was incredibly rewarding. They were there for the game winning field goals and the rough losses. To this day it is something we always talk about. Very few kids get the opportunity to be a college athlete, soak it in with them.
When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? I didn’t snap a football for probably two years after attending NFL free agent camps and try outs. Then probably a month ago some fellow firefighters wanted to see if I could still snap, and how fast it was.
If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? I would absolutely do it all over again and be a Fresno State Bulldog in a heart beat! Only one school wanted me to walk on for them. I am forever in debt to Coach Hill for letting me walk on. I am also beyond thankful to Coach John Baxter (USC) and Coach Pete Alamar (Stanford) for working with me. Also the city of Fresno truly cares about their Bulldogs and Fresno State as a whole. Their passion at games was unmatched.
Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t? My first few years in college, I didn’t really enjoy myself. My life was all football and school. While I loved that I was devoted to my sport and education, I didn’t really get to experience all that college had to offer until later in my career.
What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? Since I graduated in 2011, I was able to attend Graduate School while playing my Senior season. I earned my Master’s degree in Sport Psychology. Obviously, my job is incredible to me! As cliché as it sounds, I love being the person that gets respond to help people when they are injured or having problems in their life.
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