Shepherd 2026

[Ram040506]

Some twitter/X happenings in Shepherd's world:

Former OT Joey Fisher has signed with the Orlando Storm of the UFL in free agency.

Couple verbal commitments in the recruiting circuit:

Reilly Bechtel RB 5'10" 195lbs out of Emmaus HS in Emmaus, PA
Marcus Herndon DT 6'3" 290lbs out of Mt Zion Prep from Lanham, MD

Portal News:

Former Ram DB Damier Minkah is transferring to JMU. Chose JMU over VT and Iowa State.
Former Ram TE Caysen Lanza is transferring to Tennessee Tech

WR Kordell Batten is still in the portal, but might be returning is the word. If that's true, that would be great news. Was all PSAC East 1st team this year.

[Ship69]

Some twitter/X happenings in Shepherd's world:

Former OT Joey Fisher has signed with the Orlando Storm of the UFL in free agency.

Couple verbal commitments in the recruiting circuit:

Reilly Bechtel RB 5'10" 195lbs out of Emmaus HS in Emmaus, PA
Marcus Herndon DT 6'3" 290lbs out of Mt Zion Prep from Lanham, MD

Portal News:

Former Ram DB Damier Minkah is transferring to JMU. Chose JMU over VT and Iowa State.
Former Ram TE Caysen Lanza is transferring to Tennessee Tech

WR Kordell Batten is still in the portal, but might be returning is the word. If that's true, that would be great news. Was all PSAC East 1st team this year.

Interesting choice of JMU over ACC and Big 12 schools.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Interesting choice of JMU over ACC and Big 12 schools.

Sounds like a 'fit' choice.

I wish more athletes had that philosophy. In many cases it's do you want to play or be a sideline mascot.

Of course, James Madison has money, too. Perhaps they made the best offer.

[Cal U Alum 99]

Some twitter/X happenings in Shepherd's world:

Former OT Joey Fisher has signed with the Orlando Storm of the UFL in free agency.

Couple verbal commitments in the recruiting circuit:

Reilly Bechtel RB 5'10" 195lbs out of Emmaus HS in Emmaus, PA
Marcus Herndon DT 6'3" 290lbs out of Mt Zion Prep from Lanham, MD

Portal News:

Former Ram DB Damier Minkah is transferring to JMU. Chose JMU over VT and Iowa State.
Former Ram TE Caysen Lanza is transferring to Tennessee Tech

WR Kordell Batten is still in the portal, but might be returning is the word. If that's true, that would be great news. Was all PSAC East 1st team this year.

I watched Bechtel in HS. Fast kid and tough. My older son is friends with him and graduated with him.

[boatcapt]

Sounds like a 'fit' choice.

I wish more athletes had that philosophy. In many cases it's do you want to play or be a sideline mascot.

Of course, James Madison has money, too. Perhaps they made the best offer.

JMU is one of those "sneaky good" up and coming programs. Only been in FBS for four years and made the FBS championship playoffs this year to go along with two bowl appearances. Two time FCS national champions with multiple FCS playoff appearances and deep runs.

[Fightingscot82]

Sounds like a 'fit' choice.

I wish more athletes had that philosophy. In many cases it's do you want to play or be a sideline mascot.

Of course, James Madison has money, too. Perhaps they made the best offer.

JMU is a great school. Probably one of the hidden gems because they're not a flagship. Top 100 public with an underrated student experience inside the classroom and on the weekends. Harrisonburg is an underrated college town as well.

For this guy, its also 90 minutes from home. Shepherd is a tick closer, but he can play FBS football closer to home.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

JMU is a great school. Probably one of the hidden gems because they're not a flagship. Top 100 public with an underrated student experience inside the classroom and on the weekends. Harrisonburg is an underrated college town as well.

For this guy, its also 90 minutes from home. Shepherd is a tick closer, but he can play FBS football closer to home.

They have a fantastic following, too. Those guys are like rock stars on campus.

[Ram040506]

They have a fantastic following, too. Those guys are like rock stars on campus.

Halloween at JMU is a 10/10. Very fun town, I've always thought that if the Big 10 was looking to further expand, it wouldn't be a bad idea to avoid the transfer/buy out conference fees of UVA/VT and just grab JMU.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Halloween at JMU is a 10/10. Very fun town, I've always thought that if the Big 10 was looking to further expand, it wouldn't be a bad idea to avoid the transfer/buy out conference fees of UVA/VT and just grab JMU.

Seems like a great idea for the ACC, too.

[Fightingscot82]

They have a fantastic following, too. Those guys are like rock stars on campus.

Yeah they're one of the rare second-tier schools where students are actually big fans of the school they attend. I guess it helps when your local flagships are Maryland, Virginia, and VT. Upper echelon MAC in size and scope but ACC student experience.

[TheBigCat2192]

They have a fantastic following, too. Those guys are like rock stars on campus.

Given that the other students are partially paying the players salaries through mandatory athletics fees (and just how much of their athletic funding as a whole comes from said fees) I'm surprised the players get such a warm welcome.

[Fightingscot82]

Given that the other students are partially paying the players salaries through mandatory athletics fees (and just how much of their athletic funding as a whole comes from said fees) I'm surprised the players get such a warm welcome.

Its a rare situation when the majority of the students are okay with paying thousands to have big time athletics.

[EastStroud13]

Given that the other students are partially paying the players salaries through mandatory athletics fees (and just how much of their athletic funding as a whole comes from said fees) I'm surprised the players get such a warm welcome.

It's part of the deal. The students know what they're getting into, and JMU doesn't exactly hide it either. They use athletics as a major selling point for student life, so the students who choose to go there tend to be all-in on being a fan.

[Ram040506]

Will Ennis DB has committed out of the portal to Towson University. 4 DB transfers up to D1 in the last 2 years, pretty wild.

No update on Jordan Barnett RB yet. Per his X feed, he's had offers from Rhode Island, Wagner, Furman, Bryant, Tennessee State, Tennessee Chattanooga, Stony Brook, East Tennessee State, UT Martin, SE Missouri State, and UTEP, a few others I missed probably.

Devin Harper LB, no offers per his X profile. He's somewhat active on X, so might be that he doesn't have any offers at this point. 1 yr left.

Yannick Siewe WR, no offers per his X profile. 1 yr left.

Kordell Batten WR, no offers per his X profile. 1 yr left. Would be a big one if he came back for the offense and new QB.

[nova2wv]

Will Ennis DB has committed out of the portal to Towson University. 4 DB transfers up to D1 in the last 2 years, pretty wild.

No update on Jordan Barnett RB yet. Per his X feed, he's had offers from Rhode Island, Wagner, Furman, Bryant, Tennessee State, Tennessee Chattanooga, Stony Brook, East Tennessee State, UT Martin, SE Missouri State, and UTEP, a few others I missed probably.

Devin Harper LB, no offers per his X profile. He's somewhat active on X, so might be that he doesn't have any offers at this point. 1 yr left.

Yannick Siewe WR, no offers per his X profile. 1 yr left.

Kordell Batten WR, no offers per his X profile. 1 yr left. Would be a big one if he came back for the offense and new QB.

Jordan Barnett has exited the transfer portal and SIGNED to Morgan State University