MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — In August of 2018, Maryland junior linebacker Brett Shepherd made a difficult decision to leave the program prior to fall camp, putting his football future in the balance.
Due to personal reasons, Shepherd felt his potential would be better reached with a new team, and he had a feeling he knew where the perfect fit was.
Prior to joining Middle Tennessee's coaching staff as defensive coordinator in 2017, Scott Shafer was the defensive coordinator (2009-12) then head coach (2013-15) at Syracuse. While recruiting in 2015, he was tipped off about an undersized linebacker in Buford, Georgia playing at Collins Hill High School and decided to get in contact.