Franklin senior John Shepard enters tonight’s Class 5A sectional final with 712 yards rushing this season.
Daily Journal file photo
Yards gained, tackles made and high-fives exchanged aren’t the most accurate gauges of John Shepard’s value to the Franklin football program.
The senior’s willingness to do whatever his team needs — and be highly proficient at it — is what sets him apart.
Capable of lining up any number of places, Shepard plans to be utilized mostly as an H-back for the Grizzly Cubs’ offense in tonight’s Class 5A sectional final against Whiteland.
“John is a real integral part of our offense because he does so many things,” said Franklin coach Chris Coll, who is trying to lead the Cubs to their first regional berth since 1984. “He’s just a big, physical kid who is tough and who plays hard.
“John is one of those guys you can’t really categorize. He’s just a football player who does whatever you need him to do.”
At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, Shepard, whose high school career started with spot duty as a freshman for an 8-3 Franklin squad in 2019, has played running back, fullback, tight end, H-back, outside linebacker and punter at different times.
Though he’ll never be categorized as a finesse back, Shepard leads the team in rushing at 71.2 yards per game, as well as touchdowns with 11. His best statistical output through 10 games came in a Week 8 win over Greenwood, when he ran for 152 yards and four scores.
“Halfback is my best position. I feel like with my size and how I use my body that I can get out easier on my routes,” said Shepard, who’s also caught 11 passes this season, made 10 tackles (his role defensively has diminished in recent weeks due to his importance offensively) and rocks a punting average of just under 30 yards with three kicks rolling to a stop inside the opponent’s 20.
“I’m more of a downhill runner, run-through-somebody type of player. I’ve just always played that way. Growing up, all my friends and family members are very competitive in everything they do.”
Shepard has so far received offers to play college football from St. Francis, Taylor and Indiana Wesleyan. Others such as Marian, Tiffin (Ohio) and Southern Illinois continue to express interest.
He’s expected to play H-back at the next level.
That’s for later, however. Shepard and his teammates are currently fixated on the rematch of a Week 4 meeting in which Whiteland defended its home turf with a 21-0 shutout.
Shepard finished that contest with 11 carries for a total of 17 yards to go along with a pair of receptions for 48.
Tonight’s contest marks the first time since 2014 that Franklin has hosted the Warriors in the postseason. Coll’s squads won both the 2019 and 2021 regular-season games against their county and Mid-State Conference rival.
Shepard, part of an extremely close-knit group of seniors, wants badly to take another.
“We’ve all known each other as long as we can remember. Growing up around these dudes 24/7, it’s one big group of best friends that plays sports together,” Shepard said. “Our whole team, we’ve been talking about how it’s such a big rivalry.
“Us seniors, we just don’t want it to be our last game.”
TONIGHT’S SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
Class 6A
Center Grove at Columbus North, 7 p.m.
Class 5A
Whiteland at Franklin, 7 p.m.
Class 4A
Brebeuf Jesuit at Roncalli, 7 p.m.
