Cal Defensive Lineman Ashun Sheppard Appreciates Journey from Mississippi to Berkeley
The Mississippi State transfer is settling in fast, leaning on his teammates and buying into a defensive line room built around accountability.
Ashun Sheppard made the trip from Starkville to Berkeley with a clear reason: he liked the way Tosh Lupoi coaches football.
“I like that he’s a defensive-minded coach. I really took a big liking to Coach DD [Darrion Daniels] too. He really embraced me, really teaching me and helping me elevate my game to the next level.”
Having a head coach who came up as a defensive lineman himself has meant something tangible to Sheppard.
“It means everything, really, because he understands the ins and outs of what we’re going through. He’s really basing it all around us and I love that.”
He arrived at Cal alongside former Mississippi State teammate Jimothy Lewis, and says that familiarity has carried over.
“Me and Jimmy have some real good odds back at State. We really just enjoy iron sharpening iron.”
The D-line room has gelled quickly, mixing returning players with new arrivals.
“Everybody really jelling together, everybody really coming together and having a good brotherhood.”
On the field, Sheppard describes himself as a team-first player who leads by example, solid against the run and active in the pass game. The group’s emphasis this spring has been on generating interior pressure.
“We really emphasize getting pressure on the quarterback and making that cage come together. We’re really learning to rush more as a team and work together.”
Off the field, the returning players have gone out of their way to bring the newcomers in.
“They’ve been very helpful all around, getting to classes, helping out. I don’t have any transportation up here, so they’ve been really helping out, taking me places I need, helping me in the playbook. Real good brotherhood.”