Jalin Shephard

• Article
• November 23, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech certainly did its part. With UT Martin defeating Lindenwood in overtime and Tennessee State beating Southeast Missouri in Nashville, the Golden Eagles earn their 11th Ohio Valley Conference championship – the first in tandem with the Big South. Not too shabby for a team that was projected seventh in the preseason. Now, the waiting game begins as the Golden Eagles will find out whether they will make their second NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs appearance on Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. The selection show will be aired live on ESPNU. 

• Article
• November 16, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sergeant York is coming home. With a tremendous defensive effort, Tennessee Tech knocked off No. 18 UT Martin 10-9 to claim the Sergeant York Trophy for the first time since the Spring 2021 season as well as the Golden Eagles’ first win over a ranked opponent since 2014. It also gives Tech (6-5, 5-2 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) a chance next week to potentially earn a share of the conference championship for the first time since 2011. Tech hosts Eastern Illinois next Saturday starting at Noon.

• Article
• November 09, 2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On a rainy Saturday afternoon, it took a little while for Tennessee Tech to get going, but once the Golden Eagles did, they proved to be unstoppable by Samford as Tech took a 27-7 victory at Pete Hanna Stadium. The Golden Eagles improve to 5-5 on the season with two games remaining in the regular season. Tech returns to Big South-Ohio Valley Conference play next week as they head to UT Martin.

• Article
• October 26, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Charleston Southern made things interesting in the fourth quarter as the Buccaneers returned an intercepted two-point conversion for two points of its own to make it a two-point contest. But Tennessee Tech persevered. The defense came up strong on a couple of short-field situations created by a fumble and a punt as the Buccaneers missed a field goal on the first try, then Tim Coutras snagged the ball out of the air off of a tip by Theron Gaines on the second run at the end zone. With Dom LeBlanc’s 32-yard field goal with 1:47, the Golden Eagles forced Charleston Southern to score a touchdown in the final possession. Once again, Tech’s defense held strong, limiting the Bucs to a last-ditch fourth-down try on the Golden Eagle 44, but Kaleb Jackson’s pass fell incomplete, giving Tech a fresh set of downs in victory formation to close the contest with a 28-23 victory.

• Article
• October 25, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After a tough two-game trek to Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Macomb, Ill., the Tennessee Tech football team is back home for the first of two straight contests as the Golden Eagles entertain Charleston Southern in a Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association battle on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will have the broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required), while Roger Ealey and Marcelo Metzelar will narrate the action on 106.1 The Eagle.

• Article
• October 19, 2024

MACOMB, Ill. – Early turnovers, costly penalties and short field positions gave Western Illinois the advantage on Saturday and every time the Tennessee Tech football team tried to climb back from the deficit, the Leathernecks extended their advantage right back. By the final buzzer, Western Illinois came away with a 37-21 victory Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles (2-5, 2-2 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) return home next week for the first of two home contests as Tech hosts Charleston Southern (1-6, 0-4 BS-OVC) and Lindenwood (3-5, 2-2 BS-OVC) in back-to-back weeks.

• Article
• October 18, 2024

MACOMB, Ill. – After a tough outing last week at Cape Girardeau, the Tennessee Tech football team will hit the ground running once more this week as they head to Macomb, Ill., to take on Western Illinois. Kickoff for the game Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m. Dylan Vazzano will have the call locally on 106.1 The Eagle, while the game will also be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required). It's the third time overall the two teams have met, but just the first time in conference play as the Leathernecks joined the conference last season but this is their first season in football.

• Article
• October 12, 2024

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – For a half, the Tennessee Tech football team went toe-to-toe with the No. 9-ranked Southeast Missouri squad, creating turnovers and opportunities. However, the Redhawk defense showed its strength, forcing the Golden Eagles into three turnovers – which created 13 SEMO points – and held Tech to 31 yards on the ground and 262 overall as Southeast Missouri claimed the 34-3 victory on Saturday afternoon. Tech (2-4, 2-1 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) returns to action next week as it hits the road again to Western Illinois for a 3 p.m. kickoff.

• Article
• September 21, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – When it mattered the most, the Tennessee Tech defense came through. The Golden Eagles found ways to pressure Tennessee State quarterback Draylen Ellis, sacking him seven times and hurried him out of the pocket seven times. Tech’s defense also held State to exactly zero rushing yards on 27 carries. Defensive back Ty Moss then sealed the deal with a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the contest to lead the Golden Eagles to a 24-14 victory over their in-state rivals and claim the first salvo in the hunt for the Sergeant York Trophy. Tech improves to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association, putting the first victory in head coach Bobby Wilder’s column in his Cookeville career. It’s also the first back-to-back wins over the Tigers since winning three straight between 2015 and 2017.

• Article
• September 07, 2024

ATHENS, Ga. – Facing the top-ranked team in all of college football is a daunting task to say the least. And while the 48-3 result against No. 1 Georgia still puts another notch in the loss column, the Tennessee Tech football team accomplished its goal against the Bulldogs with a respectable effort. Injuries were kept to a minimum, the Golden Eagles (0-2) kept the game respectable in the first half, Tech scored its first-ever points against the Bulldogs (2-0) in the third meeting and the team is coming back with a decent payday to help improve the program’s future.