Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard used some disrespect from Tulane to fuel his incredible game.
Coming into the new college football season, the Duke Blue Devils weren't being given the same respect that they thought they deserved.
After all, Duke is currently the reigning ACC champion after taking the crown last season. But many around the country seemed to discount them in the conference.
So when the Blue Devils were able to grab a big win to kick off the season against Tulane, it didn't come as a surprise to anyone in the Duke locker room. Duke was able to get some revenge for a loss to the Green Wave a year ago, getting their year started well.
In the game, running back Nate Sheppard was the catalyst for the Blue Devils, leading them to a massive win. Sheppard ran for 227 yards on the ground, scoring two touchdowns in the process.
His performance was one of the main reasons why Duke was able to get the win. But Sheppard did admit that he was playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Sheppard opened up about the disrespect that was coming from Tulane ahead of the game from one of the defenders.
“He made a comment that if they could keep No. 20 under 200, they could win the game,” Sheppard said.
Clearly Tulane wasn't able to stop Sheppard. But the comments from Tulane seemed to rub the entire Blue Devils offense the wrong way.
“I think our O-line, our offense, took that personal a little bit,” Sheppard said. "It was disrespectful to our wide receivers, our quarterback, our tight end Jerry Hasley, who I think is one of the best in the country. He didn’t mention any of them. And then, just to think they can stop me, and stuff like that."
Sheppard may not run for over 200 yards every game, but he is expected to be a main piece of this Blue Devils offense. The star running back is looking forward to the different challenges each week, but at the end of the day, he just wants to win games.
Last season, Sheppard rushed for 1132 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, he caught 37 passes for 286 yards and one touchdown.
The Blue Devils and Sheppard will try to use all the doubters as fuel the rest of the way, hoping to put together another strong year. Next up for Duke will be the Illinois Fighting Illini on the road, giving them a big test early in the new season.
