Texas A&M Football
Shep Klinke describes the 'Sherman Effect' to Jordan K
Jordan Kirkland: I have heard from your sister Mary Martha that you were quite the musical theater buff back in the day. Would you like to explain what she is referring to?
Shep Klinke: “I used to have a lot more control of my voice before it dropped. Back in junior high I actually had a little bit of talent in that department, but unfortunately as I got a little bit older I had nothing left. In 6th grade I was the lead in Cinderella and in 7th grade I was the lead in Oklahoma.”
JK: Moving on to a more serious topic, you have two full games under your belt as a starter. How are you feeling?
Klinke: "I’m feeling good. It’s definitely good to have a couple under my belt before this weekend with the big game against Oklahoma State. I felt a lot more relaxed against Idaho then I did against SMU so I’m making progress in that department. I remember coming out against SMU with cotton mouth and I could barely breathe, but the game against Idaho it felt like I was just out there like we practiced, so it was a lot smoother for me."
JK: What is it like being the rookie on this touted offensive line?
Klinke: “And not only on the offensive line, but I’m pretty sure I’m the only non-returning starter on the offense right now. But it’s good because they’ve all been through everything I’m going through right now, so they’ve got good bits of advice that they can give me. At the same time, I’ve got a little bit of pressure because this offense is expected to function at a really high level and I’ve got to hold my end of the bargain up.”
JK: Is there someone on the offense that mentored you and helped you along this season and last?
Klinke: “Well last year I backed Pat [Lewis], so he got to know me pretty well. This season playing right next to him at center is good. I went through everything with Jake as well, and during fall camp we played together other a lot. Those two guys I was really familiar with, so it made things a lot easier.”
JK: What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a student-athlete?
Klinke: “My least favorite thing would have to be the schedule that we go through, not having very much time to go out with your friends or even study for big tests for that matter. Obviously my favorite thing is being out there on Saturday and having 90,000 people supporting you. It’s awesome.”
JK: Can you explain more in-depth your normal schedule during game weeks for the viewers who do not completely understand the time you guys put in every day?
Klinke: “We have a couple of days where we get here at 6 A.M., and on the other days we have class in the mornings and get here in the afternoons. Today for instance we had to life weights before [class], and then we had meetings that start at 2:30 and then we had practice that just ended about 6. So we have about five hours in on a long day, but on a Thursday or if we’re coming to the end of the week in preparation for a game we’ll spend a little bit less time in preparation. We really front load everything so it’s a day by day thing, but we get some long days in there.”
JK: What is it like having Coach Turner as a coach, and more specifically, how entertaining are his meetings? Is it hard to understand him?
Klinke: “He’s hilarious. If he’s in a good mood, the meetings are some of the most fun times we have around here. But if we have a bad practice, it’s not very fun. It’s kinda extreme in there. It’s definitely one extreme or another. Always entertaining, sometimes happy, sometimes not. He makes himself very clear, trust me. There are some guys who were difficult to understand at first, but not Coach Turner, he’s not a guy who is going to leave anything in the grey for you.”
Andrew Kilzer, TexAgs
Klinke came to A&M to play for Sherman and has emerged as a solid starter in his second year.
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JK: With Coach Sherman’s background with the offensive line at the NFL coaching level, does that put more of a microscope on the O-line?
Klinke: “Coach Sherman’s experience at that level is one of the main reasons a lot of the guys came here to A&M. He does spend a lot of time with us at practice, and he knows more about the O-line than pretty much anyone around because he’s been doing it for such a long time. Everything he says to you when you’re one on one with him, you just have to take it and really grind it into your mind. He has more knowledge about O-line play than anyone around I think.”
JK: Speaking of why a lot of guys come to A&M, what was your recruiting process like and why did you decide to come to A&M?
Klinke: “It was very easy. Really college football became a possibility towards the end of my junior football season. I didn’t really have a lot of aspirations because I was tall but not very big. A&M was my second offer. I came and took a trip down here, and I just loved everything about it. I loved the coaches, loved the campus, everything we did was cool. My sister as you mentioned earlier was also recruited to A&M. She was planning on going to UNC, but she came with me on the recruiting trip and was equally affected [and decided on A&M].”
JK: How great is it to have a sibling with you pushing you along?
Klinke: “And she keeps you on top of things too. We have a couple classes together, and she’ll keep me on my homework and tests. She really helps me out a lot on that front, and also just supporting me with all of this football stuff. Just being back there behind the scenes really helping me out a lot.”
JK: What do you think makes your (Texas A&M) offensive line different from the other schools that you’re going to go up against?
Klinke: “Obviously Coach Turner’s intensity really rubs off on all the guys; he really brings a lot of fire to the group. Coach Sherman’s name alone brings a lot of spotlight on us. Obviously with Cyrus running the ball the way he is and Tannehill putting up the numbers that he’s putting up, we get a little bit of the credit as well. I guess the combination of all that stuff really puts the focus on the O-line around here more than any other team in the country.”
JK: How excited and ready are you for the OSU game at 2:30 this Saturday?
Klinke: “Getting these guys at home after going through the tough loss we went through last year. I know the fans are going to be more pumped than we are I bet; it’s going to be absolutely crazy. We’re preparing really hard out there and just getting ready to go. It’s going to be unlike anything I’ve been through yet. These guys around me have been through a lot of big games throughout the last couple years, so they’re ready to help me out a little bit.”
Shep Klinke: “I used to have a lot more control of my voice before it dropped. Back in junior high I actually had a little bit of talent in that department, but unfortunately as I got a little bit older I had nothing left. In 6th grade I was the lead in Cinderella and in 7th grade I was the lead in Oklahoma.”
JK: Moving on to a more serious topic, you have two full games under your belt as a starter. How are you feeling?
Klinke: "I’m feeling good. It’s definitely good to have a couple under my belt before this weekend with the big game against Oklahoma State. I felt a lot more relaxed against Idaho then I did against SMU so I’m making progress in that department. I remember coming out against SMU with cotton mouth and I could barely breathe, but the game against Idaho it felt like I was just out there like we practiced, so it was a lot smoother for me."
JK: What is it like being the rookie on this touted offensive line?
Klinke: “And not only on the offensive line, but I’m pretty sure I’m the only non-returning starter on the offense right now. But it’s good because they’ve all been through everything I’m going through right now, so they’ve got good bits of advice that they can give me. At the same time, I’ve got a little bit of pressure because this offense is expected to function at a really high level and I’ve got to hold my end of the bargain up.”
JK: Is there someone on the offense that mentored you and helped you along this season and last?
Klinke: “Well last year I backed Pat [Lewis], so he got to know me pretty well. This season playing right next to him at center is good. I went through everything with Jake as well, and during fall camp we played together other a lot. Those two guys I was really familiar with, so it made things a lot easier.”
JK: What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a student-athlete?
Klinke: “My least favorite thing would have to be the schedule that we go through, not having very much time to go out with your friends or even study for big tests for that matter. Obviously my favorite thing is being out there on Saturday and having 90,000 people supporting you. It’s awesome.”
JK: Can you explain more in-depth your normal schedule during game weeks for the viewers who do not completely understand the time you guys put in every day?
Klinke: “We have a couple of days where we get here at 6 A.M., and on the other days we have class in the mornings and get here in the afternoons. Today for instance we had to life weights before [class], and then we had meetings that start at 2:30 and then we had practice that just ended about 6. So we have about five hours in on a long day, but on a Thursday or if we’re coming to the end of the week in preparation for a game we’ll spend a little bit less time in preparation. We really front load everything so it’s a day by day thing, but we get some long days in there.”
JK: What is it like having Coach Turner as a coach, and more specifically, how entertaining are his meetings? Is it hard to understand him?
Klinke: “He’s hilarious. If he’s in a good mood, the meetings are some of the most fun times we have around here. But if we have a bad practice, it’s not very fun. It’s kinda extreme in there. It’s definitely one extreme or another. Always entertaining, sometimes happy, sometimes not. He makes himself very clear, trust me. There are some guys who were difficult to understand at first, but not Coach Turner, he’s not a guy who is going to leave anything in the grey for you.”
Andrew Kilzer, TexAgs
Klinke came to A&M to play for Sherman and has emerged as a solid starter in his second year.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"Klinke came to A&M to play for Sherman and has emerged as a solid starter in his second year.","MediaItemID":10600}
Klinke: “Coach Sherman’s experience at that level is one of the main reasons a lot of the guys came here to A&M. He does spend a lot of time with us at practice, and he knows more about the O-line than pretty much anyone around because he’s been doing it for such a long time. Everything he says to you when you’re one on one with him, you just have to take it and really grind it into your mind. He has more knowledge about O-line play than anyone around I think.”
JK: Speaking of why a lot of guys come to A&M, what was your recruiting process like and why did you decide to come to A&M?
Klinke: “It was very easy. Really college football became a possibility towards the end of my junior football season. I didn’t really have a lot of aspirations because I was tall but not very big. A&M was my second offer. I came and took a trip down here, and I just loved everything about it. I loved the coaches, loved the campus, everything we did was cool. My sister as you mentioned earlier was also recruited to A&M. She was planning on going to UNC, but she came with me on the recruiting trip and was equally affected [and decided on A&M].”
JK: How great is it to have a sibling with you pushing you along?
Klinke: “And she keeps you on top of things too. We have a couple classes together, and she’ll keep me on my homework and tests. She really helps me out a lot on that front, and also just supporting me with all of this football stuff. Just being back there behind the scenes really helping me out a lot.”
JK: What do you think makes your (Texas A&M) offensive line different from the other schools that you’re going to go up against?
Klinke: “Obviously Coach Turner’s intensity really rubs off on all the guys; he really brings a lot of fire to the group. Coach Sherman’s name alone brings a lot of spotlight on us. Obviously with Cyrus running the ball the way he is and Tannehill putting up the numbers that he’s putting up, we get a little bit of the credit as well. I guess the combination of all that stuff really puts the focus on the O-line around here more than any other team in the country.”
JK: How excited and ready are you for the OSU game at 2:30 this Saturday?
Klinke: “Getting these guys at home after going through the tough loss we went through last year. I know the fans are going to be more pumped than we are I bet; it’s going to be absolutely crazy. We’re preparing really hard out there and just getting ready to go. It’s going to be unlike anything I’ve been through yet. These guys around me have been through a lot of big games throughout the last couple years, so they’re ready to help me out a little bit.”
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