Nate Sheppard: We're Coming for the College Football Playoff

Duke running back Nate Sheppard joins the David Glenn Show after a breakout true freshman season that helped the Blue Devils win the ACC Championship.Sheppard rushed for a Duke freshman-record 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns, added another TD receiving, and earned Freshman All America and Second Team All-ACC honors.He discusses growing up in a competitive sports family, choosing Duke for elite academics and Manny Diaz’s vision, and how enrolling early and working with strength coach David Feeley helped him add 20 pounds.Sheppard explains how balance and a low center of gravity helped him force 63 missed tackles, according to PFF, and discusses Duke’s roster changes, the transfer portal and the QB competition between Walker Eget and Dan Mahan.He also explains why he stayed at Duke, modeling his game after Alvin Kamara, and outlines his goals for 2026: to repeat as ACC champions and reach the College Football Playoff.CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Nate Sheppard00:35 Freshman Breakout Mindset01:03 Sports Family Roots01:30 Choosing Football First01:48 Work Ethic and Competitiveness02:48 Elite Academics Recruiting03:26 Why Duke Won03:50 Dreams to ACC Title04:51 Early Enrollee Advantage05:28 Sponsor Break06:10 Missed Tackles Secret06:57 Building on Success07:14 Portal Chaos and Reload07:53 New QB Competition08:23 Staying at Duke09:02 NFL Inspirations: Kamara09:50 Goals for 202610:06 Closing and NCSN OutroWELCOME TO THE NORTH CAROLINA SPORTS NETWORKNorth Carolina sports. North Carolina stories. The BOLD NORTH STATE.The North Carolina Sports Network (NCSN) is an independent statewide sports media platform covering the people, teams, traditions, and stories that make North Carolina one of America’s great sports states.From the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, PGA TOUR, and NASCAR to the ACC, college athletics, and high school sports, NCSN delivers original shows, interviews, podcasts, short-form content, live programming, and on-location experiences.Our mission: Tell the stories of the BOLD NORTH STATE and connect fans, communities and brands through sports.🎥 NCSN ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING🎙️ THE DAVID GLENN SHOWFeaturing two-time North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year David Glenn with decades of experience and unmatched perspective on ACC and college sports.📚 THIS WAS THENTim Peeler and Todd McGee tell the stories behind North Carolina’s proud sporting past.🏈🏀 THE COACHES ROOMA weekly look inside the decisions, challenges, and pressures coaches face on and off the field, with Football, Basketball, and seasonal editions.⭐ BOLD NORTH STATEHost Mike Waddell showcases North Carolina sports, people, places, events, food, culture, and lifestyle.⛳ ROAD TO AUGUSTA with WARD CLAYTONNCSN’s January-April golf series was hosted by Durham native Ward Clayton, former Sports Editor of the Augusta Chronicle and noted Masters author and historian.🏟️ BOLD NORTH STATE TAILGATENorth Carolina’s only traveling sports circus, taking NCSN on the road to major games, rivalries, championships, races, tournaments and festivals.WATCH. LISTEN. FOLLOW.🌐 NCSportsNetwork.com🎧 Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more📲 @TheNCSportsNet on all platforms▶️ Subscribe on YouTube and turn on notifications.🤝 PROUD PARTNERS OF NCSNSTIFEL | THE FOUNDERS GROUPhttps://www.thefoundersgroup-stifel.com/EXCEL MOVING & STORAGEhttps://www.excelms.com/JIMMY’S WRIGHTSVILLE BEACHInstagram: @jimmyswrightsvillebeachJIMMY’S INLANDInstagram: @jimmysinlandKING NEPTUNEhttps://www.neptuneswb.com/THE ORIGINAL SALTWORKSInstagram: @theoriginalsaltworksAMEDEO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANThttps://amedeosrestaurant.com/SAMMY’S TAP & GRILLhttps://sammystapgrill.com/PEPSIhttps://www.pepsi.com/MUSCLE MILKhttps://www.musclemilk.com/THE NORTH CAROLINA SPORTS NETWORKThe Voice of the BOLD NORTH STATE.#DukeFootball #NateSheppard #DukeBlueDevils #ACCFootball #MannyDiaz #CollegeFootball #DavidGlennShow #BoldNorthState