Cincinnati Bengals 2009 Media Guide.indb - Bengals Home

STAFF
STADIUM , NFL & MEDIA RECORDS HISTORY 2008 REVIEW COLLEGE FREE AGENTS 2009 DRAFT CHOICES VETERANS ROSTERS
Oliver worked in strength and conditioning at the
University of Pittsburgh in the mid-1980s, and during
that time he also worked a Bengals training camp and
several Bengals minicamps as a volunteer strength and
conditioning assistant.
Oliver has a long association with University of
Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, having worked
with Calipari previously at the University of Memphis,
the University of Kansas, the University of Pittsburgh and
with the New Jersey Nets. Oliver also worked under coach
Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky from 1989-92.
During that period, he was also the strength and conditioning
coach for the United States Ski Jump team.
Oliver spent his 1992 NFL season at Tampa Bay
under head coach Sam Wyche, the former Bengals
head coach.
Oliver’s work with NFL athletes also includes the
years 1997-99, when he was involved in programs for
Mike Sheppard, a
16-year veteran in NFL
coaching, is in his third
season as Bengals wide receivers
coach. His resume
includes two head coaching
positions in college
(Long Beach State and New
Mexico), as well as NFL offensive
coordinator’s duties
at San Diego (1997-98),
Buffalo (2001) and New Orleans (’05).
“Mike brings us a wealth of experience as a position
coach over wide receivers and quarterbacks, as well as his
experience as a coordinator,” says Bengals head coach
Marvin Lewis. “I’ve coached alongside Mike in the NFL, and
I coached under him in college. We know each other very
well and it has been great to be back together with him.”
Sheppard will bring his expertise to a new set of
challenges in 2009. T.J. Houshmandzadeh ranked third
in the NFL in catches (204) over Sheppard’s fi rst two
seasons, but Houshmandzadeh has left the team in free
agency, replaced by free agent signee Laveranues Coles.
Meanwhile, Chad Ochocinco will be looking for a comeback
year in ’09. He dipped from a club-record 1440 receiving
yards in 2007 to 540 in ’08, a season in which he played
with an injured shoulder and mostly without Pro Bowl QB
Carson Palmer.
Also in ’09, Sheppard will work for breakout years from
Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell, Bengals’ second and
third-round draft choices in 2008.
Sheppard was with the New Orleans Saints for his
last four seasons in the NFL (2002-05) before joining the
Bengals. As quarterbacks coach his first three years with the
Saints, he worked to develop Aaron Brooks, who threw for
72 touchdowns and only 39 interceptions during those three
seasons. Sheppard was promoted to offensive coordinator
for 2005, the last season for head coach Jim Haslett.
Sheppard and Lewis were coaching colleagues in 1996
with the Baltimore Ravens. Sheppard was WRs coach and
Lewis was defensive coordinator. Sheppard had his first
35 NFL players while working for the Synergy company
in Columbia, S.C.
Ray is married. He and his wife have two children.
PLAYING AND COACHING HISTORY — 1980-
81: Played defensive back at Ohio State. 1983-84:
Student assistant strength coach, Univ. of Kansas. 1985:
Assistant strength and conditioning (S/C) coach, Univ.
of Pittsburgh basketball. 1986-88: Head basketball
strength coach and head football conditioning coach,
Univ. of Pittsburgh. 1988-91: Head S/C coach, Univ. of
Kentucky basketball. 1992: Head S/C coach, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers. 1993-95: Head S/C coach, Univ. of South
Carolina. 1996-97: Head S/C coach, New Jersey Nets
(NBA). 2001-03: Director of performance enhancement,
Univ. of Memphis basketball. 2004-2007: Assistant
S/C coach, Bengals. 2008-present: Associate S/C
coach, Bengals.
MIKE SHEPPARD — Wide Receivers
NFL experience as a play-caller that season, as he was
given the duty by head coach Ted Marchibroda, and the
Ravens offense finished third in the NFL in net yards, as
well as second in passing yards.
The Lewis-Sheppard association dates back more
than 20 years. In 1985, Sheppard was head coach at
Long Beach State and hired Lewis as linebackers coach.
Lewis moved with Sheppard to New Mexico in 1987, and
Lewis stayed through ’89 before leaving for the University
of Pittsburgh.
Sheppard entered the NFL in 1993 as tight ends coach
with the Cleveland Browns, and was Browns wide receivers
coach in 1994-95. After his 1996 season in Baltimore, he
was offensive coordinator for San Diego (1997-98), QBs
coach for Seattle (1999-2000) and offensive coordinator
for Buffalo (2001). Sheppard was former Bengal QB Jon
Kitna’s position coach in 1999, when Kitna led the Seahawks
to the AFC West title.
A native of Tulsa, Okla., Sheppard played WR at Cal
Lutheran (1969-72), and he began a 19-year stint in college
coaching at Cal Lutheran in ’74. He holds a bachelor’s
degree from Cal Lutheran and a master’s degree from
Brigham Young.
Sheppard’s birth date is Oct. 29, 1951. He and his wife,
Cathie, have four children — Chrissi, Brian, Shelby and Macall
— and two grandchildren, Christian and Samantha.
PLAYING AND COACHING HISTORY — 1969-
72: Played wide receiver at Cal Lutheran. 1974-76:
Assistant coach (AC), Cal Lutheran. 1977-78: Graduate
assistant, Brigham Young. 1979: Offensive coordinator,
U.S. International. 1980-81: AC, Idaho State. 1982: AC,
Long Beach State. 1983: Offensive coordinator, Kansas.
1984-86: Head coach, Long Beach State. 1987-91:
Head coach, New Mexico. 1992: Offensive coordinator,
California. 1993-95: AC, Cleveland Browns. 1996: AC,
Baltimore Ravens. 1997-98: Offensive coordinator, San
Diego Chargers. 1999-2000: AC, Seattle Seahawks. 2001:
Offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills. 2002-04: AC, New
Orleans Saints. 2005: Offensive coordinator, New Orleans
Saints. 2007-present: AC, Bengals.
— 14 —