Article
Here ya go... great article, BTW.
Link
OSU FOOTBALL
Determined freshman cornerback stepping up
Friday, September 30, 2005
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
<!--PHOTOS--> <table class="phototableright" align="right" border="0"><!-- begin large ad code --> <tbody><tr><td> <table align="center"> <tbody><tr><td align="center">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="credit" width="200"> NEAL C . LAURON | DISPATCH </td></tr> <tr><td class="cutline" width="200">Malcolm Jenkins tries to get the crowd going during the second half against Iowa. </td></tr> </tbody></table> </td></tr> </tbody></table>
Willie Jenkins was a Korean War veteran, a man who had faced violence and death, surviving even as half of his unit was killed or wounded.
A man like that commands respect, and young Malcolm Jenkins listened intently whenever his grandfather talked.
"He used to tell me all the time, ‘Don’t let anybody outwork you; just be tough and never fear anybody,’ " said Malcolm, a freshman cornerback at Ohio State.
Willie died several years ago, but "That mentality as a young boy just grew on me, and now I self-motivate myself. I’m real determined to do things to get better."
Just four games into his first year, Jenkins has worked himself into the Buckeyes’ starting lineup. His emergence has been called a "pleasant surprise," but it’s no surprise to him or to those familiar with his drive and dedication.
Dan Higgins first saw Jenkins as a high-school freshman in Piscataway, N.J. Higgins, newly named as Piscataway’s football coach, was watching a track meet when Jenkins caught his eye.
"He was running the 400, and there was a head wind and it was raining, and he was pushing right through it," Higgins said. "I said, ‘Who’s that kid?’ I saw it from that first day: His toughness was incredible."
Higgins called Jenkins "a coach’s dream" — someone with a hunger to improve and to mentor those around him. With Jenkins starring at receiver and defensive back, Piscataway won three straight state titles.
In the summer of 2004, Jenkins and his mother came to central Ohio to visit his aunt, Tammy Hardwick, who recently had moved to Westerville.
Jenkins had wanted to attend a college camp, so he signed up for OSU’s.
To say he caught the Buckeyes coaches’ eyes is an understatement. Not only did he run a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, but he showed his mental makeup by repeatedly cutting in line in order to play against the camp’s best receivers.
"Some of (the other defensive backs) were hesitant to jump out on the receivers, so I would just jump in if anybody hesitated," Jenkins said. "And there was a point where I was going back-toback a couple times, and the coaches were watching me (and) weren’t telling me to stop.
"It was fun because I was getting challenged and I felt myself getting better every rep."
Jenkins soon had an offer, and he accepted, spurning Virginia Tech and Rutgers.
For whatever reason, he didn’t arrive in Columbus this summer with high expectations. With nine starters returning on defense and senior Tyler Everett moved from safety to fill an open corner spot, it seemed that little playing time would be available for the freshmen.
Early in camp, though, Jenkins stood out. He had several interceptions within the first few days, and a buzz began.
"He kind of came out of nowhere," safety Nate Salley said. "Nobody really looks at football in New Jersey too much, and he came in and surprised a lot of people."
Jenkins has played in all four games, starting against San Diego State when the Buckeyes opened with five defensive backs. He has nine tackles and a pass breakup.
His biggest play so far came Sept. 10 against Texas.
Quarterback Vince Young found Billy Pittman streaking down the middle for an apparent touchdown, but Jenkins and Everett ran him down from behind at the OSU 5-yard line after a 63-yard gain. The Longhorns eventually settled for a field goal.
"I couldn’t believe it," defensive lineman David Patterson said. "That was a great effort play, an even greater play when you’re a freshman. That just shows maturity. Some guys might have let that guy (go), but he was just determined not to let him get in there."
It’s the same attitude that led Jenkins to tell OSU coaches his goals when he arrived on campus: get better, become a starter and be one of the best defensive backs in the Big Ten.
All by the end of this season.
"A lot of people laughed at some of my goals," he said. "But I set my heart to it, and I’m real determined to get there. I still haven’t accomplished all of them, but I’m working."
[email protected]