http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/092306aaj.htmlYoung Veteran
No longer a rookie, Malcolm Jenkins becomes a leader on the defense
Sept. 23, 2006
by Courtney Walerius
When do the roles change? When does a player go from a rookie to a veteran? Is it one play, one game or one year? Is it a process or is there a moment when it all clicks? Cornerback
Malcolm Jenkins has played more than one play, more than one game, but only one year and now is looked upon to step up his sophomore season as one of the few veterans on Ohio State's defense.
Is it one play? The first game of the season when a player wakes up and feels the adrenaline of game day rushing through him the minute he opens his eyes? He experiences getting dressed, putting on his suit and stepping into St. John Arena for Skull Session. The excitement increases tenfold by the cheers, the music and the fanfare. As he walks, or floats, across Woody Hayes Drive the electricity continues to grow. Then the moment when he steps into the locker room, the Horseshoe is just starting to buzz and is only getting louder and more intense as kickoff nears. And as the player stands in front of his locker, pulling on his scarlet and gray uniform for the first game of the year and soaking up the intensity of the room, he has made it. Recruitment, enrolling, two-a-days, sprint drills, hours of film - it has all come to this. He is officially part of the Ohio State football team.
The first game of the 2005 season, against in-state opponent Miami University, Jenkins experienced all the pre-game preparation, and before that the months of training and camp. Along with the excitement of just experiencing his first game as an Ohio State football player, Jenkins also felt an extra surge of adrenaline because the coaching staff had told him he would likely be playing as a true freshman.
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And then the time came - "Jenkins!" was called out by the coaches. He was going into the game. In the moment it was like slow motion, snapping on the chin strap and running out onto the field. But the first step in crossing the line from rookie to veteran was only a matter of seconds. Just like the speed of play, before what is happening can be completely processed, it is done.
"The coaches told me when I came in that I might have a chance to play, so when I came to camp I really tried to take advantage and make as many plays as possible," Jenkins said. "They could look at me and see what I did. I did pretty well, so the coaches took a chance on me and believed in me."
"Malcolm came in during two-a-days and was outstanding for us,"
Tim Beckman, Ohio State cornerbacks coach, said. "He came in with the work ethic and the knowledge, and you could just see it progress as the season went on. We had some great players back there in the secondary, of course, and we had to find a way to really try to get him on the field."
Then came his first tackle as a Buckeye. With feet racing, the feel of contact, pads crushing against another player, arms dragging down the opponent and his heart racing, Jenkins made his first tackle against Miami in the fourth quarter. With the RedHawks 1st-and-10 on their own 33-yard line, they ran the option to the left but did not get far thanks to Jenkins. Miami ended up punting on that possession and Jenkins finished with two more tackles in the Buckeyes' 34-14 victory. The rookie stepped up and made a play - made three in fact. The rookie was on his way to no longer being a rookie.
While his first in-game experience was a solid step on the way to his development as a football player, as a true freshman Jenkins also took advantage of being around the experienced defensive players, including fellow cornerbacks
Tyler Everett and
Ashton Youboty. The 2005 Ohio State defense was often recognized as the best in the nation and with the strong upperclassmen leadership in the defensive corps, Jenkins and his fellow freshmen could not watch or listen to them enough. The learning process was continuous, whether it was at practice, a game, team meetings or film study.
"It helped me be confident in myself - playing around a bunch of people who know what they are doing. They have confidence, it rubs off on you," Jenkins said. "I didn't feel like I was alone out there with a whole bunch of other people who know what they were doing. It kind of comforted me when I was out there."
What is the next step in becoming a veteran - a game? Jenkins played in a total of 10 games as a freshman, but there are two that were notable steps in moving beyond the rookie role. When Everett went down with a neck injury in the middle of the season, Beckman and the defensive coaches knew who to turn to. Jenkins was moved from nickel back to cornerback and given the nod. He was starting. The normal excitement and anticipation while dressing a game could hardly be contained Oct. 22 when Jenkins prepared to start against Indiana.
"I was nervous because it was my first game as a starter - going out there and having the responsibilities all on me," Jenkins said. "But I think I came out more focused, too, because I knew I had a job to do and I didn't want to let anyone down."
Jenkins did not let the team down. He so impressed the coaches during his three starts in place of Everett, including a seven-tackle performance on the road at Minnesota, that even with Everett healthy again they kept Jenkins at corner and moved Everett to nickel. With every play, every game and every start, he was losing the "rookie" title. Opposing offenses could not overlook the true freshman. He now had experience. He was secure in his role and out of the increased confidence grew increased comfort patrolling the backfield.
"By the coaches playing me, it showed me that they had confidence in my abilities," Jenkins said. "That helped me because that's what I was trying to do as well - trying to gain the confidence of the coaches to have trust in me. That's how you get on the field. You won't get on the field if coaches don't believe in you, so for them to have trust in me and to believe in me, that meant a lot. That's what helped build my confidence."
As the team prepared to play Notre Dame in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Jenkins' confidence was overflowing. As a freshman, it was his first BCS game with Ohio State. But as a cornerback, the last little traces of being a rookie were quickly fading. After missing the final two games of the regular season with a knee injury, Jenkins was itching to get back on the field and help one football powerhouse defeat another.
On a national stage, Jenkins had his best game of the season. He registered a season-high nine tackles against the Fighting Irish, including six solo tackles. While many members of Buckeye nation were worried about losing at least seven starters on the OSU defense, Jenkins showed at least one of the roles was readily filled. He could handle the hype, the pressure and the opponents. He had confidence in himself and so did the coaching staff. He was ready to be a veteran.
Jenkins entered the 2006 season as the Buckeyes' top returning tackler with 37. But more importantly, he had plays, games and a season under his belt. While the defense was being questioned with its inexperience and youth, Jenkins was eager to step up and help lead the rebuilt Ohio State defensive corps. He knows the anticipation of game day. He knows the preparation it takes to be a starter. He is now learning the leadership it takes to be a veteran.
This summer, Jenkins prepared for the upcoming season both physically and mentally. He worked hard to improve all aspects of his game, especially his speed and explosiveness. As a natural leader, Jenkins wanted to make sure he was not all talk. For a season he looked up to the upperclassmen, not only hanging on their words, but watching them. He knew the importance of a strong work ethic and always striving to improve. No longer a rookie, Jenkins was ready to be looked upon to set the direction and tone.
"It's kind of a weird situation because I'm still learning myself," he said. "But as far as being a leader and trying to get everyone to be enthusiastic about learning and coming out to practice everyday, that's the easy part. I think it's a great opportunity to grow as well and to help my game out. I just try to take that leadership role in stride. It's my natural setting, but it's different on this level."
Being a leader on defense this season also has meant answering the many questions that surround the young unit. Although a sophomore, Jenkins is one of the more experienced defensive players who knows personally that confidence can make all the difference.
"I understand the questions," Jenkins said. "I understand why they are asked. But the defense and the defensive coaches - we have confidence in ourselves. So let people worry about us or let them say what they will about us, it doesn't really affect us. We try to have a positive outlook and just believe in ourselves. We know what we have to do and we work hard to get to where we need to be to achieve our goals."
"The thing that sets Malcolm a little bit apart for everyone else is his maturity level," Beckman said. "He understands the game of football and he understands how offenses are trying to attack us coverage-wise and run-wise. He sets himself apart in that manor, which gave him the opportunity to play last year as a true freshman. I would say the biggest thing he's done for us, at least as a freshman and now as a sophomore, is the maturity level of understanding how the game works, how it's played and how he can help the rest of the young defense learn the game of football." So when does a player go from a rookie to a veteran? When do the roles change? It is more like a process than a point in time. Being a veteran is more than just playing. It is about leadership, maturity, drive and experience. The development from student to teacher, from follower to leader is the development from rookie to veteran.
