Tigers freshmen Gainwell, Fleming watch and find their way
When Memphis lines up for stretches before practices, freshmen running backs Kenny Gainwell and Cameron Fleming usually take their place near junior running back Tony Pollard.
Step for step, they follow Pollard or junior running back Darrell Henderson’s movements for each warm-up like little brothers watching and copying an older sibling.
It’s symbolic of how the duo have not only studied Pollard, Henderson and Patrick Taylor on the field, but also how the veterans have taken the younger group under their wing.
“I’m just trying to follow (Tony’s) leadership role and be a shadow of that because one day I have to be a leader of this team,” Gainwell said.
Added Fleming: “They’re future NFL prospects, so I listen to every little thing they tell me because I know it’s going to help me get there.”
Henderson and Taylor probably will dominate carries this season, but both Gainwell and Fleming have shown promise as three-star recruits who can challenge for playing time.
They’ve made good impressions as tough running backs who also have good hands as they learn coach Mike Norvell’s complex offense.
“We have a couple future great players in those two,” Norvell said.
Gainwell, a former high school quarterback, began showing flashes first. At 5-foot-11, he has a similar build to Pollard and has taken some firstteam reps as a receiver in a similar role.
Norvell said he wanted Gainwell to follow Pollard’s lead, and so far the freshman has been a willing student.
During the Tigers’ first scrimmage, Gainwell showed some toughness when he caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage, moved upfield and dragged a few defenders for a first down.
He said he’s getting used to being a running back after his high school days, but he’s noticing how both positions demand the same attention to detail.
“It’s similar because you can see the holes better,” Gainwell said. “It’s nothing like playing quarterback, but you have to be that guy that can see everything."
Fleming, an all-purpose back from Texas, began emerging over the last few days of practice. At 5-foot-9, he’s smaller than most of the Memphis backs but just as tough when he absorbs contact.
It doesn’t hurt that he and Gainwell have a bit of a friendly rivalry during practice.
“We compete against each other to see who can do the most big plays and get more reps,” Fleming said.
Running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr. said that both came in with confidence after studying the playbook this summer. It also helps they immediately leaned on their older teammates.
“Those guys have been clinging to the older guys, and those older guys have really grabbed them by the hand and just showed them the way,” Jones said. “(Gainwell and Fleming) have done an outstanding job of not being your typical freshmen.”
Both expect to see the field more in Saturday’s scrimmage at the Memphis Lambuth campus in Jackson. But they’re also content watching and learning from their teammates, who expect as much from them as Norvell does.
“All of them say they got me and I can be something one day and they’re going to help me get there,” Fleming said.