Tigers’ Gainwell looks to build off redshirt year
Before his freshman season, Kenneth Gainwell and his father discussed the NCAA’S recent rule that permits participation in up to four games while still taking a redshirt year.
Curtis Gainwell advised his son to take advantage of it if he was able to play his first year at Memphis. It was a win-win of getting experience and still having four years of eligibility.
After Memphis’ win over South Alabama, the Tigers’ fourth game, Gainwell (5-foot-11, 191 pounds) had a discussion with coach Mike Norvell.
“I was just thinking to myself, why would you want to burn a year being on special teams and things like that when you can play your next four years as a starter?” Gainwell said.
Norvell had the same idea even though Gainwell was making key plays during his appearances. He scored his
first touchdown in mop-up duty against Georgia State but in the loss at Navy, both of his catches came on third-down conversions.
The experience has put him a position to earn more carries this season behind starter Patrick Taylor.
In the Tigers’ recent scrimmage, Gainwell and Kylan Watkins had most of the carries while Taylor was held out. Gainwell also showed off his speed with a catch down the right sideline.
It was a reminder that he spent last season shadowing Tony Pollard.
“We say it’s an extra copy of Tony and the same thing you got from Tony, you’ll get from me,” Gainwell said.
As well as he played in his brief time last season, it is only Gainwell’s second year working as a receiver after playing being a dual-threat quarterback at Yazoo County High School in Mississippi.
Gainwell worked this summer on perfecting his routes and reading defenses to better understand where to be on the field. Although Pollard is now with the Dallas Cowboys, Gainwell still used him as a standard for getting better.
“He’s seen what Tony did and he’s seen the success Tony’s having now in the National Football League and Kenny is bringing that now into his second season here with us,” running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr. said. “He’s become a true student of the game.”
If last season was about being a understudy, Gainwell, who Jones said added about 10 pounds this offseason, is ready to take center stage.
“It was like a learning experience for me because I went to every game,” Gainwell said. “I still dressed. I went through warmups. I got that great experience being on the field with them.”
You can reach Tigers football beat writer Evan Barnes on Twitter (@Evan_b) or by email at evan.barnes@commercialappeal.com