mighty hornet
The HMIC!!
Kennedy has cleared plenty of hurdles
By Griffin Mayo
Montgomery Advertiser
Darnell Kennedy's favorite Christmas present came early when he found out he's working Christmas Day.
Alabama State's record-setting quarterback was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Classic at Cramton Bowl.
"It makes you feel real good to have people think enough of you to play in this game. It must mean they think I am pretty good," Kennedy said. "I haven't been getting that my whole life. People always said, 'He is good, but he needs to do this, or he needs to do that,' but to finally get praises and accolades, it has been a long time waiting."
While Kennedy has not received a lot of national exposure, he has earned the respect of his peers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. He was twice named to the All-SWAC first team and received offensive player of the year this year. Kennedy also has assaulted the I-AA record books. He ranks third in career total yards.
Kennedy drew praise from Grambling State coach Doug Williams ? who played for Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins? after the Hornets played Grambling in the SWAC championship game.
"Our defense played well against (Kennedy), but he was still played great," Williams said.
The road he traveled to this point ? where he will spend a week working out in front of scouts from every NFL team ? was hardly a one-way street. It was more like maze.
In fact, Kennedy didn't plan on playing college football. He always wanted to, but nobody wanted him. While his other teammates at LeFlore High School in Mobile were receiving letters from colleges or making highlight tapes and sending them to schools, Kennedy was planning his future ? in the Army.
It was by pure luck he ended up at Alabama State.
One of his high school receivers, Omar Hamilton, sent a highlight film to Alabama State. But it was Kennedy, not Hamilton, who caught the eye of the Hornets coaching staff. Two days after National Signing Day, the Hornets offered Kennedy a scholarship. He was shocked.
"I was surprised because nobody was offering me a scholarship," Kennedy said. "And I couldn't pay for school, so I just figured I would go into the Army. I was ready to be shipped out in June, but ASU offered me a scholarship. I went up there, started my second game and have been starting ever since."
His football career in Montgomery still had plenty of hurdles to clear.
He had three different head coaches in his Alabama State career and consequently had to learn three different offenses. That's tough on any quarterback.
Kennedy also suffered a season-ending ankle injury that forced him to redshirt in what would have been his junior season. But he always bounced back.
"After being under so many head coaches and so many offenses and everything else that has gone on, it is redemption (to make it to the Blue-Gray Classic)," he said. "It makes me feel real good about everything that happened."
Kennedy wasn't so positive early in his senior season. It was then that he faced his toughest obstacle. Academic trouble forced Kennedy to miss the first two games of the year (both Alabama State losses), and he thought he would be ineligible for the entire season.
"I really didn't really think I was ever going to pick up a football again," Kennedy said. "But, thankfully, I got it straightened out."
After resolving his academic problems, Kennedy led the Hornets to the SWAC Eastern Division championship and a place in the title game. Kennedy passed for 3,151 yards and 33 touchdowns in only 10 games his senior season.
But that alone did not earn him an invitation to the Blue-Gray Classic. Kennedy had to wait to see which other quarterbacks from bigger name schools might be eligible.
Since the game is played on Christmas, most bowl teams can't send their seniors to participate. So he waited ... and became an Alabama fan.
Had the Crimson Tide not won three straight games to end the season and become eligible for a bowl, then Andrew Zow probably would have taken Kennedy's slot at quarterback. But Kennedy takes that in stride.
"I guess they want whoever is going to put people in the seats," Kennedy said. "But I kind of thought I should be here no matter what. It reminds me of the beginning of the season when I didn't know if I was going to play or not. Now I didn't know if I was going to play in the Blue-Gray Game, so I just have to take full advantage of my opportunity."
Blue-Gray executive director Charles "Fats" Jones couldn't be more excited to have Kennedy on the roster.
"It's a real pleasure to have someone of Darnell's capabilities playing in the Blue-Gray Game," Jones said. "Anytime we can get a local player with so much talent is a blessing for us."
To even earn the opportunity to work in front of NFL scouts has obstacles.
Kennedy stands only 6-foot tall in a league where bigger is better. Doug Flutie is the only NFL quarterback under 6 feet tall.
"In the league, they have 6-foot-9 offensive linemen, and the QBs are like 6-2 or 6-5," Kennedy said. "And there aren't any 7-foot quarterbacks, so no one can see over the offensive lineman. It's all about finding a lane to throw in. I have been doing that for five years."
Alabama State head coach L.C. Cole is sure his former quarterback can overcome the size obstacle.
"He's not only a good quarterback, but a good athlete," Cole said. "There are a lot of things he can do. He may not be big in stature, but he's big in heart."
But Kennedy will be facing different competition than he has seen. The offensive linemen will be bigger than they were in the SWAC, the defensive backs will be faster, and so will the defensive lineman and linebackers. But Kennedy has confidence in his abilities.
"I have talked to some people and they say I have a pretty good game," Kennedy said. "And I like the way I play football. I like running around with the football and then throwing it downfield. I think that's what (NFL scouts) are looking for."
Kennedy does have one thing that will be to his advantage when the teams suit up on Christmas Day. He is the expert on playing games at Cramton Bowl.
"Coach (Cole) says it's the one thing that I have that nobody else does," he said. "That I have played at the Cramton Bowl and none of the other players have. Nobody's played more games at the Bowl than me. It makes my job a whole lot easier because I know the field."
Another advantage for Kennedy will be the fans. There should be a huge Darnell Kennedy contingent on Christmas Day. Kennedy estimates there will be close to 40 of his friends and family in attendance.
While this will be a huge test for him, Kennedy is not resting all of his NFL hopes on this one game. He is just happy to be playing and getting a chance to pursue his childhood dream.
"Ever since I was a kid I wanted to play in the NFL," he said. "From the first time I picked up a football, I was always playing quarterback. Ever since then, when I would watch football on TV, I have always said I would play in the NFL. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember."
By Griffin Mayo
Montgomery Advertiser
Darnell Kennedy's favorite Christmas present came early when he found out he's working Christmas Day.
Alabama State's record-setting quarterback was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Classic at Cramton Bowl.
"It makes you feel real good to have people think enough of you to play in this game. It must mean they think I am pretty good," Kennedy said. "I haven't been getting that my whole life. People always said, 'He is good, but he needs to do this, or he needs to do that,' but to finally get praises and accolades, it has been a long time waiting."
While Kennedy has not received a lot of national exposure, he has earned the respect of his peers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. He was twice named to the All-SWAC first team and received offensive player of the year this year. Kennedy also has assaulted the I-AA record books. He ranks third in career total yards.
Kennedy drew praise from Grambling State coach Doug Williams ? who played for Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins? after the Hornets played Grambling in the SWAC championship game.
"Our defense played well against (Kennedy), but he was still played great," Williams said.
The road he traveled to this point ? where he will spend a week working out in front of scouts from every NFL team ? was hardly a one-way street. It was more like maze.
In fact, Kennedy didn't plan on playing college football. He always wanted to, but nobody wanted him. While his other teammates at LeFlore High School in Mobile were receiving letters from colleges or making highlight tapes and sending them to schools, Kennedy was planning his future ? in the Army.
It was by pure luck he ended up at Alabama State.
One of his high school receivers, Omar Hamilton, sent a highlight film to Alabama State. But it was Kennedy, not Hamilton, who caught the eye of the Hornets coaching staff. Two days after National Signing Day, the Hornets offered Kennedy a scholarship. He was shocked.
"I was surprised because nobody was offering me a scholarship," Kennedy said. "And I couldn't pay for school, so I just figured I would go into the Army. I was ready to be shipped out in June, but ASU offered me a scholarship. I went up there, started my second game and have been starting ever since."
His football career in Montgomery still had plenty of hurdles to clear.
He had three different head coaches in his Alabama State career and consequently had to learn three different offenses. That's tough on any quarterback.
Kennedy also suffered a season-ending ankle injury that forced him to redshirt in what would have been his junior season. But he always bounced back.
"After being under so many head coaches and so many offenses and everything else that has gone on, it is redemption (to make it to the Blue-Gray Classic)," he said. "It makes me feel real good about everything that happened."
Kennedy wasn't so positive early in his senior season. It was then that he faced his toughest obstacle. Academic trouble forced Kennedy to miss the first two games of the year (both Alabama State losses), and he thought he would be ineligible for the entire season.
"I really didn't really think I was ever going to pick up a football again," Kennedy said. "But, thankfully, I got it straightened out."
After resolving his academic problems, Kennedy led the Hornets to the SWAC Eastern Division championship and a place in the title game. Kennedy passed for 3,151 yards and 33 touchdowns in only 10 games his senior season.
But that alone did not earn him an invitation to the Blue-Gray Classic. Kennedy had to wait to see which other quarterbacks from bigger name schools might be eligible.
Since the game is played on Christmas, most bowl teams can't send their seniors to participate. So he waited ... and became an Alabama fan.
Had the Crimson Tide not won three straight games to end the season and become eligible for a bowl, then Andrew Zow probably would have taken Kennedy's slot at quarterback. But Kennedy takes that in stride.
"I guess they want whoever is going to put people in the seats," Kennedy said. "But I kind of thought I should be here no matter what. It reminds me of the beginning of the season when I didn't know if I was going to play or not. Now I didn't know if I was going to play in the Blue-Gray Game, so I just have to take full advantage of my opportunity."
Blue-Gray executive director Charles "Fats" Jones couldn't be more excited to have Kennedy on the roster.
"It's a real pleasure to have someone of Darnell's capabilities playing in the Blue-Gray Game," Jones said. "Anytime we can get a local player with so much talent is a blessing for us."
To even earn the opportunity to work in front of NFL scouts has obstacles.
Kennedy stands only 6-foot tall in a league where bigger is better. Doug Flutie is the only NFL quarterback under 6 feet tall.
"In the league, they have 6-foot-9 offensive linemen, and the QBs are like 6-2 or 6-5," Kennedy said. "And there aren't any 7-foot quarterbacks, so no one can see over the offensive lineman. It's all about finding a lane to throw in. I have been doing that for five years."
Alabama State head coach L.C. Cole is sure his former quarterback can overcome the size obstacle.
"He's not only a good quarterback, but a good athlete," Cole said. "There are a lot of things he can do. He may not be big in stature, but he's big in heart."
But Kennedy will be facing different competition than he has seen. The offensive linemen will be bigger than they were in the SWAC, the defensive backs will be faster, and so will the defensive lineman and linebackers. But Kennedy has confidence in his abilities.
"I have talked to some people and they say I have a pretty good game," Kennedy said. "And I like the way I play football. I like running around with the football and then throwing it downfield. I think that's what (NFL scouts) are looking for."
Kennedy does have one thing that will be to his advantage when the teams suit up on Christmas Day. He is the expert on playing games at Cramton Bowl.
"Coach (Cole) says it's the one thing that I have that nobody else does," he said. "That I have played at the Cramton Bowl and none of the other players have. Nobody's played more games at the Bowl than me. It makes my job a whole lot easier because I know the field."
Another advantage for Kennedy will be the fans. There should be a huge Darnell Kennedy contingent on Christmas Day. Kennedy estimates there will be close to 40 of his friends and family in attendance.
While this will be a huge test for him, Kennedy is not resting all of his NFL hopes on this one game. He is just happy to be playing and getting a chance to pursue his childhood dream.
"Ever since I was a kid I wanted to play in the NFL," he said. "From the first time I picked up a football, I was always playing quarterback. Ever since then, when I would watch football on TV, I have always said I would play in the NFL. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember."
