Forcing Their Hand

Coaches receiving texts from players late in the evening isn't always ideal, which is what happened to Matt Mumme about two weeks ago.

It's past 9 p.m., and his phone lights up. It's a message from Javion Kinnard.

"Here's the thing with Chop (Kinnard's nickname since childhood). Chop, about two weeks ago, texted me before the San Diego State game and was like, Coach, I want to play," Mumme said. "I want to help. I need to do something. Please, please, please, let me into this deal.

"And that's awesome. When you get that text at 9 p.m., in the evening, and you've got a young, energetic kid, you love him up. You know, you say, 'hey, let's see what you can do. Let's see if we can create the mismatch we want.'"

Asked if Kinnard is the prime example of a player who, though down on the depth chart, keeps working and forces the hand of the coaching staff to find a way to use him, Jay Norvell simply said, "Yes."

A true freshman out of Nashville, Tenn., Kinnard measures in at a 5-foot-8, 175 pounds. He's often been overlooked – at least initially – because of that. His numbers have provided an alternate narrative, rushing for more than 2,600 yards as a prep with 31 touchdowns.

He's fast, but he's not sure just how fast, as he's never run a timed 40. What Friday's game proved is all the proof needed on a football field, and that he's faster than most who will cover him. He knew as much when he hit send.

"It's just about being, you know, a player who could help the team out. We weren't doing so good, and we were looking to make changes throughout the week," Kinnard said. "I felt like I could help my team out, and I was glad I had a chance to get in the box last week and make a couple plays to get us a win."

He could have simply accepted his fate. He was fourth on the depth chart in a running back room with three experienced and productive players in front of him. The reality is there are only so many carries in a game, and he wasn't going to get many.

He was also behind in understanding the playbook, which comes with time. He simply decided to whittle the time away faster. Every rep he had in practice, he took full advantage, and it doesn't take a person with a stopwatch in hand to understand he's electric in the open field.

"With him, he's so explosive and he's so hungry that (running backs coach Jeremy) Moses and I are just like, we've got to get him involved, we got to get him in the plan," Mumme said. "He's not a guy that's probably ready to handle a lot, but what he does get, he's gonna be really good at. I was so proud to see him catch that touchdown. That was a heck of a catch; it was a great route, and he just blew past the kid."

Same thing on a crucial third-and-six in the second half. He turned a simple swing pass into a 41-yard gain, running through one tackler then evading a host of Bulldogs to situate the offense in the red zone, a drive which resulted in another touchdown.

His touches have been minimal so far, just six carries, but for 45 yards with a long of 21. He has four catches now, but three came in the win over Fresno State, good for 78 yards.

It had to happen, and Mumme wasn't the only one thinking that way.

"It's really fun to see him, especially how hard he's been working, and it just it was bound to happen," Jalen Dupree said. "He'll take on a bigger role from now on so I'm really proud of him.

"I just think he plays a big part in our room, and we all kept his head together saying it's time to come and he kept himself in it. That was his moment. He deserved it and there's more to come."

The touchdown was amazing, a sprint past an out-manned opponent on a wheel route, diving to make the play in the front of the end zone. The second play was just as smooth, especially with the initial leaving a defender in the dust.

He just had to prove it every chance he could. First in practice, then when the lights are brightest, the stakes at their greatest.

"Nothing has never been easy for me. It's just about being patient about when your name's being called up, that's all," Kinnard said. "I went through it a little bit starting in high school, but just being ready, that's the main thing, being ready when your name is called.

"When they see me play, it's a lot different for sure."

Kinnard simply has something the rest of the team doesn't have, which is explosive speed. This season, the offense has been short on explosive plays. Naturally, Mumme's mind started working, and so did Moses.

They've also found it is not just in the backfield where he can make a difference.

"I think one of the things we're kind of lacking as a team, offensively anyway, is guys that can just truly run and beat anybody we're gonna go against," Mumme said. "Noticing that and his understanding and his twitchiness, the way he does run, puts him in a position. Even though he's small, you can put him in the slot, you can put him outside, because he's gonna beat a corner, he's gonna beat a safety, he's definitely gonna beat a linebacker."

He can beat the odds. Kinnard is used to it anyway, no matter how many people think he doesn't measure up, no matter where he is found on the depth chart. He's just going to keep playing until they can't overlook the facts anymore.

Speed is a factor that is or isn't. It can't really be coached, and it can catch people by surprise. Now, Kinnard feels he can help the offense keep rolling.

"For sure. I feel like the whole week of practice has been good. Everybody's fired up in the locker room, and I say my main thing is when we lose, or draw, we still treat it as like a family," Kinnard said. "I love this organization. They treat everybody like a family. I've learned more about God when I got here, so I'd love to do anything for the organization, help us win."

Even if that means planting the seed with a late-evening text.

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