Physical freak
When Chandler Jones arrived at training camp, he was afraid of Jared Kimmel. Not that Kimmel wasn’t a nice guy or a good teammate, but few people make the 6-foot-5 Jones feel small or weak.
‘From the time you look at him, you would assume he’d be mean and more scary,’ said Jones, a freshman defensive end. ‘Well, actually, he is mean and scary.’
Most importantly for Syracuse, he’s healthy – fully recovered from the left knee injury that stole from him the final eight games of last season right when he was becoming a vital cog in the Orange’s defensive line. In the game he tore his anterior cruciate ligament, Kimmel had already deflected a pass and forced a fumble.
That’s the Kimmel Syracuse expects to see this year, lining up at defensive end next to Art Jones for a full season, becoming one of the keys to what could be one of the Orange’s most consistent and successful units.
So far, so good. Against Northwestern last Saturday, Kimmel made two tackles, including one for a seven-yard loss, and forced a fumble in the backfield that set up Syracuse’s lone touchdown.
‘I was really thinking about the knee during the game, especially for the first couple plays or during the first drive, even after feeling fine during training camp,’ Kimmel said. ‘But games are a whole new speed, a whole new level. After a few plays of testing it out and feeling no pain, I knew I was totally fine. I’m back.’
But why would Chandler Jones think Kimmel is scary? Why does his brother, Art, call him a ‘beast’ and a ‘physical freak of an athlete?’
Well, just look at the guy.
For starters, Kimmel is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, with plenty of room to fill out even further. Syracuse co-defensive coordinator Derrick Jackson said he’s possibly the best looking young athlete he has ever seen, with arms so long, it’s as if he could stand across a room and open the door.
Jackson calls it the Popeye look – thin wrists, massive forearms; thin ankles, giant calves.
‘If there’s even an ounce of body fat on that guy,’ Jackson said, ‘I’m still looking for it because I haven’t seen it.’
There sure are a lot of muscles, though. When Kimmel arrived at Syracuse before the 2006 season (in which he redshirted), he weighed less than 220 pounds. Kimmel started lifting weights regularly for the first time and ate more than he ever had before. He always had been tall and fast, but now he’s tall, fast and strong.
Despite gaining nearly 40 pounds and suffering a major knee injury, Jackson said Kimmel did not lose any speed. In fact, Kimmel swears he is faster now than he was before he tore his ACL. All the rehab and training on his knee made it stronger than it ever was before.
Now he has to show that physical prowess on the field, not just in the weight room or the sideline. A body can only take a player so far.
On the field, Kimmel said it’s his goal to record a few sacks this season, like his father, Jamie, who recorded 20.5 sacks in his SU career from 1980-84. He also wants to step up as a leader on this inexperienced struggling defense, which is searching for an identity.
Chandler Jones said the younger defensive players admire Kimmel for his work ethic and physical strength. Jones, like Kimmel, is starting his Syracuse career tall and skinny. If Kimmel can gain 40 pounds and bulk up, why can’t he?
But before he takes on a leadership role, the coaching staff wants to see Kimmel completely establish himself as a defensive end. No doubt he has talent. He has to prove not that he’s healthy – because it appears he is – but that he is mentally tough enough as a starter to take every play at a high level. That’s the next step in his development.
‘The focal point for Jared this year, and this is something we’ve discussed with him, is the attention to detail in playing the defensive line,’ Jackson said. ‘He needs to become more detailed and more consistent to be a great football player. He can’t take any plays off. He’s going to make mistakes, but it’s really about the consistency.’
The injury is totally behind him now. Kimmel said he doesn’t expect to think about the knee at all during Saturday’s game against Akron. It has been 11 months since he hurt himself, and he is ready to move on.
Kimmel thinks he is a better player now than he was last year. All those ‘mental reps’ while standing on crutches on the sideline are finally paying off. Now it’s about knocking the rust off and showing everyone he’s more than just an impressive physical specimen.
‘It was tough not being able to play last year, but it was a learning experience for me,’ Kimmel said. ‘I’m going to use my speed and length better this year, and that will translate to sacks. It’s going to be an exciting year.’
Published on September 5, 2008 at 12:00 pm
