Interview: 2020 Mississippi OL Kenyon McCou is Ready to Go Beast Mode During Senior Year
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
The state of Mississippi may not get the national recruiting coverage of the likes of California, Texas, and Florida, but make no mistake, the Magnolia State churns out elite gridiron talent, and plenty of them every year. For the delight of true high school football fans, Mississippi 6A football gets down and dirty pitting one man’s will against the other for success. One Class of 2020 Southaven area product who has been crushing the will of others and succeeding along the way is Kenyon McCou.
Easy to say, McCou is not best friends with opposing Mississippi defensive linemen; he might actually be more their nightmare. The 6-2, 307-pound, guard is a pulverizing run blocker in DeSoto Central’s run-heavy offense routinely putting tackles and ends on the ground to end their play. His productivity on the field has attracted offers from Arkansas State and Southern Illinois with interest coming in throughout the region. More teams may be drawn to him and in a different way during the 2019 season when he adds defensive tackle to his list of game day responsibilities. If you listen to McCou talk, his senior year is going to be one to remember, and with sincerity not bluster.
In an RNG exclusive interview, I sat down with McCou to learn more about the beast within and how his college camp circuit has gone thus far.
Interview
Kenyon, the Jaguars play in a tough conference with teams like Horn Lake, Oxford, and South Panola on the schedule. How did playing against that kind of tough competition help improve your game last season?
“Playing against those teams, showed my skillset and showed stuff I still need to work on. Horn Lake challenged me mentally. I was not at my best in that game. It showed during film. Against South Panola, I came out and dominated after Horn Lake. Film shows everything. If you are good, we will see it. If not, we will see.”
There is no doubt you get after it on running plays. What are some of the things you do well on run calls to move the line downfield?
“The down and distance plays a big part to my game and with my footwork. Knowing where you are on the field makes a difference. I squat over 525 pounds, I can jump high, and I am bottom heavy. If I get my hands on you, I will take you as far as I can until the whistle blows. It is the dog in me. You are a grown man if you can take another man against his will.
“With my technique, my get off and pad level improved. I come off as fast as I can to get to him before he gets to me. When I shoot my hands, he will react late and it is over before it starts.”
Did you track knockdowns and/or pancake blocks last season?
“Yes, sir. I had 45 pancake blocks, I should have had 70.”
I know the Jags did not throw the ball a lot last season, but how did your pass-pro improve give the experience in 2018?
“My pass-pro was okay. We slide block. If you slide to the protection, you don’t have a one-on-one matchup too much. I think I only allowed one sack last season.”
What have you been working on with your pass-pro this spring?
“I have been working strictly on footwork and my eye and hand-placement. I have been working with Coach Almond from Sports Life, my dad, and Coach Jeremy. I am always working on my feet. The defensive linemen have to come through you, all you have to do is work the angles and move your feet.”
What else have you been working on with your game?
“My footwork and speed. I am already strong and I will get stronger. I can pancake anyone you line up against me. I am working to be in better shape for this season. I am playing both ways this year. I am working on more explosive movements in my game.”
You mentioned your squat max at 525, which is fantastic.
“Thank you.”
What are some of your other maxes in the weight room?
“My bench is 340, and I clean 255. I can deadlift over 500 pounds but we do not focus on that with our workouts.”
You played left guard last season and you mentioned playing both ways this year, were all are you lining up during your senior year?
“You will see me at left guard and defensive tackle. In some fronts you will see me at 5-tech at end. I will be all over the defensive line this season. We are changing up fronts based on who we are playing.”
Have you been to any camps this spring?
“Yes. I have been to Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Memphis, Arkansas State, and the Opening Regional in Nashville.”
How did the Arkansas State camp turn out?
“It went really well. When I was in 10th grade, Coach Rudolph who is now at Ohio offered me that year. I came again this year to show the new guys on the staff and their offensive line coach, Coach (Sean) Coughlin, my skill set. My technique was good at that camp. I even went on defense and dominated.”
Nice. Tell me about your performance at the Ole Miss camp.
“It was a really good camp. They knew of me coming in, and there were a lot of big-name people there. They saw me in warmups moving around and liked what they saw in a guy my size moving like I did – they were like “what”? They saw my footwork, my kick slide and hand-placement were on. I was coachable. When they corrected me, I did exactly what they told me to do on the next rep.”
And the Memphis camp, how did that go?
“It went really well. Coach (Mike) Norvell had been to my school showing interest before the camp. There was no way in the world I was missing that camp. I went that morning, and I did an excellent job. I showed my promise, my explosiveness, and my pass-pro went well. It was the same kind of performance as at Ole Miss. I was coachable. Coach (Nick) Hill (head coach) and Coach (Trevor) Olson (OL) from Southern Illinois offered me on the spot at that camp. They really want me to visit. It was a great camp and it was a blessing to get that offer.”
What are some of the tricks of the trade you have learned at these camps that will help you during your senior year?
“I have learned that you always have to compete, no matter what. It does not matter how many stars, your ranking, or how many offers you have. If you cannot compete at a camp or in a game, you cannot compete anywhere. I learned to be coachable. Those were the main things I learned from the camps. It was reiterated at these camps. If you compete and are coachable, coaches will respond to you and show interest in you.”
You have the offers from Arkansas State and Southern Illinois, which schools are showing interest?
“I am receiving interest from Memphis, Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee State, TCU, and Illinois.”
Have you visited any schools?
“Yes, sir. I have taken visits to Arkansas State, Southern Miss, and Memphis this offseason. I visited Illinois during the season.”
Since they offered you, how did the ASU visit go?
“It went well. From the first couple of times visiting their program, I knew what to expect during the visit. I was looking for the same feeling I got from my other visits – it was still there. I was looking to see the structure of program that I liked from before, and like that it was still there. I was comfortable there and with the staff.”
Do you have any planned visits coming up?
“I might visit Southern Illinois. They are only three hours away.”
Going into the classroom, what is your cumulative GPA?
“I have a 3.2 GPA and I scored a 20 on the ACT.”
Nice. What do you want to major in once you are in college?
“Physical therapy.”
Last question. What are your personal goals for the rest of the summer?
“My goal is to train to exhaustion. There is no one out there training harder than me in this state. There will be no one that will be able to compete with me for four quarters this year. My coaches and teammates know it. I will show everyone that I am that guy this year.”
Kenyon, it was a pleasure doing the interview with you today. I wish you success with the rest of your summer workout.
“Thank you.”
Photo credit: McCou family; Kenyon McCou at Memphis and Arkansas State