Troy University Athletics
Trojan Trio at the Super Bowl Part One - Jerrel Jernigan
2/2/2012 12:31:00 PM | Football
As the New York Giants prepare to face off in a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots this Sunday, the Trojan Nation will be watching closely as three of their own prepare to reach the pinnacle of their profession, some of them for the second time.
TroyTrojans.com will do a three-part mini-series of articles profiling those three Trojans: defensive end Osi Umenyiora, wide receiver/kick returner Jerrel Jernigan and kicker Lawrence Tynes in the days leading up to the biggest game of their lives.
Today, the spotlight is on Jerrel Jernigan, who has found himself as the top kick returner for the G-Men in his rookie year. Prior to being New York's third round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jernigan annihilated defensive game-plans all across the Sun Belt Conference and became the Trojans' most prolific receiver.
The Eufaula, Ala., native racked up 262 receptions for 3,128 yards during his college career (2007-10), both Troy school records. However, while primarily a wide receiver, Jernigan was the offense's most lethal weapon. He was deployed as a running and returning threat and his effectiveness resulted in a school record 5,972 all-purpose yards.
“Jerrel was probably the most dynamic offensive football player we've ever had here at Troy … he's a guy that could play any position on offense, return kicks, return punts, he could play the quarterback position and run or throw. He could do a lot of things that made us better offensively and him a threat by putting him in a position across the board where he could make things happen,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said.
While the speedy wideout has always been a big play waiting to happen, it also appears that he has a “Midas touch” of sorts. Dating back to his freshman year at Troy, Jernigan has not suited up for a team that has not been a champion of some sort. The Trojans won the Sun Belt Conference all four years of his eligibility and the Giants won the NFC Championship this year.
His last season without a title was his senior year of high school. That year he quarterbacked Eufaula High to the state championship game, but was injured during the contest and his team was unable to win without him at the helm. Still, Jernigan's last six years of competitive sport can even make some of the great ones slightly envious.
“He's been pretty blessed,” Blakeney said.
Jernigan talked to the Dothan Eagle recently about his season thus far and the roller-coaster ride he has been on. While it may not have gone as expected, Jernigan says that there isn't anything he would change about it.
“It didn't start off like I wanted to. I'm used to getting the ball in my hands almost every play like at Troy. This year it's been kickoffs and some spot duty. It's been a long year, but it's all worth it,” Jernigan said in his interview with the Dothan Eagle.
Unsurprisingly, the rookie has had fellow Trojan alums Lawrence Tynes and Osi Umenyiora to help him with adjusting to the professional game. Tynes in particular has high hopes for the shifty, do-it-all dynamo.
“Me and Osi have taken him in and hopefully gotten him adjusted to the pro game,” Tynes said in an interview to the Dothan Eagle. “He's going to be a good one.”
Now with the biggest game on Jernigan's horizon, Blakeney is well aware that at any point, Jernigan could make a play that could go down in the annals of history as he looks to contribute to the Giants' seemingly magical run towards glory, even if the new kickoff rules make it slightly more difficult.
“If he gets a chance, he'll do his part. He's done it before, he's not afraid to make a play,” Blakeney said.
Jernigan is aware of it too. “They just tell me that when your time comes, you've got to make the most of it,” he said in the interview with the Dothan Eagle
While he looks to be biding his time until an opportunity shows itself, it seems that right now he's looking to come to grips with a dream come true.
“It's finally sinking in that I'm a rookie going to the Super Bowl,” Jernigan told TroyTrojans.com the day after the Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime of the NFC Championship Game. “Not many people can say they even played in one Super Bowl, but for me to do it in my first year, that's crazy.”
Perhaps, but it was crazy to some to think that the Giants would derail the Patriots perfect season in 2007 and the world saw how that went. So as far as the chances go for Jernigan, a sparingly-used weapon in the Giants offense, making a play that could turn the tide of a game as he did so often for the Men of Troy?
Crazier things have happened.
TroyTrojans.com will do a three-part mini-series of articles profiling those three Trojans: defensive end Osi Umenyiora, wide receiver/kick returner Jerrel Jernigan and kicker Lawrence Tynes in the days leading up to the biggest game of their lives.
Today, the spotlight is on Jerrel Jernigan, who has found himself as the top kick returner for the G-Men in his rookie year. Prior to being New York's third round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jernigan annihilated defensive game-plans all across the Sun Belt Conference and became the Trojans' most prolific receiver.
The Eufaula, Ala., native racked up 262 receptions for 3,128 yards during his college career (2007-10), both Troy school records. However, while primarily a wide receiver, Jernigan was the offense's most lethal weapon. He was deployed as a running and returning threat and his effectiveness resulted in a school record 5,972 all-purpose yards.
“Jerrel was probably the most dynamic offensive football player we've ever had here at Troy … he's a guy that could play any position on offense, return kicks, return punts, he could play the quarterback position and run or throw. He could do a lot of things that made us better offensively and him a threat by putting him in a position across the board where he could make things happen,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said.
While the speedy wideout has always been a big play waiting to happen, it also appears that he has a “Midas touch” of sorts. Dating back to his freshman year at Troy, Jernigan has not suited up for a team that has not been a champion of some sort. The Trojans won the Sun Belt Conference all four years of his eligibility and the Giants won the NFC Championship this year.
His last season without a title was his senior year of high school. That year he quarterbacked Eufaula High to the state championship game, but was injured during the contest and his team was unable to win without him at the helm. Still, Jernigan's last six years of competitive sport can even make some of the great ones slightly envious.
“He's been pretty blessed,” Blakeney said.
Jernigan talked to the Dothan Eagle recently about his season thus far and the roller-coaster ride he has been on. While it may not have gone as expected, Jernigan says that there isn't anything he would change about it.
“It didn't start off like I wanted to. I'm used to getting the ball in my hands almost every play like at Troy. This year it's been kickoffs and some spot duty. It's been a long year, but it's all worth it,” Jernigan said in his interview with the Dothan Eagle.
Unsurprisingly, the rookie has had fellow Trojan alums Lawrence Tynes and Osi Umenyiora to help him with adjusting to the professional game. Tynes in particular has high hopes for the shifty, do-it-all dynamo.
“Me and Osi have taken him in and hopefully gotten him adjusted to the pro game,” Tynes said in an interview to the Dothan Eagle. “He's going to be a good one.”
Now with the biggest game on Jernigan's horizon, Blakeney is well aware that at any point, Jernigan could make a play that could go down in the annals of history as he looks to contribute to the Giants' seemingly magical run towards glory, even if the new kickoff rules make it slightly more difficult.
“If he gets a chance, he'll do his part. He's done it before, he's not afraid to make a play,” Blakeney said.
Jernigan is aware of it too. “They just tell me that when your time comes, you've got to make the most of it,” he said in the interview with the Dothan Eagle
While he looks to be biding his time until an opportunity shows itself, it seems that right now he's looking to come to grips with a dream come true.
“It's finally sinking in that I'm a rookie going to the Super Bowl,” Jernigan told TroyTrojans.com the day after the Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime of the NFC Championship Game. “Not many people can say they even played in one Super Bowl, but for me to do it in my first year, that's crazy.”
Perhaps, but it was crazy to some to think that the Giants would derail the Patriots perfect season in 2007 and the world saw how that went. So as far as the chances go for Jernigan, a sparingly-used weapon in the Giants offense, making a play that could turn the tide of a game as he did so often for the Men of Troy?
Crazier things have happened.
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