LINCOLN — Brandon Kinnie admits to moments of self-doubt, common mostly when lugging his sore body off the Nebraska practice field four months ago.
Back then, all the junior college transfer seemed to experience were failed attempts at immersion to next-level football. Preseason camp, defined by its demanding on-field drills during swampy August weather, wasn't going as Kinnie planned.
The receiver was nowhere near quitting, just occasionally exploring thoughts of settling.
And why not? He was the new guy, who had three years to learn the nuances and adjust to life with the Huskers. Forcing the issue, at the improper time, could have be detrimental.
Problem is, that wait-and-see mentality doesn't mesh well with Kinnie's personality. He couldn't let himself quit working.
“Going through camp, sometimes I was just thinking like, ‘Man, should I just wait and bide my time?'” Kinnie said. And I'm like, ‘No.' I've never done that. I wasn't going to start then. ... I told myself, ‘Just push through it.'”
That's what he did. He overcame his own preseason skepticism by striving for the opportunity to contribute, he said. And now, as Nebraska prepares for its final game of Kinnie's sophomore season, he finds himself established as one of the few reliable weapons on offense.
“It means a lot to me,” Kinnie said. “I thank my team and the coaching staff for sticking with me.”
Kinnie caught just 13 passes this season, but 12 came in the final seven games.
His playing time increased significantly once Nebraska shifted to a run-oriented style of attack, favoring size and physicality at the receiver position over speed and elusiveness.
Kinnie's the only Husker who's caught at least one pass in each of the last seven games. Only Niles Paul has more total receptions (19) during that stretch.
“He's getting it,” offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said of Kinnie. “The more you play, the more experience you get out of him. I think he feels really comfortable with where he's at right now, which helps.”
Watson and the coaches are obviously confident in Kinnie's ability.
Against Texas on Dec. 5, quarterback Zac Lee threw two jump balls near the end zone, targeting Kinnie in one-on-one situations. Kinnie caught them both, but couldn't drag a foot in bounds as his momentum carried him away from the playing field on both occasions.
His two catches that did count in that game totaled 30 yards. They were the second- and third-longest offensive plays of the night for NU.
“He's definitely an explosive guy,” Lee said. “When you get the ball in his hands, he can definitely do some things with it. ... You can get him a short pass and he can make his way through and do things.”
On his final reception of that Big 12 title game, Kinnie eluded the tackle attempts of Texas starting corner Curtis Brown and team tackler leader Roddrick Muckelroy, turning a 3-yard pass into a 16-yard gain. The third down play ultimately set up Alex Henery's go-ahead field goal.
But Kinnie's still haunted by the plays he didn't make in that game. He knows there's more for him to accomplish, more chances for him to develop as a receiver.
So once again, he plans to keep working.
“I'm not done yet,” he said. “I've still got a long way to go. I've still got a lot more work to put in.”
Contact the writer:
402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com
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