LSU's Jaray Jenkins Embracing "Old Head" Role as He Enters Fifth Year With Program
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For Jaray Jenkins, to come back to Baton Rouge for his fifth-year and continue to develop his overall skillset means everything to him. After a rollercoaster 2021 season, Jenkins now has the chance to go out on a high note and cap off what has been an incredible LSU career.
The dynamic, twitchy wide receiver has been through the highs and lows the Tigers have faced the last few years, but now the “old head” in the locker room, he’s ready to show out in his final season in Death Valley and take the young receivers under his wing.
“We do have a lot of young guys but they’re playing like vets,” Jenkins said. “Whenever I was a young buck and I had the older guys looking at me like what they would preach to me, it’s my turn to give it back to the young guys. I feel like I’ve been handling that well.”
The on-field coach for this wide receiver group, Jenkins has also sat back and taken a page out of this new staff’s book. With Brian Kelly at the helm, it’s been a transition for everyone in the program, all the way down to the water boys, but Jenkins has embraced the change with open arms to see success with the Tigers.
“Once Coach Kelly came in he told us exactly what he said about accountability. Everybody take control of what they can,” Jenkins said. “Once he put it into our heads after the first practice, everybody saw it and all bought into it and it’s been going great for us.”
Kelly and this staff have a much different approach than that of the Orgeron era. An offensive minded head coach, Kelly is very involved in the behind the scenes work that gets this offense clicking. Controlling the quarterbacks and having his attention on each position drill has gotten this groups attention that much more.
“It’s great to have a head coach with us, but obviously we have Coach Hankton. He’s been doing a great job,” Jenkins said. “BK, he’s fired up every now and then and we just go even harder. I feel like it’s good to have him around. It’s just something we thrive on.”
As this quarterback room goes through the motions of competition, the wide receivers have embraced every second of it. Adjusting to how each throw the football, whether it’s speed or placement, this receiver room has gotten acclimated nicely.
For Jenkins, the fifth-year senior will watch yet another quarterback battle take place. With Myles Brennan returning for his sixth-year, it’s safe to say that as camp goes on, the Brennan-Jenkins duo has shined brightest. In Saturday’s practice, the two connected on a 65-yard pass that got this entire offense fired up.
“Me and Myles’ chemistry is great. Going into my fifth-year, his sixth, we’ve been together ever since then and I feel like our chemistry is there,” Jenkins said. “From off season to into season we always do and I feel like our connection is there.”
Now as Jenkins transitions into his final season in Death Valley, his overall growth as a player will be a top priority as he looks to put NFL evaluators on notice. He harped on what he’s looking to advance in during his last run in Tigers stadium.
“Getting into my routes. Catching then running after the catch has been the biggest thing that I have been working on,” Jenkins said. “After I catch the ball getting north to south and go to the end zone.”
The savvy veteran looks to carry his momentum from the end of last season into the finale of his LSU career. With Jenkins controlling the pace of the receivers and looking to maximize his chances for the Tigers, this team has one of the best leaders in the country in their huddle.
