Among the NSFL’s newest rookies, many have stood out for their talent and accolades, but there are also those that stand out for their stories. One of these rookies is newcomer Eric Kennedy, who recently joined Yellowknife Wraiths as a Running Back after finding college-level success at LSU. But the stardom he found in Southern Louisiana did not prepare him for the harsh winters of the Canada Northwest or the equally harsh competition that awaited him in the NSFL.
After getting the opportunity to be a lead Running Back at the nationally-revered school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kennedy was fortunate to finding success so close to his hometown of New Orleans. LSU fans loved to see the homegrown kid fight past defenders and dive into the end zone for the big score every week. But when joined the other rookie prospects, he discovered a whole new level of talent in the NSFL. “It was shocking”, he admits. “I thought I was primed to come into the NSFL and be a star, but it’s a lot different than what I was used to facing every week. Running Backs can’t just dominate the field the way they did in the college system. Here, you have to be able to adjust on the fly. The coaches are running better schemes. The defenders are bigger, faster, and smarter. Even the other Running Backs are a lot better than I expected them to be. And, honestly, they have to be that good. The whole league is just that good.”
These days, Kennedy tends to strike people as a bit humble, but that wasn’t the initial impression he left when he first joined up. Before the prospect games left him face-down in the dirt after a series of short yard gains, Kennedy was notorious for rubbing teammates the wrong way after a bad performance. “I was lucky to come from a great school that always performed well, but I took that success for granted. Sure, I needed to change the way I played and adapt to the NSFL style, but it was more than that. I’d blessed to have a great team back home and I took that for granted. In the prospect games, it’s every man for himself. And, without my team behind me, I wasn’t anywhere near as good as I thought I was. Some people say I was exposed. Heck, they might be right.” Though he’s not proud to admit it, he almost didn’t even end up on a team. With such a promising class of Running Backs, Kennedy’s power back style just didn’t hold the same promise as his faster, more explosive counterparts. Even worse, the newfound level of challenge he faced on the field brought out the worst in Kennedy. He quickly developed a reputation for keeping to himself and being unfriendly. Scouts and players that reached out described him as having a lack of commitment and being difficult to work with. When asked about it, Kennedy didn’t deny it, but he wasn’t eager to go into detail, either. It was a dark time for the young back and he didn’t anticipate the opportunity that lay ahead.
Despite a struggling performance in the prospect games and a bad reputation, the Wraiths decided to take a chance on Kennedy. When others didn’t know how to reach him, the Yellowknife coaches gave Kennedy a chance to embrace a new role while he adjusts to the level of play found at the NSFL level. “When the Wraiths reached out, they were pretty honest with me, but they were also right. I didn’t handle myself well leading up to the draft and a lot of teams didn’t want to take a chance on me. But I’ve always been a stronger guy and the coaches saw a need for that. I was the strongest Running Back in my class and I was always a decent blocker, but I just wasn’t used to blocking for other people. I was used to being the top dog and I had other people to do that for me. But here, we’ve got some really good backs and I still have a lot to learn from them. And, while I do, I just want to be able to help my team in any way I can.” There’s still a sense of resentment in his voice, but teammates say that Kennedy’s attitude has improved drastically since joining the Wraiths and he seems genuinely grateful for a second chance. “They’re a great team with great players and great coaches. Everybody probably says that about their team, I guess, I really mean it. I see it everyday. Even in the little time I’ve been here, my speed has already improved just due to their help. They expect a lot out of me and they’re not afraid to push me, but it’s paying off. I’m just happy to have the opportunity to learn from the people around me. And maybe, if I hadn’t struggled in the prospect games, I wouldn’t appreciate that the way I do now.”
Of course, while he’s far from a star in the NSFL, the former college star hasn’t completely escaped all of the attention from his college days. Much like the rural swamps of Southern Louisiana, Northwest Canada’s often snow-covered landscape leaves the local players looking for creative ways to pass the time. And, as a young player hailing from one of the biggest party towns in the United States, Kennedy does carry another type of reputation. “The locker room is great, but they’ve dubbed me the party guy. I guess I was trying to impress somebody, so I let a few of the old stories slip out. It’s nothing we can probably print here, but let’s just say we used to get pretty wild back home. Now, the guys are always pushing me to go out with them. I know I have to live up to the hype now, but that all comes later. I need to be at my best here and that means staying on Coach’s good side. The last thing I want is to be taking the blame for half the team staying out all night right before a big practice.” While he’s disciplined on the field, though, there is one thing that Kennedy does miss from back home. “There’s no way to compare it. It sounds silly, but I miss the food. Boiled crawfish, shrimp, crab. You name it, they’ll boil it and make it taste great. And, if it’s not boiled, it’s fried. I’m working on my speed now, so I have to run everyday. I can’t even eat most of the stuff back home, anyway. I’m a really strict diet because of all the running, but after the season’s over, I’m definitely taking a long trip back home.”
1135 words
GRADED
After getting the opportunity to be a lead Running Back at the nationally-revered school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kennedy was fortunate to finding success so close to his hometown of New Orleans. LSU fans loved to see the homegrown kid fight past defenders and dive into the end zone for the big score every week. But when joined the other rookie prospects, he discovered a whole new level of talent in the NSFL. “It was shocking”, he admits. “I thought I was primed to come into the NSFL and be a star, but it’s a lot different than what I was used to facing every week. Running Backs can’t just dominate the field the way they did in the college system. Here, you have to be able to adjust on the fly. The coaches are running better schemes. The defenders are bigger, faster, and smarter. Even the other Running Backs are a lot better than I expected them to be. And, honestly, they have to be that good. The whole league is just that good.”
These days, Kennedy tends to strike people as a bit humble, but that wasn’t the initial impression he left when he first joined up. Before the prospect games left him face-down in the dirt after a series of short yard gains, Kennedy was notorious for rubbing teammates the wrong way after a bad performance. “I was lucky to come from a great school that always performed well, but I took that success for granted. Sure, I needed to change the way I played and adapt to the NSFL style, but it was more than that. I’d blessed to have a great team back home and I took that for granted. In the prospect games, it’s every man for himself. And, without my team behind me, I wasn’t anywhere near as good as I thought I was. Some people say I was exposed. Heck, they might be right.” Though he’s not proud to admit it, he almost didn’t even end up on a team. With such a promising class of Running Backs, Kennedy’s power back style just didn’t hold the same promise as his faster, more explosive counterparts. Even worse, the newfound level of challenge he faced on the field brought out the worst in Kennedy. He quickly developed a reputation for keeping to himself and being unfriendly. Scouts and players that reached out described him as having a lack of commitment and being difficult to work with. When asked about it, Kennedy didn’t deny it, but he wasn’t eager to go into detail, either. It was a dark time for the young back and he didn’t anticipate the opportunity that lay ahead.
Despite a struggling performance in the prospect games and a bad reputation, the Wraiths decided to take a chance on Kennedy. When others didn’t know how to reach him, the Yellowknife coaches gave Kennedy a chance to embrace a new role while he adjusts to the level of play found at the NSFL level. “When the Wraiths reached out, they were pretty honest with me, but they were also right. I didn’t handle myself well leading up to the draft and a lot of teams didn’t want to take a chance on me. But I’ve always been a stronger guy and the coaches saw a need for that. I was the strongest Running Back in my class and I was always a decent blocker, but I just wasn’t used to blocking for other people. I was used to being the top dog and I had other people to do that for me. But here, we’ve got some really good backs and I still have a lot to learn from them. And, while I do, I just want to be able to help my team in any way I can.” There’s still a sense of resentment in his voice, but teammates say that Kennedy’s attitude has improved drastically since joining the Wraiths and he seems genuinely grateful for a second chance. “They’re a great team with great players and great coaches. Everybody probably says that about their team, I guess, I really mean it. I see it everyday. Even in the little time I’ve been here, my speed has already improved just due to their help. They expect a lot out of me and they’re not afraid to push me, but it’s paying off. I’m just happy to have the opportunity to learn from the people around me. And maybe, if I hadn’t struggled in the prospect games, I wouldn’t appreciate that the way I do now.”
Of course, while he’s far from a star in the NSFL, the former college star hasn’t completely escaped all of the attention from his college days. Much like the rural swamps of Southern Louisiana, Northwest Canada’s often snow-covered landscape leaves the local players looking for creative ways to pass the time. And, as a young player hailing from one of the biggest party towns in the United States, Kennedy does carry another type of reputation. “The locker room is great, but they’ve dubbed me the party guy. I guess I was trying to impress somebody, so I let a few of the old stories slip out. It’s nothing we can probably print here, but let’s just say we used to get pretty wild back home. Now, the guys are always pushing me to go out with them. I know I have to live up to the hype now, but that all comes later. I need to be at my best here and that means staying on Coach’s good side. The last thing I want is to be taking the blame for half the team staying out all night right before a big practice.” While he’s disciplined on the field, though, there is one thing that Kennedy does miss from back home. “There’s no way to compare it. It sounds silly, but I miss the food. Boiled crawfish, shrimp, crab. You name it, they’ll boil it and make it taste great. And, if it’s not boiled, it’s fried. I’m working on my speed now, so I have to run everyday. I can’t even eat most of the stuff back home, anyway. I’m a really strict diet because of all the running, but after the season’s over, I’m definitely taking a long trip back home.”
1135 words
GRADED
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