Trust. It is needed in many areas of life, and that list includes football. In the battle in the trenches, this rings true more than any other position.
Cover Story: Trust in the Trenches
October 25, 2018 | Football
By Caleb Garner, Graduate Assistant/Communications
The following feature story can be found in the Oct. 27 Mississippi State Football Game Program, which can be purchased for $5 in and around Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday.
Trust.
It is needed in many areas of life, and that list includes football. In the battle in the trenches, this rings true more than any other position.
For the Mississippi State offensive line, a great amount of that trust rests on the broad shoulders of senior center Elgton Jenkins: Nick Fitzgerald has to trust that he's going to have the entire line in front of him on the same page in order for it to even be possible to execute a play. For the man next to him, fellow senior Deion Calhoun, State's backs have to trust him and his line mates to open up the holes needed to rip off big gain after big gain en route to another Bulldog touchdown.
Most importantly, each offensive lineman has to have one another's back and trust the person next to him to do his job and put the Bulldogs' offense in a position to succeed.
For Calhoun and Jenkins, that trust comes easily now.
The duo has been together since their freshman season in 2014, and that bond has grown over the past four-plus years. Calhoun, a guard, has always found himself playing beside Jenkins, whose versatility has allowed him to see time at not only center, but guard and tackle, as well.
"Sometimes he sees things that I don't see, and he can come and help me," Jenkins said. "He's a smart guy, I'm a smart guy and we both have experience playing in the SEC. That really helps a lot. I know he's going to hold it down—I think he's one of the best guards in this year's class, so it helps me to play beside him and helps him to play next to me."
Jenkins is quick to admit that it took some time for that chemistry and communication to develop, but by learning and observing how those before them went about their business, they now pass along the lessons learned to the next generation of Bulldog offensive linemen.
"[Calhoun] and I have been playing together since our freshman year," Jenkins said. "When we first got here, our communication wasn't as good as it is now, so the things we know now, we try to teach the younger guys to help get them better. By doing that, we'll be better as a unit [in the future]."
Calhoun, like Jenkins, does not hesitate to note the brotherhood-type bond he and Jenkins share. The two have become so close that each has been to the other's hometown—Calhoun, from the Birmingham-area community of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, and Jenkins from the Mississippi River Delta city of Clarksdale.
"Our chemistry is really good," said Calhoun about the bond between he and Jenkins. "We came together in 2014, so I've known him for about four years. I've been to his hometown and he's been to mine, so we're almost like brothers. He used to play tackle and I've played guard, so we're used to being beside each other. We're used to playing next each other, and that helps us know what the other is thinking."
That chemistry came to fruition in MSU's 23-9 victory against Auburn on Oct. 6, a game that saw State's offensive line pave the way for 359 yards on the ground. The Tigers, for comparison, only tallied 337 yards of total offense—just 123 on the ground allowed by the Bulldog defensive front. That offensive production on the ground is what Calhoun said the unit prides itself upon every game.
"One thing we pride ourselves on each week is being able to run the ball," Calhoun said. "When we come to practice, we come to work. We don't do a whole lot of talking. For the most part, [the offensive line] comes to practice, gets our jobs done, gets the game plan down, works hard throughout the week and hopefully performs well as a unit on game day."
Jenkins noted that by practicing against such a strong defense every day, that bond from tackle-to-tackle develops and they can trust each other to stick to their assignments.
"Playing in this league, you are going to face dynamic defensive linemen every week," Jenkins said. "With five guys on the same page, thinking the same thing, it's easier to get the job done. Going against our defensive line every day really helps us. On any given Saturday, we're going to face a front like ours."
While there is pressure that comes with facing some of the nation's top pass-rushers and run-stoppers week-in and week-out, it all begins and ends with trust.
"It all boils down to trusting one another," Calhoun said. "You have to trust the man next to you. Trust that he will make the right calls and, more importantly, we all have to trust Elgton to make the right calls and get us all on the same page."
Jenkins added, "If I have my gap and he has his, he has to trust in me that I'm going to be in the gap I need to be in and I trust that he'll be where he needs to be."
The following feature story can be found in the Oct. 27 Mississippi State Football Game Program, which can be purchased for $5 in and around Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday.
Trust.
It is needed in many areas of life, and that list includes football. In the battle in the trenches, this rings true more than any other position.
For the Mississippi State offensive line, a great amount of that trust rests on the broad shoulders of senior center Elgton Jenkins: Nick Fitzgerald has to trust that he's going to have the entire line in front of him on the same page in order for it to even be possible to execute a play. For the man next to him, fellow senior Deion Calhoun, State's backs have to trust him and his line mates to open up the holes needed to rip off big gain after big gain en route to another Bulldog touchdown.
Most importantly, each offensive lineman has to have one another's back and trust the person next to him to do his job and put the Bulldogs' offense in a position to succeed.
For Calhoun and Jenkins, that trust comes easily now.
The duo has been together since their freshman season in 2014, and that bond has grown over the past four-plus years. Calhoun, a guard, has always found himself playing beside Jenkins, whose versatility has allowed him to see time at not only center, but guard and tackle, as well.
"Sometimes he sees things that I don't see, and he can come and help me," Jenkins said. "He's a smart guy, I'm a smart guy and we both have experience playing in the SEC. That really helps a lot. I know he's going to hold it down—I think he's one of the best guards in this year's class, so it helps me to play beside him and helps him to play next to me."
Jenkins is quick to admit that it took some time for that chemistry and communication to develop, but by learning and observing how those before them went about their business, they now pass along the lessons learned to the next generation of Bulldog offensive linemen.
"[Calhoun] and I have been playing together since our freshman year," Jenkins said. "When we first got here, our communication wasn't as good as it is now, so the things we know now, we try to teach the younger guys to help get them better. By doing that, we'll be better as a unit [in the future]."
Calhoun, like Jenkins, does not hesitate to note the brotherhood-type bond he and Jenkins share. The two have become so close that each has been to the other's hometown—Calhoun, from the Birmingham-area community of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, and Jenkins from the Mississippi River Delta city of Clarksdale.
"Our chemistry is really good," said Calhoun about the bond between he and Jenkins. "We came together in 2014, so I've known him for about four years. I've been to his hometown and he's been to mine, so we're almost like brothers. He used to play tackle and I've played guard, so we're used to being beside each other. We're used to playing next each other, and that helps us know what the other is thinking."
That chemistry came to fruition in MSU's 23-9 victory against Auburn on Oct. 6, a game that saw State's offensive line pave the way for 359 yards on the ground. The Tigers, for comparison, only tallied 337 yards of total offense—just 123 on the ground allowed by the Bulldog defensive front. That offensive production on the ground is what Calhoun said the unit prides itself upon every game.
"One thing we pride ourselves on each week is being able to run the ball," Calhoun said. "When we come to practice, we come to work. We don't do a whole lot of talking. For the most part, [the offensive line] comes to practice, gets our jobs done, gets the game plan down, works hard throughout the week and hopefully performs well as a unit on game day."
Jenkins noted that by practicing against such a strong defense every day, that bond from tackle-to-tackle develops and they can trust each other to stick to their assignments.
"Playing in this league, you are going to face dynamic defensive linemen every week," Jenkins said. "With five guys on the same page, thinking the same thing, it's easier to get the job done. Going against our defensive line every day really helps us. On any given Saturday, we're going to face a front like ours."
While there is pressure that comes with facing some of the nation's top pass-rushers and run-stoppers week-in and week-out, it all begins and ends with trust.
"It all boils down to trusting one another," Calhoun said. "You have to trust the man next to you. Trust that he will make the right calls and, more importantly, we all have to trust Elgton to make the right calls and get us all on the same page."
Jenkins added, "If I have my gap and he has his, he has to trust in me that I'm going to be in the gap I need to be in and I trust that he'll be where he needs to be."
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