Jimmy Kennedy isn’t the kind of person you want to make angry.
The 6-foot-5, 316-pound defensive tackle strikes fear into the hearts of offensive linemen, but doesn’t get upset about much — unless you try to tell him Penn State coach Joe Paterno is “over the hill.”
“I was getting sick of hearing it was Joe’s last season, and Joe is getting too old,” Kennedy said of the 2001 campaign. “Stuff like that was killing me.”
Nicknamed “Grizzly Bear” by his teammates, the three-year starter has emerged as one of the nation’s top defensive linemen. Kennedy faced double-teams for much of the 2001 season but still earned 1.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss — and a chance to enter the National Football League.
A fifth-year senior who graduated in May with a degree in rehabilitation services education, Kennedy returned to State College with one goal: to return Penn State to national prominence after two consecutive losing seasons.
“I think the reason why I’m playing and our guys are motivated is we have a few fifth-year seniors who have only been to one bowl game, the Alamo Bowl,” Kennedy said. “It’s not that we have to prove to people that JoePa’s not over the hill, we just want to prove that Penn State football is back.”
One of the knocks on Kennedy after last season was that he had trouble getting to the quarterback, as his sack total dropped from six in 2000 to 1.5. After being held without a sack for the first four games of 2002, Kennedy terrorized the Wisconsin offensive line and set school and Big Ten records by sacking Badgers quarterback Brooks Bollinger four times.
Kennedy said he had a successful day because Wisconsin double-teamed end Michael Haynes and tackle Anthony Adams.
“I think we all have to wait for our weeks and find out exactly how people are going to block us,” Kennedy said. “They tried to keep the tackle and the tight end on Michael Haynes, and it was one-on-one with me and the guard. The first few games, I was being double-teamed, and Mike was coming off the corner. We’re just waiting for Anthony to have his day.”
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The Nittany Lions’ defensive linemen have fed off each other’s success this season. Earlier in the year, when opposing offenses concentrated on Kennedy, Haynes was able to start compiling a conference-leading 8.5 sacks.
Kennedy said the close relationship between himself, Haynes, Adams and sophomore end John Bronson has contributed to the unit’s dominance.
“The defensive line is like a family right now, we go to volleyball games together and try to learn each other’s strong points and weak points,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy was one of more than 100 Nittany Lions who stayed in State College over the summer for team workouts. He dropped from last season’s playing weight of 350 pounds to a relatively svelte 316.
“If you ask Coach Paterno, he’d probably rather have me up to 325 or 330 because I could plug holes better,” Kennedy said. “But being lighter definitely helps my endurance, and I’m able to stay in the game longer.”
Losing weight is nothing new for Kennedy, who came to Penn State in the summer of 1998 tipping the scales at close to 420 pounds. After adopting a new diet recommended by the team’s nutritionist and dedicating himself to strength training, he dropped more than 70 pounds while redshirting his first season.
In 1999, Kennedy got the chance to display his new physique on the field after Jason Wallace suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Indiana. Kennedy stepped in with five tackles — two for loss — against the Hoosiers and started the last six games of the season.
Kennedy’s success carried over in 2000, when he started every game at right defensive tackle and tied for the team lead with six sacks, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors. As a junior, he was the first Penn State defensive tackle named First Team All-Big Ten since 1993. Perhaps his most significant play came when he blocked a 34-yard field goal with 2:55 remaining that allowed the Nittany Lions to hold on to a 29-27 victory over Ohio State.
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This year, Kennedy was named to several preseason All-America lists, and he has yet to disappoint.
“He’s an extremely large man who moves very well for his size,” Northwestern guard Jeff Roehl said. “He’s got a great combination of swim moves and spin moves he can use on you, and he works hard.”
Kennedy said his relationship with Paterno has allowed him to improve on and off the field. After taking special education classes since 10th grade, Kennedy made the Dean’s list spring semester, which he credits to Paterno and his wife, Sue.
The respect between the player and his coach is clearly mutual.
“I am very fond of Jimmy,” Paterno said. “He’s a pleasant guy in the locker room, and the kids like him. He’s emerging as a guy that wants to be a great football player and will do as much as he can to make this the best team we can make it.”
Kennedy’s goal to return Penn State to the top of the Big Ten may not be realized this season, but he and the rest of the defensive line have certainly done their part.
“I remember my redshirt year, me and Anthony used to sit around and talk about how we were going to dominate the Big Ten,” Kennedy said. “And now we’re getting the opportunity to do it.”
