Slimmer Kinlaw expected to take on expanded role this season

Javon Kinlaw missed fried chicken and cheeseburgers.

Coming into camp at a beefy 340 pounds, the defensive lineman was put on a stringent diet that didn’t allow him any room to eat those deep fried comfort foods.

Director of Football Nutrition Kristin Coggin put the diet into place, and it’s worked so far as Kinlaw’s down to about 309 pounds, he said.

“I used to get mad that she’d never let me eat a lot like I wanted to,” Kinlaw said, smiling. “I used to eat less, eat half of everything. It’s still like that, but she’s given me some more slack.”

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Kinlaw’s size was a major talking point in the Gamecocks’ preseason camp with different linemen joking about the big junior college transfer towering over everyone.

Losing weight and eating less was an adjustment for him, he joked, but he’s slimmed down more than 30 pounds and is still working on getting down to his ideal weight at 295 pounds.

“I had to deal with it,” Kinlaw said. “I know what I want to do, I know where I want to go.”

Where he’s going is right into the Gamecock defensive line rotation.

Kinlaw has seen his role increase a lot over the short season so far, playing 30 snaps over the Gamecocks’ first two games. He didn’t get on the stat sheet in Week 1 against N.C. State, but responded in a big way against Missouri.

He picked up one tackle but also blocked a field goal, the first of his career, and had two pass breakups. One of the batted balls resulted in a Bryson Allen-Williams interception late in the fourth quarter.

Will Muschamp said Kinlaw is still learning and trying to become consistent while also dropping some weight. If he does, then he could become a major contributor to a Gamecock defensive line giving up more than 130 rushing yards per game.

“Javon’s extremely bright. He’s a guy that really is articulate and understands the things he needs to do as a player and he’s been great,” Muschamp said. “I’ve been pleased with him the whole time. He continues to improve and get better. The better he gets, the better defense that we can have.”

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Kinlaw's surge to the top of the defensive line rotation has been in part because of increased confidence that’s come from slimming down and being more physically able to handle what SEC offensive linemen try to do against him.

He said in his first few practices this season he was “just out there blowing,” but he can do a lot more now. It showed against Missouri Saturday, and the new, slimmer Kinlaw will likely get ample opportunity this week against Kentucky.

“I didn’t have confidence because I was fat and chubby,” Kinlaw said. “I didn’t feel like I could play well but now since I’m getting back to my kind of junior college weight I feel like my confidence is improving a lot more.”

Kinlaw’s in his first season at South Carolina after playing one year at Jones Junior College in Mississippi. Originally from Charleston, he was encouraged to go to junior college by Muschamp and the coaching staff helped get him ready to go there.

After spending a year there, he committed to South Carolina over Alabama and other schools, in part because of the relationship he’s built with Muschamp and defensive line coach Lance Thompson.

“I just thank him (Muschamp) a whole lot, and Coach Thompson,” Kinlaw said. “I thank those guys a whole lot for what they did for me. Just made me feel like I was a part of something when I had nothing.”

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South Carolina’s defensive line will have its hands full Saturday against Kentucky, which has a top-10 SEC rusher in Benny Snell.

Kinlaw will likely be a part of the team’s game plan to stop Snell and that rushing attack averaging almost 143 yards per game on the ground.

His biggest strength, he said is taking on offensive line double teams and freeing up other players to go make plays.

The defense has played well to start the season, especially in the red zone and the line has accounted for 52 tackles, nine for loss and four sacks.

“We can be as good as we want to be,” Kinlaw said.