Jalon Kilgore still learning but not backing down from any challenge on the field
Jalon Kilgore stood on the sideline and watched on. He was just a freshman taking in his first college game. He wasn’t expecting to see the field yet.
But just when he thought he wasn’t going in, life came at him fast. Nick Emmanwori went down and the coaches called Kilgore’s name.
“I wasn’t expecting to go in that fast. So when he got hurt, mentally, I wasn’t ready. But once I got out there, it was just like, oh, it’s just football,” Kilgore said.
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Kilgore defined that sequence as his welcome to college football moment. Week 1, under the lights on national television. And he had a great game with 12 tackles against North Carolina.
And now, Kilgore has not only seen the field a lot, he’s also going up against some of the best receivers in the country.
“It has given me a little bit of a confidence boost knowing that (the coaches) trust me,” Kilgore said. “It was easier to know that because I know I have my guys behind me like DQ (Smith) and Nick. They have my back on each and every play. So I wasn’t out there by myself.”
Last Saturday, Kilgore faced one of his tougher tests when he had to not only slide in at nickel but also cover Missouri’s Luther Burden III. Not many had been able to stop Burden before Saturday, and Kilgore had his struggles.
Early in the first quarter, Burden beat a double coverage of Kilgore and Smith for a 42-yard touchdown catch. It was one of a few big plays he made, finishing with four catches for 90 yards.
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While it wasn’t Kilgore’s best day, he’s still just a freshman learning everything he can.
“Going against those receivers taught me I’ve still got a lot to learn. Just some small, tiny things and I can keep working to get better each and every day,” Kilgore said.
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But for that being his first game at nickel this year, Kilgore thought he adjusted well and can continue to progress at that position.
“I prepped with all my coaches throughout the week. They helped me out with extra reps before and after practice,” Kilgore said. “They prep with me way before the game through the week. So I felt pretty good playing there. With the way it’s going, I’m going to be playing there a good amount.”
Like all freshmen that burst onto the scene, there’s going to be mistakes. But Kilgore believes he’s done a good job through the first half of the season and will learn from what he didn’t do right.
“After the games, we’ll go and see the type of mistakes we had, the minor steps, mental errors and things like that,” he said. “I’m just looking at those to see how I can fix those so it won’t happen the next game. For the next five games, I’m just looking to keep building and just make sure I don’t make those same mistakes.”
