Chiefs Jerrell Powe's pluck pays off for Ole Miss

mikey23545 · 04-30-2011, 03:55 PM

About a month ago, Ole Miss senior defensive tackle Jerrell Powe, dressed impeccably from head to toe, sat on a podium surrounded by reporters at the Southeastern Conference's preseason media days.

Cameras were focused on him from every angle. A dozen tape recorders sat inches from his mouth. Writers leaned forward to hear his every word.

He was funny. He was honest. He was observant. He was engaging. He was clear and concise.

And no matter what Powe did on the field last year, which was good enough to earn second-team All-SEC honors, or what he is projected to accomplish this season as preseason All-SEC first teamer, his appearance that day before the media mob was a personal victory.

"It's exciting to be here," he said. "I hope everyone reads this like they read all the bad stuff."

The start of the bad stuff came when Powe, one of the nation's top five defensive tackles as a senior in 2004 at Wayne County High in Waynesboro, Miss., was declared academically ineligible three times to enter Ole Miss. He was finally diagnosed with learning disabilities, including dyslexia.

And then his mother filed a suit (which she later dropped) to get him admitted to Ole Miss, with one court document quoting her as saying her child could not read ("She was quoted wrong," Powe said). Plus, once he was finally admitted, he had to pay his way and prove himself academically though he wasn't allowed to practice.

He was in terrible physical shape, a blubbery 383 pounds, when he finally was cleared to play for the Rebels in late July 2008.

Now, Powe is 70 pounds lighter and, at 315, is a first-round NFL prospect. He's a well-liked and respected team leader who often cooks for his teammates, a necessity he learned in a single-parent home from his working mother.

Look at Powe's past academic struggles and it's understandable that the NCAA would question his transcripts and test scores. But fast forward to the present and one can conclude that the NCAA couldn't judge Powe's drive to succeed.

"Anybody could have stopped after the first time or second time or third time when he couldn't get in school," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said of Powe "But this guy keeps going, keeps going. He has drive for excellence, whether in the classroom, on the football field and the weight room.

"Professors like him, his name never shows up on any lists (for missing class). He loves his teammates and his teammates love him. He's got a heart bigger than Vaught-Hemingway (Stadium)."

Powe felt like he didn't have an option to fail, especially after the media reports about his academic shortcomings.

"All the guys who said those (negative) things definitely motivated me," Powe said. "It was definitely disappointing to see my Momma continually quoted wrong in the paper. But after awhile, I understood the only way to erase all that is to be successful."

The first step was improving his grades. David Wells, Ole Miss' senior associate athletics director for compliance, said he'd never seen an athlete so determined to get into school. So he figured Powe would have a fighting chance to succeed.

"Jerrell has worked very hard to take advantage of the resources we've offered," Wells said. "He has shown a great deal of perseverance."

Especially in the weight room, since re-shaping his once-bloated body has been a work in progress. The 6-2 Powe played at about 350 pounds last season, finally getting back some of the athletic ability he displayed in high school and during a post-high school season in 2005 at Hargrave Military Academy.

Every time Powe gets the urge to go on an eating binge, all he needs to do is remember how miserable he had been with too many layers of flab.

"It was a terrible feeling," Powe said. "I couldn't fit in clothes. I had no energy. I ran barefoot because shoes hurt my feet."

He did something about his weight, but it wasn't easy. Ole Miss strength and conditioning coach Don Decker can testify to that.

"When we started working with Powe, you have this vision of where it could go, but you wonder if it can get there," said Decker, who entrusted Powe's body transformation to assistant strength coach Jason Wilfawn. "When you see a guy embrace it like Powe did and continue to rise to the challenge of every goal we set for him, to see him the way he handles conditioning now and to see him like the way he looks in front of a mirror, it's a priceless feeling.

"But Powe gets every ounce of the credit. We didn't run the sprints or run on the treadmill, or say no to the foods he wanted to eat at times. He did all that. It was his sweat, his sacrifice, his commitment."

Though Powe played in 12 games in 2008, he still wasn't close to game shape. It wasn't until late last season when Powe, who started 10 games and made 34 tackles including 12 for losses (tied for eighth in the SEC), began feeling like himself.

"The last couple of years were very hard, because losing all that weight was like rehabbing an injury," Powe said. "You know you can play better, but you have to take it one day at a time."

But everything has returned. His quick first step. His fast, strong hands to shed blockers. The speed to track down ball carriers (he has run down from behind Jesse Grandy and Devin Thomas, two of Ole Miss' fastest players).

If Powe stays healthy and plays as he expects -- "I feel like I'm working hard enough to be the best defensive linemen in the country," he said -- he should get showered with NFL dollars.

But in the meantime, he's going to enjoy every snap for the school he fought so hard to attend.

"Ten, 15, 20 years from now, it doesn't matter what Jerrell is doing," Nutt said. "This kid is going to be a great ambassador for this school. He loves Ole Miss."

POWE'S POWER

Name: Jerrell Powe

Personal: Age 23, hometown is Waynesboro, Miss., son of Shirley Powe

The essentials: Ole Miss senior defensive tackle, 6-2, 315 pounds after losing almost 70 pounds the last two seasons. Denied admission three times to Ole Miss, but now on track to graduate as a criminal justice major. Can apply with NCAA to get an additional year of eligibility restored if needed, but projected as a first-round NFL draft choice if he has an outstanding season.

On the field: Has played in 25 games in two years, started 10 games last season. Has 42 career tackles, including 15 1/2 for losses. Used as a fullback to block in Ole Miss' goalline offense, he got two carries last year for no yards. His goal this year is to score a touchdown.

Digging deeper: Loves to cook and does so for his teammates. Jambalaya and pasta salad are a couple of his specialties and he also likes to bake. "I learned to cook from my Mom," Powe said. "She was a single parent and we couldn't wait for her to get home so we could eat. So I cooked."

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-off-for-rebs/

Hammock Parties · 04-30-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Digging deeper: Loves to cook and does so for his teammates. Jambalaya and pasta salad are a couple of his specialties and he also likes to bake. "I learned to cook from my Mom," Powe said. "She was a single parent and we couldn't wait for her to get home so we could eat. So I cooked."

A fat guy who loves to cook healthy food.

****ing amazing. Maybe he won't balloon up to 380 like these guys always seem to in the NFL.

Tylerthigpen!1! · 04-30-2011, 04:17 PM

Nice to see that he majored in something else besides Communications.

BigRock · 04-30-2011, 04:21 PM

How many Ole Miss players has Pioli drafted now? Someone wants to bang Leigh Anne Tuohy.

**Old Dog** · 04-30-2011, 04:24 PM

Great read. Thanks for posting it.

mikey23545 · 04-30-2011, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truebigdog

Great read. Thanks for posting it.

Well, it sounds like there may be more to Powe than just being some dumb, fat redneck like many are implying.

Hammock Parties · 04-30-2011, 04:27 PM

The fact that he's already been too fat is probably a huge deal. More likely to be committed to staying fat instead of insanely obese.

acesn8s · 04-30-2011, 04:31 PM

42 career tackles? What a baller!

ChiefsCountry · 04-30-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acesn8s

42 career tackles? What a baller!

Since nose tackles make so many tackles anyways.

mikey23545 · 04-30-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acesn8s

42 career tackles? What a baller!

Well, this was written before the 2010 season.

**Rain Man** · 04-30-2011, 04:34 PM

So if we need him to bulk up to 380 it sounds like he can do it. Excellent.

mikey23545 · 04-30-2011, 04:36 PM

A preseason All-America honoree as a senior, Powe was among the candidates for the Rotary Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was chosen as a Team Captain by his teammates. Despite often facing double teams, Powe amassed 27 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks in 2010, including 1.5 sacks at No. 8 Alabama.

Quesadilla Joe · 04-30-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acesn8s

42 career tackles? What a baller!

Von Miller almost had that many sacks in college.

ChiefsCountry · 04-30-2011, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

Von Miller almost had that many sacks in college.

Grownups are talking, please leave.

mikey23545 · 04-30-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

Von Miller almost had that many sacks in college.

You're just pretending to be this stupid, aren't you?

04-30-2011, 03:55 PM
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321	Jerrell Powe's pluck pays off for Ole Miss About a month ago, Ole Miss senior defensive tackle Jerrell Powe, dressed impeccably from head to toe, sat on a podium surrounded by reporters at the Southeastern Conference's preseason media days. Cameras were focused on him from every angle. A dozen tape recorders sat inches from his mouth. Writers leaned forward to hear his every word. He was funny. He was honest. He was observant. He was engaging. He was clear and concise. And no matter what Powe did on the field last year, which was good enough to earn second-team All-SEC honors, or what he is projected to accomplish this season as preseason All-SEC first teamer, his appearance that day before the media mob was a personal victory. "It's exciting to be here," he said. "I hope everyone reads this like they read all the bad stuff." The start of the bad stuff came when Powe, one of the nation's top five defensive tackles as a senior in 2004 at Wayne County High in Waynesboro, Miss., was declared academically ineligible three times to enter Ole Miss. He was finally diagnosed with learning disabilities, including dyslexia. And then his mother filed a suit (which she later dropped) to get him admitted to Ole Miss, with one court document quoting her as saying her child could not read ("She was quoted wrong," Powe said). Plus, once he was finally admitted, he had to pay his way and prove himself academically though he wasn't allowed to practice. He was in terrible physical shape, a blubbery 383 pounds, when he finally was cleared to play for the Rebels in late July 2008. Now, Powe is 70 pounds lighter and, at 315, is a first-round NFL prospect. He's a well-liked and respected team leader who often cooks for his teammates, a necessity he learned in a single-parent home from his working mother. Look at Powe's past academic struggles and it's understandable that the NCAA would question his transcripts and test scores. But fast forward to the present and one can conclude that the NCAA couldn't judge Powe's drive to succeed. "Anybody could have stopped after the first time or second time or third time when he couldn't get in school," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said of Powe "But this guy keeps going, keeps going. He has drive for excellence, whether in the classroom, on the football field and the weight room. "Professors like him, his name never shows up on any lists (for missing class). He loves his teammates and his teammates love him. He's got a heart bigger than Vaught-Hemingway (Stadium)." Powe felt like he didn't have an option to fail, especially after the media reports about his academic shortcomings. "All the guys who said those (negative) things definitely motivated me," Powe said. "It was definitely disappointing to see my Momma continually quoted wrong in the paper. But after awhile, I understood the only way to erase all that is to be successful." The first step was improving his grades. David Wells, Ole Miss' senior associate athletics director for compliance, said he'd never seen an athlete so determined to get into school. So he figured Powe would have a fighting chance to succeed. "Jerrell has worked very hard to take advantage of the resources we've offered," Wells said. "He has shown a great deal of perseverance." Especially in the weight room, since re-shaping his once-bloated body has been a work in progress. The 6-2 Powe played at about 350 pounds last season, finally getting back some of the athletic ability he displayed in high school and during a post-high school season in 2005 at Hargrave Military Academy. Every time Powe gets the urge to go on an eating binge, all he needs to do is remember how miserable he had been with too many layers of flab. "It was a terrible feeling," Powe said. "I couldn't fit in clothes. I had no energy. I ran barefoot because shoes hurt my feet." He did something about his weight, but it wasn't easy. Ole Miss strength and conditioning coach Don Decker can testify to that. "When we started working with Powe, you have this vision of where it could go, but you wonder if it can get there," said Decker, who entrusted Powe's body transformation to assistant strength coach Jason Wilfawn. "When you see a guy embrace it like Powe did and continue to rise to the challenge of every goal we set for him, to see him the way he handles conditioning now and to see him like the way he looks in front of a mirror, it's a priceless feeling. "But Powe gets every ounce of the credit. We didn't run the sprints or run on the treadmill, or say no to the foods he wanted to eat at times. He did all that. It was his sweat, his sacrifice, his commitment." Though Powe played in 12 games in 2008, he still wasn't close to game shape. It wasn't until late last season when Powe, who started 10 games and made 34 tackles including 12 for losses (tied for eighth in the SEC), began feeling like himself. "The last couple of years were very hard, because losing all that weight was like rehabbing an injury," Powe said. "You know you can play better, but you have to take it one day at a time." But everything has returned. His quick first step. His fast, strong hands to shed blockers. The speed to track down ball carriers (he has run down from behind Jesse Grandy and Devin Thomas, two of Ole Miss' fastest players). If Powe stays healthy and plays as he expects -- "I feel like I'm working hard enough to be the best defensive linemen in the country," he said -- he should get showered with NFL dollars. But in the meantime, he's going to enjoy every snap for the school he fought so hard to attend. "Ten, 15, 20 years from now, it doesn't matter what Jerrell is doing," Nutt said. "This kid is going to be a great ambassador for this school. He loves Ole Miss." POWE'S POWER Name: Jerrell Powe Personal: Age 23, hometown is Waynesboro, Miss., son of Shirley Powe The essentials: Ole Miss senior defensive tackle, 6-2, 315 pounds after losing almost 70 pounds the last two seasons. Denied admission three times to Ole Miss, but now on track to graduate as a criminal justice major. Can apply with NCAA to get an additional year of eligibility restored if needed, but projected as a first-round NFL draft choice if he has an outstanding season. On the field: Has played in 25 games in two years, started 10 games last season. Has 42 career tackles, including 15 1/2 for losses. Used as a fullback to block in Ole Miss' goalline offense, he got two carries last year for no yards. His goal this year is to score a touchdown. Digging deeper: Loves to cook and does so for his teammates. Jambalaya and pasta salad are a couple of his specialties and he also likes to bake. "I learned to cook from my Mom," Powe said. "She was a single parent and we couldn't wait for her to get home so we could eat. So I cooked." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-off-for-rebs/
Posts: 12,314

04-30-2011, 04:17 PM	#3
Tylerthigpen!1! Starter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arkansas Casino cash: $8055815	Nice to see that he majored in something else besides Communications.
Posts: 830

04-30-2011, 04:21 PM	#4
BigRock Pritay Pritay Pritay Good Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The State of Euphoria Casino cash: $2975412	How many Ole Miss players has Pioli drafted now? Someone wants to bang Leigh Anne Tuohy.
Posts: 6,860

04-30-2011, 04:24 PM	#5
Old Dog Supporter Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Central Kansas Casino cash: $4405131	Great read. Thanks for posting it.
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04-30-2011, 04:27 PM	#7
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4150478	The fact that he's already been too fat is probably a huge deal. More likely to be committed to staying fat instead of insanely obese.
Posts: 279,769

04-30-2011, 04:31 PM	#8
acesn8s MVP Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Here Casino cash: $10007119	42 career tackles? What a baller! __________________ Let's not take another 50 years.
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04-30-2011, 04:34 PM	#11
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2758491 VARSITY	So if we need him to bulk up to 380 it sounds like he can do it. Excellent. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,873

04-30-2011, 04:36 PM	#12
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321	A preseason All-America honoree as a senior, Powe was among the candidates for the Rotary Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was chosen as a Team Captain by his teammates. Despite often facing double teams, Powe amassed 27 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks in 2010, including 1.5 sacks at No. 8 Alabama.
Posts: 12,314