Georgia 'definitely prepared' Kenny McIntosh for Senior Bowl, next level
Kenny McIntosh is interviewing for his first adult job this week. The Georgia tailback is at the Reese’s Senior Bowl where he’ll practice all week, meet with personnel from every NFL franchise, and play in a game.
The objective is to impress on as many fronts as possible but it’s not as easy as it might seem. The Senior Bowl has players on a tight schedule and there’s a lot going on. McIntosh believes that his four years at the University of Georgia set him up to succeed in the fast-paced, grueling environment.
“It’s like camp,” McIntosh said at the Senior Bowl. “They’re just trying to test you, mental and physical toughness. Waking up at six in the morning and going to sleep late, stuff like that. Learning new plays and being able to take the meetings to the field. I feel at Georgia they definitely prepared us for stuff like this, definitely. Since a freshman they definitely… Kirby, and his staff definitely get us prepared for stuff like this and the next level.”
The South Florida native helped Georgia pass a lot of tests over the past two years. He was part of a three-headed running back monster in 2021 but he was one of the Bulldogs top overall weapons a year later. In 2022, McIntosh piled up 1,333 total yards and 12 touchdowns on just 193 touches. He ranked No. 1 on the team in yardage gained from scrimmage and set a record for receiving yards in a season by a tailback with 504.
He could have put up bigger numbers sooner in his career but atypical of the current college football player, McIntosh waited for his chance. He was behind D’Andre Swift, Brian Herrien, Zamir White, and James Cook in 2019.
When 2020 rolled around, Swift and Herrien were gone but White and Cook got it rolling a little. Those two decided to stick around for their senior seasons in 2021 but McIntosh was still involved. Todd Monken trusted him enough to use him on a halfback option pass where he hit AD Mitchell for a touchdown in the 2021 Orange Bowl win over Michigan.
Three of those four running backs ahead of McIntosh are now in the league. He has leaned on all three thus far, asking them questions about the process so that he knows what to expect.
Then there’s the work on the practice field and in the game. The Senior Bowl may be an exhibition game, but most, if not all, of the players in Mobile, Ala. are trying to stand out. They’re trying to realize a dream and they’re all talented an experienced.
But once again, McIntosh hasn’t been caught off guard by anything in that area, either. Again, he credits Georgia.
“Practicing (at Georgia) is definitely like practicing in the NFL,” McIntosh said. “This competition here is similar, I would say, because these guys are seniors and they’ve had experience. But I would say at Georgia, Kirby and his staff develop players at a young age. So freshmen come in and you can see the talent but they’re not mentally there yet. Once they get there, it’s going, you feel me? I feel like, yeah, Georgia definitely develops us to play against talent like that.”
