Randy Jenkins

http://timesnews.net/article.php?id=3668149

Memory Lane: Randy Jenkins

Published 08/21/2006 By BILL LANE

Name: Randy Jenkins

Born: March 12, 1961

Where: Pennington Gap

High School/College: Pennington/Kentucky

Residence: Kingsport

Then: From miles around they came to see the Lee County farm boy run, pass and kick.

Randy Jenkins, a triple-threat quarterback, had a penchant for leading scoring drives.

He had brilliant high school and college careers and played for the Dallas Cowboys.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Jenkins was a natural, starring in four sports at Pennington. Football was his favorite.

"It's always been my first love,'' he said.

In his first game as a starter, he fired three touchdown passes and ran for another TD against Coeburn.

Jenkins led Pennington to an 11-1 record and a berth in the Group A state finals against Madison as a sophomore.

That same year the Bobcats defeated Clintwood in the playoffs 16-13. Clintwood's seniors had never lost a game.

The Bobcats defeated Powell Valley all four years Jenkins quarterbacked them. As a senior, he completed 18 of 21 passes for 241 yards and two TDs in a 14-7 win over the Vikings.

Jenkins was accorded all-state honors. A three-time All-Cumberland District selection, he was the league's player of the year twice. He averaged 40-plus yards in the two years he punted.

As a junior, he suffered a broken wrist at Appalachia. He took calcium tablets for fast healing and played four weeks later.

"Nobody knew if I was going to play against Jonesville,'' Jenkins said. "We had closed practices. Coach (Don) Williams was a master at mind games. He kept people guessing.''

Jenkins sat out the first play. Wearing a blowup cast, he entered the game and on his first carry ran 93 yards to score on a lead option. The second time he touched the ball, Jenkins hurled a TD pass. The third time, he ran for another score. He spent the rest of the game handing off to teammates.

Jenkins started at QB and punted in the Virginia High School League's East-West all-star game at Richmond in 1979.

Jenkins had scholarship offers from Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Clemson. Even UCLA sent a scout to Pennington.

He received countless recruiting letters. Turning down Auburn and East Tennessee State for basketball, he committed early to play football at Kentucky.

He was the No. 1 punter and starting quarterback early in his freshman season but broke an ankle against Maryland. Ruled out for the season, Jenkins was awarded a medical redshirt and got to play four more years.

Jenkins kept for one TD and passed for two others in a 21-10 win over Tennessee in 1981 - the last time Kentucky beat the Vols in Lexington, where they called him the "Stickleyville Slingshot.''

He was chosen CBS's player of the game as a senior after hitting 22 of 24 passes for 305 yards against Indiana. He threw for two TDs and ran for two.

Jenkins faced West Virginia QB Jeff Hostetler in the 1983 Hall of Fame Bowl, which the Wildcats lost 20-16.

Steve Spurrier's Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL drafted him in 1984. Much to Spurrier's dismay, Jenkins signed with Dallas as a free agent. "I always wanted to play in the NFL,'' he said.

Jenkins, the backup punter, was bidding for the Cowboys QB job when he re-injured the ankle, aborting his pro career.

"To play in the NFL you better be in shape when you get there,'' Jenkins said, "and you have to stay healthy.''

Jenkins led a Lexington team to second place in the 1986 national flag football playoffs.

At Pennington, Jenkins was good at everything. He had a 5-1 pitching record and was batting well over .300 when he decided to give up baseball after two years; the curve interfered with his football spiral. Two years later, the Philadelphia Phillies asked if he was interested in being drafted.

He played varsity basketball four years - three as a starter. He made the All-Cumberland team three times and was Southwest Virginia's player of the year twice.

Against Thomas Walker, he sank 15 straight shots in a 42-point performance.

"I liked basketball but had no interest in playing it in college,'' said Jenkins, who always guarded the opponent's top scorer, unless he was the center.

He averaged 18 points as sophomore, 23 as a junior and 27 as a senior. Jenkins finished with 1,400-plus career points.

"I wish we'd had the 3-point line,'' he said. "Most of my shots were taken from outside.''

In track and field he did the 100, 220, discus, long jump, high jump and 880 relay. Jenkins' 149-foot discus throw won the state championship.

He beat Powell Valley flash Kevin Mitchell in the 220 at the Pennington Relays. In two different district meets, he won four events and placed second and third in others.

He coached briefly at Thomas Walker.

Jenkins never drank or used drugs while playing for Pennington, Kentucky or Dallas, but after having dental surgery, he became addicted to pain medication. "It just about destroyed me,'' he said. "I didn't drink alcohol until then.''

Jenkins has put all that behind him. "God is first and foremost in my life,'' he said. "I've been blessed.''

Now: Jenkins has a son, Grayson, 7, and a stepson, Austin, 14. Both attend Cedar View Christian School. The family lives in Kingsport and attends First Baptist Church in Gate City.

After spending 21 years in construction, Jenkins started his own company nine months ago. He operates New Vision Restoration, a full-service repair business for fire, wind and water damage.

He also owns New Vision Promotions, which prints sports calendars for area high schools.

Mike Jenkins, his older brother, is a well-known evangelist.

Bill Lane is a Times-News sports writer. E-mail him at [email protected].

Those articles are the best thing Times-News does in it's sports section IMO.

I agree. Some of the names I've heard before but didn't know that much about them. Some of the people I know from my GC days.

i think its interesting the way they do it and they let you know how the athlete is currently doing

I'm just waiting for the one that ends with

He's currently living in a van down by the RIVER...

I don't think Matt Foley is from around here...may be from Ervinton though, who knows