Powell, a 6-foot-3, 244-pound junior, was named to the All-CAA First Team last week. He enters todays FCS playoff game against Colgate leading UNH in receptions (44), receiving yards (445) and touchdown receptions (five).
Until last spring, however, Powell was fighting the UNH way. He said he had no trust in what the coaches were asking him to do, and spent too much time butting heads with UNH head coach Sean McDonnell.
Me and him had some great discussions on who he was and what he was doing and I was on him, McDonnell said. I was on him hard, because I saw raw potential. He just had never played at the pace that we play at, and more importantly, that you need to be good.
It started for me last spring knowing that he was starting to play well. He was catching the ball well, blocking well, catching and taking hits well. (During) preseason camp there was a better feel about him. Now early (this season) I dont think we had our feel on exactly how we were going to get everybody the football. Ryan (offensive coordinator Ryan Carty) always had a lot of confidence in Jordan. I wanted to be the guy to see it in the pudding, to see it in the games.
Powell began this season with six catches for 39 yards and one touchdown in his college career. He said he and McDonnell didnt see eye to eye until late in his sophomore year.
I didnt trust what they were making me do in the beginning, Powell said. I was like, "Why am I doing this?" I didnt believe in it. I was on the scout team. I didnt buy into the program. I hated it. I was not about it.
(McDonnell) pulled me into his office one day and just talked to me. He was like, Listen. This is what every player has done. All the older players have been through it.
Then the moment I started putting the pieces together I was like, "OK, everyone has done this. Something has to be going right. Were a successful program throughout the years. I have to start buying into it."
Powell, of Forked River, N.J., has caught at least one pass in each of UNHs 11 games this season, and has at least three receptions in eight of those 11 contests. His most productive game was UNHs 24-14 victory at Albany. He caught 10 passes for 96 yards and a TD in the victory.
Hes become a key figure in a UNH offense thats averaging 24.3 points per game and 203.0 yards passing per game.
To go from where he was to First Team All-Conference? McDonnell said. I wouldnt have been saying that a year ago at this time, and I wouldnt have been saying it six months ago at this time. But the first five weeks of the season I saw the way he was practicing and playing and I thought he had reached a level of what we expect from that position.
When weve been good, weve always had a good tight end.
rbrown@unionleader.com
Source: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20151128/SPORTS22/151129308%26source%3DRSS
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