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<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000040">A Closer Look at Kendall Mack</FONT> </H1>

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Offensive Lineman</I></FONT></H3>

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>by Ashley Jones</H3>

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<P><FONT SIZE=6>K</FONT>endell Mack is a contradiction. His huge, bulky frame belies his good-natured, happy attitude. There is always a large grin pulling at the corners of his mouth behind the angry, football player facade. He excels in a sport that promotes aggressiveness even though the people who know him would never think that he could hurt a fly.

<P>But Mack used to be a troublesome child, and when he was in sixth grade, he was suspended from school. But after he saw his mother crying, Mack vowed never to get in trouble again.

<P> "I was the class clown, and I always got into trouble," Mack said. "My mom punished me, but it never seemed to work. I don't remember what I did, but I got suspended from school in the sixth grade.

<P> "I walked into a room and saw my mom crying. I promised then never to cause trouble again," Mack continued. "I've stuck to my word ever since."
Fast forward 10 years, and the troublesome sixth grader has become a starting offensive lineman and moonlighted during the off-season as a reserve center on the Auburn basketball team.

<P>But 10 years ago, Mack never thought he would play college football or basketball.

<P> "I started playing football when I was in the eighth grade. I was in the band and someone told me, 'you're too big to be in the band, you need to be on the football field'," Mack said.

<P>He said he was tired of band, so football became a great alternative Since then, Mack has played on offense and defense. This season, he became a regular starter at tight tackle, trying to stop defensive lineman from attacking Auburn's quarterback. He had earned only two other starts prior to the 1998 season.

<P>Over this season, he graded 78 percent on 49 snaps during the Virginia game, the highest grade among all offensive linemen. Last year, he graded 100 percent on 11 snaps during the SEC Championship game.

<P>Mack's 6'5", 317-pound frame may seem intimidating to most, especially opposing linemen, but underneath it all, Mack really is all smiles. And despite his early reputation, some say that he is too nice to be an offensive lineman.

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<P> "I think I am too nice sometimes," Mack said. "As long as you get your job done, it is okay to be nice. I'm a people person, and I take things to heart, except on the football field." As a person who loves to be surrounded by people, Mack remembers the 1997 LSU game in Death Valley as one of his most exciting times as an Auburn football player. "It was great. Everyone came back on the field. It was fun mingling with the crowd."

<P>In addition to remembering football moments from his time on the Plains, Mack also remembers playing in his first Auburn basketball game against Alabama. When Mack stepped out on the court for the first time, the crowd roared.

<P> "It was a great feeling knowing that I had that many people behind me. It made me kind of nervous though," Mack said. "I've always loved the sport of basketball. It was a great experience, playing in a whole new game with a new frame of mind."

<P>Mack scored his first three points of the season in the 94-50 victory over the Crimson Tide. But Mack was no stranger to basketball. After he began playing football in high school, the basketball coach asked him to try out for the team.

<P>Mack agreed to play basketball in hopes of being like his role model, Magic Johnson. "He was a great basketball player, and the Lakers were my team. He was a guy I wanted to be just like," Mack said.

<P>But the road from a troublesome child to a two-way athlete was not easy. Mack said during his time on the Plains that he has become a more disciplined person on and off the field.

<P>"I've truly learned discipline by playing football. I used to be late all the time and procrastinate," Mack said. "Coach (Rick) Trickett taught us to be early for things, not just to be on time. If we were late he would punish us. I've had my share of grass drills."

<P>Trickett has seen the transformation in Mack first-hand and has had more than a small part in the growth of the offensive lineman.

<P>"When Kendell first came here, he didn't understand the importance of going to class," offensive line coach Rick Trickett said. "One day, he and Victor (Riley) decided not to go to class, so they had to do 1500 up-downs.

<P>"Kendell is a good guy and a good person. Hopefully this will pay off down the road when he gets a job and has a family. One day he may not feel like going to work, but maybe he'll go because experiences like this have helped him become a successful person," Trickett added.

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<P>Even though this is Mack's last season of football, he has three possible plans for his future where discipline will be important. First, he said he would like to play professional football, but if that does not work out he has two other options.

<P>"I would like to get my teaching certificate and coach high school football. Finally, I would like to be a cop or a state trooper," Mack added.

<P>But since Mack is such a big guy, he said, "I can be a pretty scary guy when it comes to violence and approaching people's cars, so I probably wouldn't stop anyone at night because I would feel bad."

<P>Whether he ends up being a football player, coach or state trooper, Mack is a long way from that troublesome sixth grader. Next time he sees his mom cry, they will be cries of joy because Mack plans to graduate this spring or summer.

<P>Mack kept his vow to never cause trouble again. With his three-option plan for the future, Mack will try to keep other people out of trouble -- whether its Auburn's quarterback, high school students or would-be criminals.

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<FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Question &amp; Answer with Kendall:

<P>If you were stranded on Gilligan's Island, what three teammates would you want to be with you? "DeMarcus Curry, Jeno James and T.J. Perine."

<P>If you were a talk show host, who would be your first guest? "Bill Clinton."
Who do you admire most? "My mother because she raised me as a single parent and provided for me."

<P>If anyone could make a movie about your life, who would direct it? "Steven Spielberg, because some parts of my life have been a nightmare."

<P>What's your favorite thing to cook? "Green beans, rice and fried chicken."

<P>What's your favorite thing your mom cooks? "Stewed turkey wings."

<P>What was your favorite thing to do on the playground when you were a child? "Push the kids on the merry-go-round."

<P>What game show would you most like to be on? "The Price is Right."

<P>What is the funniest joke you've heard? "Your mama's so dumb, she bought a glass door with a peep hole in it."

<P>If you were in a Nike commercial, what would you be doing? "Playing basketball."

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</BODY>
</HTML>
	<HTML>
	<HEAD>
	<TITLE></TITLE>
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	<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000040">A Closer Look at Kendall Mack</FONT> </H1>

	<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Offensive Lineman</I></FONT></H3>

	<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>by Ashley Jones</H3>

	<TABLE ALIGN=RIGHT CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0>
	<TR>
	<TD><IMG SRC="pic/mack01_bw.jpg" ALT="Kendall Mack" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=192 BORDER=2 ALIGN=RIGHT>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	<TR>
	<TD><B><FONT SIZE=2>
	<HR>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	</TABLE>

	<P><FONT SIZE=6>K</FONT>endell Mack is a contradiction. His huge, bulky frame belies his good-natured, happy attitude. There is always a large grin pulling at the corners of his mouth behind the angry, football player facade. He excels in a sport that promotes aggressiveness even though the people who know him would never think that he could hurt a fly.

	<P>But Mack used to be a troublesome child, and when he was in sixth grade, he was suspended from school. But after he saw his mother crying, Mack vowed never to get in trouble again.

	<P> "I was the class clown, and I always got into trouble," Mack said. "My mom punished me, but it never seemed to work. I don't remember what I did, but I got suspended from school in the sixth grade.

	<P> "I walked into a room and saw my mom crying. I promised then never to cause trouble again," Mack continued. "I've stuck to my word ever since."
	Fast forward 10 years, and the troublesome sixth grader has become a starting offensive lineman and moonlighted during the off-season as a reserve center on the Auburn basketball team.

	<P>But 10 years ago, Mack never thought he would play college football or basketball.

	<P> "I started playing football when I was in the eighth grade. I was in the band and someone told me, 'you're too big to be in the band, you need to be on the football field'," Mack said.

	<P>He said he was tired of band, so football became a great alternative Since then, Mack has played on offense and defense. This season, he became a regular starter at tight tackle, trying to stop defensive lineman from attacking Auburn's quarterback. He had earned only two other starts prior to the 1998 season.

	<P>Over this season, he graded 78 percent on 49 snaps during the Virginia game, the highest grade among all offensive linemen. Last year, he graded 100 percent on 11 snaps during the SEC Championship game.

	<P>Mack's 6'5", 317-pound frame may seem intimidating to most, especially opposing linemen, but underneath it all, Mack really is all smiles. And despite his early reputation, some say that he is too nice to be an offensive lineman.

	<TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0>
	<TR>
	<TD><IMG SRC="pic/mack02_bw.jpg" ALT="Kendall Mack" WIDTH=198 HEIGHT=310 BORDER=2 ALIGN=RIGHT>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	<TR>
	<TD><B><FONT SIZE=2>
	<HR>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	</TABLE>

	<P> "I think I am too nice sometimes," Mack said. "As long as you get your job done, it is okay to be nice. I'm a people person, and I take things to heart, except on the football field." As a person who loves to be surrounded by people, Mack remembers the 1997 LSU game in Death Valley as one of his most exciting times as an Auburn football player. "It was great. Everyone came back on the field. It was fun mingling with the crowd."

	<P>In addition to remembering football moments from his time on the Plains, Mack also remembers playing in his first Auburn basketball game against Alabama. When Mack stepped out on the court for the first time, the crowd roared.

	<P> "It was a great feeling knowing that I had that many people behind me. It made me kind of nervous though," Mack said. "I've always loved the sport of basketball. It was a great experience, playing in a whole new game with a new frame of mind."

	<P>Mack scored his first three points of the season in the 94-50 victory over the Crimson Tide. But Mack was no stranger to basketball. After he began playing football in high school, the basketball coach asked him to try out for the team.

	<P>Mack agreed to play basketball in hopes of being like his role model, Magic Johnson. "He was a great basketball player, and the Lakers were my team. He was a guy I wanted to be just like," Mack said.

	<P>But the road from a troublesome child to a two-way athlete was not easy. Mack said during his time on the Plains that he has become a more disciplined person on and off the field.

	<P>"I've truly learned discipline by playing football. I used to be late all the time and procrastinate," Mack said. "Coach (Rick) Trickett taught us to be early for things, not just to be on time. If we were late he would punish us. I've had my share of grass drills."

	<P>Trickett has seen the transformation in Mack first-hand and has had more than a small part in the growth of the offensive lineman.

	<P>"When Kendell first came here, he didn't understand the importance of going to class," offensive line coach Rick Trickett said. "One day, he and Victor (Riley) decided not to go to class, so they had to do 1500 up-downs.

	<P>"Kendell is a good guy and a good person. Hopefully this will pay off down the road when he gets a job and has a family. One day he may not feel like going to work, but maybe he'll go because experiences like this have helped him become a successful person," Trickett added.

	<TABLE ALIGN=RIGHT CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0>
	<TR>
	<TD><IMG SRC="pic/mack03_bw.jpg" ALT="Kendall Mack" WIDTH=180 HEIGHT=270 BORDER=2 ALIGN=RIGHT>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	<TR>
	<TD><B><FONT SIZE=2>
	<HR>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	</TABLE>

	<P>Even though this is Mack's last season of football, he has three possible plans for his future where discipline will be important. First, he said he would like to play professional football, but if that does not work out he has two other options.

	<P>"I would like to get my teaching certificate and coach high school football. Finally, I would like to be a cop or a state trooper," Mack added.

	<P>But since Mack is such a big guy, he said, "I can be a pretty scary guy when it comes to violence and approaching people's cars, so I probably wouldn't stop anyone at night because I would feel bad."

	<P>Whether he ends up being a football player, coach or state trooper, Mack is a long way from that troublesome sixth grader. Next time he sees his mom cry, they will be cries of joy because Mack plans to graduate this spring or summer.

	<P>Mack kept his vow to never cause trouble again. With his three-option plan for the future, Mack will try to keep other people out of trouble -- whether its Auburn's quarterback, high school students or would-be criminals.

	<P><TABLE WIDTH=80% BGCOLOR="#000099" BORDER ALIGN=CENTER>
	<TR>
	<TD>
	<FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Question & Answer with Kendall:

	<P>If you were stranded on Gilligan's Island, what three teammates would you want to be with you? "DeMarcus Curry, Jeno James and T.J. Perine."

	<P>If you were a talk show host, who would be your first guest? "Bill Clinton."
	Who do you admire most? "My mother because she raised me as a single parent and provided for me."

	<P>If anyone could make a movie about your life, who would direct it? "Steven Spielberg, because some parts of my life have been a nightmare."

	<P>What's your favorite thing to cook? "Green beans, rice and fried chicken."

	<P>What's your favorite thing your mom cooks? "Stewed turkey wings."

	<P>What was your favorite thing to do on the playground when you were a child? "Push the kids on the merry-go-round."

	<P>What game show would you most like to be on? "The Price is Right."

	<P>What is the funniest joke you've heard? "Your mama's so dumb, she bought a glass door with a peep hole in it."

	<P>If you were in a Nike commercial, what would you be doing? "Playing basketball."

	</TD>
	</TR>
	</TABLE>

	<CENTER><P><A HREF="./" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> \| <A HREF="../" target="_top">PROGRAM
	INDEX</A> \| <A HREF="../../index.html" target="_top">HOME</A></P></CENTER>

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