DAVIE, Fla. — Kenny McIntosh’s expression doesn’t change for two hours of the hell Nick Hicks is getting paid to put him through.
McIntosh was among the dozen or so current and future college football athletes jumping, skipping and tip-toeing through ladder work in the middle of steamy Friday in South Florida.
More bracket jumps, squats and chest presses followed the speed and quickness training, leaving some with hands on hips and stooped over.
But not McIntosh
READ: Why Kenny McIntosh is known as ‘The Blueprint’ in South Florida
Georgia’s newest running back addition carries on from one drill to another without the slightest sign of slowing down or growing fatigued.
McIntosh explained to DawgNation during a weekend visit that workouts and football practices are in his comfort zone.
“I like the workouts, it’s what it takes to get there,” McIntosh said. “I’ve been working out since elementary school. Playing on the field, and being one of those dawgs with the guys on teams, and with the Blueprint nickname, I knew these workouts come with it.”
McIntosh sees himself as a football player, 24-7. It’s what he loves, it’s what he’s always wanted to be, and it’s embedded deeply into his identity.
Ask McIntosh what he does in his spare time, and his answer equates to resting up and getting prepared for the next workout or football practice.
Soon, classes at UGA will be mixed in after he reports on May 28 as part of he 2019 signing class after a standout career at University School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Zac Cardone, co-owner over the “Per4orm” Gym, has seen dozens of Division I athletes come through.
“I’ll say this, two of the better backs that we’ve trained in this area are Sony Michel and Jordan Scarlett,” Cardone said. “Sony just won a Super Bowl, Jordan Scarlett is headed to the Carolina Panthers, Kenny is next in line.
“Athletically, Kenny matches up with anybody.”
McIntosh is a bit of a history buff when it comes to great backs, studying them on highlight videos and reading about them.
“I heard about how Herschel Walker would do pushups during commercials, he didn’t even touch weights,” McIntosh said. “Something like a thousand pushups and sit ups a day.”
McIntosh has seen first-hand how NFL star Frank Gore has kept his pro career going, now heading back to the Buffalo Bills for a 15h season at the age of 36.
“It’s amazing, Frank Gore doesn’t want any air or any fans going when he works out, he just wants to sweat it all out for an hour straight,” said McIntosh, who has worked out beside him. “He wears this gray Nike sweat suit — not a Dry Fit kind, it’s that heavy cotton kind, —and every time he leaves, it’s drenched.
“I try to match his work ethic, but I’m not quite there yet, that’s tough.”
McIntosh said he weighed 215 pounds last weekend.
But it’s easy to see how once McIntosh’s body will change once he’s is in the Georgia football strength and conditioning program.
University School coach Daniel Luque pointed out that, because McIntosh played AAU basketball through his junior season, he hasn’t had a year-around workout plan for football.
Luque, who coached McIntosh and the 5-11, 208-pound Scarlett, sees similarities in the former University School players.
“The first varsity game Kenny played as an eight grader, he scored on a 70-yard wheel route, as a slot receiver,” Luque said. “Jordan was a starter from his freshman year on — both of them were big, good-sized backs.
“Jordan had more top-end speed than Kenny. But Kenny has more wiggle and better hands, and Kenny was more fluid.”
Hicks has also taken note.
“Kenny is smooth, and the thing about him is he also has great hands,” Hicks said. “He’s like a Le’Veon Bell. I’m going to be watching”
