JSU safety Palmer blossoms in sophomore season

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

When Malcolm Palmer arrived on Jackson State's campus last year, the coaches didn't know exactly what to think.

At 6-foot-2, he was a little gangly and hadn't grown into his body. He wasn't really a safety and he wasn't really a linebacker, but the kid could play some football.

So they stuck the freshman on special teams, where he became an afterthought, recording two tackles while rarely seeing the field.

"Malcolm had some talent, but he was kind of awkward on the field," defensive coordinator Darrin Hayes said. "We gave him a year to find his place, hoping he'd develop into the kind of talent we thought he could be."

Palmer, meanwhile, didn't sit back and wait for his chance. Instead, he spent a year in the weight room bulking up to a not-so-awkward 185 pounds.

"That was all just hard work," he said. "I basically lived in the weight room, trying to get big enough to play this game at the college level."

Palmer, from Autaugaville, Ala., earned a starting spot at safety this fall. With 13 tackles and a team-high two interceptions through two games, he has established himself as one of JSU's young stars on defense.

He's not a big talker, but coaches and teammates have come to appreciate Palmer's hard-hitting ways.

"Some people from the outside might be surprised Malcolm's this good, but I think most of the players knew about him," said senior safety LaBrose Hedgemon. "He was caught behind (former JSU star Vince Dancy) last season, but now it's his turn to be on the field and he's playing well."

Palmer has helped the defense become JSU's strength. Despite an 0-2 record, the Tigers are second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in pass defense (149.5 yards per game).

That's a big difference from a Tigers' secondary that was routinely torched last season - especially down the stretch when JSU lost four of its last five games.

Says Hayes: "Palmer's got the best instincts on the team. When there's a play being made, chances are you'll see his number (26) right in the mix."

During coach Rick Comegy's two years at Jackson State, much of the focus has been to quickly build a winning team through Division I-A and junior college transfers.

Out of the team's 22 starters, only seven began their college career at Jackson State.

But Palmer is one of a growing core of players - including linebacker Marcus Jamison (Noxubee County) and safety Kerry Hoskins (South Panola) - who are contributing to the defense after coming to Jackson State last season as freshmen.

"Malcolm's a young man that's really stepped up to the challenge," Comegy said. "It's always crucial to have a group of players that come in to the system as freshmen and work their way up."

Palmer and the rest of the secondary will likely face their toughest task of the season when JSU faces Texas Southern at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Texas Southern (0-2) is tops in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with 305 passing yards per game.

The Maroon Tigers' problem has been that quarterback Tino Edgecombe has thrown just one touchdown pass and four interceptions.

"We know they're going to come after us," Palmer said. "It's gonna be a fight and we'll be tested every down. But after playing well these first few games, this defense has got a lot of confidence."

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