'Kool Aid' McKinstry stars in Alabama's win over Mississippi in All-Star game
St. James coach Jimmy Perry was part of the Alabama All-Stars staff this week. (Tim Perry)
By TIM GAYLE
In a game that isn’t always known for standout defensive backs, a lot of hype followed Ga’Quincy McKinstry to Montgomery for the 34th annual Alabama-Mississippi Al-Star Football Game at Cramton Bowl on Saturday.
Not since 2013, when Hoover’s Marlon Humphrey played in the game, has there been so much attention focused on a secondary player.
“Let me tell you something about ‘Kool Aid,’” said Alabama all-star head coach Steve Mask, referring to McKinstry’s nickname he received at birth. “Very unselfish. From day one, he had a lot of the accolades coming in here, but he never said, ‘Coach, I need this, I need that.’ What a consummate team player and Alabama is lucky to be getting a great person and a great player.”
The Alabama commitment put on one of the most entertaining performances in years at the annual all-star game that features 70 of the best high school football players from Alabama and Mississippi. Years ago, it was an annual treat to watch heralded secondary players at work. In the first game, in 1988, Russellville’s Chuckie Mullins put on a show. The next year, there was Lemanski Hall of Valley and George Teague of Jeff Davis, followed by Hazlewood’s Antonio Langham (1990) and Murphy’s Willie Gaston and Wenonah’s Sam Shade (1991).
But finding high-caliber defensive backs in Alabama is the exception, not the rule, and throughout the 1990s there were occasional gems such as Stanford Simmons and Larry Casher in 1997, but most of the players picked for the game were really good defensive backs who weren’t exceptional athletes.
On Saturday, the domination of a talented secondary working with standout linebackers and oversized defensive linemen resulted in an Alabama all-star squad that was rarely challenged by Mississippi’s offense.
“We had some talent over there with Ga’Quincy and the other (defensive backs),” Mask said of his team’s defensive performance. “There was nowhere for them to throw. And then our defensive front, we felt like all week, was a strength on the team. And I’ll tell you, I thought both inside linebackers, (Ian) Jackson and (Joshua) Rudolph, both played well. Our entire defense was a bunch of ballhawk guys who got to the football and got there angry.”
Interestingly enough, six local players participated in the game and all six contributed to the defensive effort. Jackson had a team-leading five tackles, followed by Carver defensive back Juwon Gaston with four. Stanhope Elmore defensive end William Whitlow had three tackles, Rudolph had a pair of tackles, including a sack and a quarterback pressure and a pair of linemen, Prattville’s Tim Trotter and Lee’s Anquin Barnes, each had a pair of tackles.
But it was McKinstry that fans wanted to see and Mask gave the fans what they wanted, playing the Pinson Valley star on both sides of the ball.
“I didn’t want to go home and have somebody say, ‘What were you fools thinking when you’ve got an electric guy like this?’” Mask said. “We weren’t going to put him in the car and send him back to Pinson Valley without utilizing his ability.”
As a receiver, McKinstry had a game-high 76 yards on three receptions, including a spectacular leaping grab over Mississippi defensive back Tony McCray for a 43-yard gain to set up the game’s first touchdown and a 10-0 lead by Alabama.
When the Mississippi all-stars threatened to score at the end of the first half, it was McKinstry who came up with the interception at the 2-yard line, spinning away from a pair of Mississippi players and quickly reversing field on a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown that was negated by a blindside block on the return.
“I was (disappointed the touchdown was called back), but it ain’t about me,” McKinstry said. “The points would have helped but we got the victory.”
After Alabama scored the final time for a 19-7 lead, receiver Marcus Daniels took a lateral and threw down the middle of the field for Jeremiah Robinson. What he found instead was McKinstry, whose second interception appeared headed for the end zone until he wisely stepped out of bounds to avoid the flaring tempers on both sides.
“I was just ready to get over there and celebrate with the guys,” he said. “I kind of looked to see if I had a return but they weren’t even pursuing me, they were all moving side to side wanting to get me so I just ran out of bounds. It was the safest thing to do.”
Still, there was little debate who the most valuable player was. McKinstry took home the MVP plaque just a week after getting one in the 6A state championship game.
“They all rank high,” McKinstry said of the awards. “I worked for it and it proves that work pays off.”
Saturday’s award, in time, might mean a little more. Usually, a coaching staff in an all-star game is saddled with the burden of trying to find enough playing time for a player. Rarely, do they decide to play the athlete on both sides of the ball.
“I just wanted to do whatever to help the team win,” McKinstry said. “I wasn’t forcing myself out there on offense or defense. I came out when it was my time to come out and I went in when it was my time to go in.”
The all-star game had one more bit of local flavor to it as St. James coach Jimmy Perry served as an assistant coach for the first time in his career. Perry handled the running backs and tight ends and was the special teams coordinator.
“That was a lot of fun,” Perry said. “They were great. I sure enjoyed getting to know these kids from Hewitt-Trussville and Blount, Mars Hill and Fyffe. I just had a ball working with these kids. It was a fine group of young men and I was glad they were able to get a win against Mississippi.”
Among those working under Perry were Mars Hill tailback Peyton Higgins, Hewitt-Trussville’s Armoni Goodwin, Blount’s Jarris Williams, Cullman’s Jalen Hughey and Fyffe tight end Brody Dalton.
“Of course, I knew about Armoni Goodwin,” Perry said. “I saw him play Thompson on TV. But Jarris Williams was special and the workhorse of the group was the kid from Cullman. He’s a great kid. And then I had the kickers – the (Drake) Tabor kid from Spain Park – and the snapper, Carter Short.”