Far too often in sports, athletes surrender to mispronunciations of their names and don’t correct the media and fans. In an effort to make sure this isn’t the case for Tennessee football’s new running back, Javin Gordon, he offered the official pronunciation.
JAVIN: JAY-vin
Gordon is currently going through spring practice in his first season with the Vols. A year ago, he began his career with Tulane, where he played a significant role in the backfield.
“These past couple weeks, I feel like it’s been a big step for me compared to when I first got here in January,” Gordon said. “Learning the playbook, getting in extra walk-throughs, just spending more time learning the playbook. I feel like this spring I took a stride compared to, like I said, when I first got here. I feel like I’m way above where I was. I’m more confident in myself. I feel like the biggest thing, though, is pass protection, tightening up my technique.”
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Gordon totalled 516 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 128 carries as a freshman for Tulane last season. This was good for 4.0 yards per tote. He also caught 13 passes for 93 yards and a score.
Gordon played in all 14 games for Tulane this past season, including the College Football Playoffs loss to Ole Miss. He started in six of the appearances, posting a PFF grade of 72.7 on the year. His weakest area was as a pass blocker at 57.1 and he stands at just 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds.
Against the Rebels in the playoffs, Gordon took six carries for 11 yards. In the first meeting with Ole Miss, he took eight carries for 35 yards.
