SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL

Javon Kinlaw’s always had a chip on his shoulder, and frankly it’d be hard for him to go through what he went through and not come out on the other side with one.

He grew up virtually homeless before moving and excelling at Goose Creek before, in a roundabout way, making it to South Carolina after a year at Jones County Junior College and turning into a legitimate pro prospect on the Gamecocks’ defensive line.

It’s easy to get motivated enduring all of that before even enrolling at a SEC school, but there’s another thing pushing the mammoth defensive line as he enters his final season of eligibility.

“I’m more focused,” Kinlaw said. “I got a child to feed.”

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Kinlaw and his girlfriend are the proud parents of a four-month old girl, Eden Amara, who’s done the good job of resetting and refocusing Kinlaw entering arguably the biggest year of his life entering his final year of eligibility.

Kinlaw’s developed a reputation on the team since arriving as a jokester and, in his first media availability of the season Thursday, radiated a little more humble maturity that comes with having to raise a child.

“I feel like I needed it at this point in time in my life,” he said. “It helped me mature a little more on and off the field.”

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Not only did Kinlaw see the birth of his first child in April, the senior will likely hear his name called in the NFL Draft next year.

Because of that, he's spending a lot of time working on his game, which means a lot of time away from his girlfriend and child living almost two hours away from Columbia.

Kinlaw sees them as much as he can—weekends and whatever time he gets away from football—allows him to.

But as the season approaches, he has to trade away changing diapers for wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks for a few months.

“My girl, she knows I’m working on something bigger than the both of us right now,” Kinlaw said. “I’m just trying to be able to provide for my family. They understand that.”

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But ask Kinlaw about his potential NFL aspirations, and he’ll be quick to cut you off.

He knows what’s potentially next for him, and his life is “headed in the right direction,” but he's approaching his senior season with a laser focus he may not have had in previous years.

“I’m worried about the main goal right now,” he said. “Coach (Will) Muschamp said be where your feet are now, and I’m where my feet at right now.”

And getting to go up against 300-pound offensive linemen trying to drive him into the ground may be a reprieve from some of his fatherly responsibilities.

It’s been an eye-opening experience for him raising a child, and one thing’s surprised him the most.

“Diapers. I’ve changed a lot,” he said, smiling. “Got peed on, too.”