University of Minnesota Athletics
Junior tailback Amir Pinnix
9/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
In a long line of great Gopher running backs, Amir Pinnix is well aware of how difficult it is to stand out.
The junior has played behind the likes of Gophers greats and current NFL players Marion Barber III, Laurence Maroney and Thomas Tapeh, waiting to get his chance.
“I just tried to stay patient,” Pinnix said. “I knew that my opportunity would come. You try to stay strong in your faith and hope that when your time comes, you’ll get the job done. I just tried to keep my eyes on the prize.”
Being a backup was somewhat easier for Pinnix, however, because he was learning from and playing behind some of his best friends.
“We’re all like brothers,” Pinnix said of his relationship with Barber, Maroney and Tapeh. “As far as a learning experience, it came on and off the field.”
After biding his time by redshirting his first year and getting limited carries as a freshman, most Gophers fans remember clearly when Pinnix’s real opportunity finally came.
Last season at home against Michigan State, Maroney was held out of the game with an injury. Pinnix was not thought to be much of a factor, however, because Gary Russell was expected to take over.
But when Russell was hurt in the game’s second quarter, Pinnix was called upon to be the primary running back.
He flourished in the position, rushing for 206 yards and one touchdown to lead the Gophers to a 41-18 victory over the Spartans.
“I still think about it today,” Pinnix said. “When you play, sometimes you just go out there and you hope for the best. It turned out to be a really good game.”
Pinnix’s outstanding offensive performance earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors, along with national recognition for the first time.
“So far that’s been my career highlight,” Pinnix said. “It was a beginning for me. I had to be patient and wait my turn. It was God giving me the opportunity and I was trying to take advantage of it.”
Pinnix knows that opponents will be more prepared for him this year, as he moves into the starting position for the first time, but he has not let the added attention change his focus.
“He’s had a great attitude,” assistant head coach Mitch Browning said. “He’s bought into being a team player and he’s done what we’ve asked him to do. He’s been tremendous. He’s always ready to go when called upon.”
Although Pinnix has made great strides on the football field since his freshman year, perhaps more impressive has been his development off the field as he tries to pass along the lessons he learned from Tapeh and other former teammates.
“From a mental aspect, I grew up a lot,” Pinnix said. “I’ve come a long way. I understand that football doesn’t last forever and you have to get an education to set yourself up after you’re done. That’s one thing that I stress to the younger guys on the team and people in the community. Football doesn’t last. Use it as a window and a way to open doors.”
In the offseason, football gave Pinnix an opportunity to learn from other successful athletes. He was chosen to attend the NCAA Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., which brought together student-athletes of all levels across the country.
“We all came together and talked about different leadership styles, different leadership qualities,” Pinnix said. “That was a great experience because I was able to create relationships with other people from different schools and come back and spread the word to my peers.”
Pinnix plans to continue spreading the word and making his mark long after his playing career with the Gophers is over. He will graduate in the spring majoring in business management with urban studies and wants to put his degree to good use.
“I’d like to get into urban development or maybe the corporate world, wherever I fit in,” Pinnix said. “Some day I hope to be an entrepreneur and kind of be a humanitarian and open up recreational centers throughout the community. I’ve got a lot of things I want to do.”
Though Pinnix realizes that football will some day end, he is going to make the most of his opportunity when he has it in an attempt to continue the tradition of great Gopher running backs.
“Football is supposed to be a fun game,” he said. “I don’t try to put any pressure on myself, I just try to go out and enjoy myself when I play. It’s a great game.”
“Being here for four years, I have an understanding of the offense. “From an offensive standpoint, if I see a hole, I’m going to hit it and get downfield.”
Pinnix carries the philosophy from the football field to his own life. When he sees an opportunity, he exploits it.
story by Emily Wickstrom, athletic communications student assistant
