By Michael Wallace
Grind City Media
ATLANTA – Even before the boisterous personality jumps out with every word he speaks, the first thing you notice about Grambling State senior quarterback DeVante Kincade is the bling.
Extending to shake his hand is a bit like reaching into a treasure chest. Dangling from Kincade’s fingers – when he’s not on the field clutching a football – are three diamond-encrusted “championship” rings.
The first two pieces of jewelry are from his days at Ole Miss, where Kincade spent his freshman and sophomore seasons as a dynamic, dual-threat backup quarterback on the Rebels’ teams that reached the Sugar Bowl and Peach Bowl under former coach Hugh Freeze. And on a third finger on the same hand is the ring for leading Grambling State to a 11-1 record and a victory in the 2016 Celebration Bowl, considered the black college football national championship game among HBCU schools at the FCS level.
“I’ve still got room for one more right here,” Kincade said as he flashed the number four on one hand and pointed to the lone finger that lacked attention. “Let’s take care of that this year. That’s the goal.”
Kincade is one win away from accomplishing that feat as he leads defending champion Grambling back into Saturday’s Celebration Bowl to face undefeated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion North Carolina A&T. Earlier this season, Kincade met with Grind City Media to discuss a remarkable run in which the FCS national player of the year finalist has accounted for 6,669 total yards and 63 touchdowns the past two years at the Southwestern Athletic Conference power after transferring from Ole Miss.
GCM: Coming into the season, what goals did you set after a highly successful campaign in 2016?
Kincade: When I look in the mirror, I didn’t meet my expectations last year. I threw four interceptions. It was supposed to be none. That’s just me. I don’t like turning the ball over. That’s just not my style as a quarterback. When I make those mistakes, I just try to get it out my hands and try to read the field and make the right play.
GCM: Was there a bad taste after being dominant all season and then struggling to win the Celebration Bowl 10-9 over North Carolina Central?
Kincade: That kind of hurt me, because, 10 points? That’s not Grambling. We score that quick. In two minutes, we can score three touchdowns. I told my teammates that I owe it to them. I said (this year) I’m going to make sure I’m healthy. It’s a lot of stuff I know I could have done if I’m completely healthy. I said regardless this year, no matter what happens, I’m going to make sure we put points on the board. I’m going to make sure we’re not coming back from 17-0, that we have to fight back. That’s not the Grambling way. I told my teammates this year, that it’s on me.
GCM: Why wear rings from the past during your time at Ole Miss? Are you still motivated and sort of carrying a chip for how things didn’t work out there?
SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Devante Kincade has a bold personality to match his breakout play on the football field as Grambling’s quarterback. Photo Credit: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
Kincade: If I can speak metaphorically, the chip on my shoulder from Ole Miss is kind of like the rock that hit that boat, with the Pilgrims. You know what I mean? That ice berg?
GCM: Hold up, man. You’re mixing the metaphors. Do you mean the Titanic, or the Plymouth Rock?
Kincade: Hold up. That’s right. Not the Titanic, but the Plymouth Rock. I don’t know why I said the Titanic, OK? The Plymouth Rock is on my shoulder. If the Plymouth Rock is on my shoulder, that means my shoulder is (dragging) on the ground. There’s so much on me every day when I go to sleep; that’s all I think about. It’s ‘What was I doing wrong? Was I not being a good leader? Did I not know the offense well?’ But those questions have never been answered, and I’ll never know until I come back later in life and I’m able to talk to those coaches. But right now, I’m focused on Grambling. I’m focused on making sure I don’t miss this opportunity. At Ole Miss, I didn’t know what I could do. I was limited because I really didn’t know. They always had another person that was already ‘The Man,’ and they always had the extra help. And I was trying to just learn from them. But now I’m at Grambling, and I’m making sure I’m the best for my team. That chip on my shoulder from Ole Miss would get me through my days.
GCM: How has your game changed and evolved in the two seasons at Grambling?
Kincade: I’m so experienced now at the quarterback position; my game has gone to another level. When I go onto the field and something goes wrong, I’m instantly correcting them. You know how a coach sees something and instantly corrects you? I told my teammates I don’t know how I do it. I don’t know what gets in me for me to know that. How in the world do I know that? But all I do is study at night. All I do is watch videos of Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson. Like, that’s it. I want to put both of them together. I want to have that ability. I want to have the escape-ability like Russell and I want to distribute and throw that ball and talk to my linemen like Peyton. That’s my goal. Nobody really understands what I meant by Russell Wilson’s ability but Peyton Manning’s mind. They’ve both got an arm. If you’re a good quarterback, you’ve got an arm. But I’m just ready to get out there and show everybody I improved.
GCM: Many FBS transfers wait until they only have one year of eligibility left. What was the benefit of having two once you got to Grambling?
Kincade: I wanted to make sure I had the best opportunity. I never wanted to be one of those guys that ever had a regret, saying, ‘I should have done this or I should have done that.’ I don’t even take me going to Ole Miss as a setback, because I grew as a man. I got into God. I got Baptized. When I got Baptized, my mind said, ‘Change.’ I started reading the Bible and understanding the Bible. And that started helping me be more like Jesus. So now, when a person says something mean to me, I don’t even take it in. I don’t even listen to it. Like I tell my teammates, nothing but positive vibes from me every day. It doesn’t matter if I’m going through stuff. I could be broke, but I’m going to smile. I’m going to encourage somebody every day. So it’s amazing to even be standing here right now.
GCM: As you look back on it now, what was the decision like for you to transfer from Ole Miss?
DeVante Kincade spent his first two seasons as a dual threat backup quarterback at Ole Miss before transferring to Grambling in 2016. Photo Credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Kincade: When I got hurt (two seasons ago) in the Sugar Bowl, all of the big-time schools were gone. Every single one. Nobody answered the phone. I had two years left, but I had to get a waiver because of my ankle. But Grambling said, ‘We’re going to take you as you are.’ And when I talked to them, I said, ‘If I’ve got a full scholarship, I’m coming to y’all.’ I made the best decision of my life. I didn’t even know about HBCU football. I didn’t have a clue. I didn’t have a clue about Eddie Robinson. I didn’t have a clue about all of those players who went to the NFL from HBCUs. Most of the Pro Football Hall of the Fame is from HBCUs. I encourage any player – I don’t care about all of the TV games; I don’t care about the stipend checks – the HBCUs is where it’s at. That’s your culture. The Yard at Grambling, that’s where it’s at. Man, that’s the best experience I’ve ever had. I went to The Grove at Ole Miss. That’s one of the most famous places in the world, The Grove. But it ain’t nothing like The Yard. It’s different. I’m telling you. It’s just a different vibe. It’s amazing. I’m so happy I came to Grambling. I really learned so much.
GCM: So many coaches at other SWAC schools have said you’ve changed the culture of winning at Grambling and impacted an entire program. What does that mean to you?
Kincade: I’m a competitor. Man, it’s kind of hard to describe how much of a competitor I am. I talk to coaches and I tell them my story. When they ask my story and I tell them what I’ve been through, they can’t believe what I’ve been through and that I’m standing right here right now. There’s a lot of things I’ve been through that people don’t even know about. But later on, I want to write a book for young people, young athletes. I want them to see my story and learn from my story. I want them to make sure they make the right decisions going to college. All I do, when I came to Grambling, is tried to make sure I could be the best QB, the best leader, have the best character. Basically, just be that face of the program, because that was my dream. And I couldn’t mess it up.
GCM: You said you really never got the answers you sought from Ole Miss. But when you left, what did you work on most about yourself to make sure there wouldn’t be another missed opportunity?
Kincade: My big thing was trust. I wanted to make sure my coaches could trust me. I wanted to make sure I could be counted on, because I didn’t have that (before). It was a void. I wanted to make sure the coaches could count on me at any time, and be the best leader that I could be. I wanted them to be able to count on me, whether it was in conditioning, classes, anything. Just everything I do and every part of me has to be to the top of the roof, regardless, to excel.
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