Lott Profiles, ‘08
Kentucky’s Jarmon: A Star on Many Stages
Deacon Jones or James Earl Jones?
To sack or to speak?
That is the question for Jeremy Jarmon of Kentucky.
A 6-3, 285-pound junior, Jarmon is a Man for All Seasons. In the fall, he is the starting defensive end for the school’s football team. In the spring, he is the star actor for UK’s Theater program.
On the football field, he has matured into one of the finest pass rushers in the Southeastern Conference, recording his 14th career sack last week in a 38-3 win over Norfolk State. The sack was the specialty of NFL Hall of Famer Deacon Jones.
And on the stage, he has gotten rave reviews for his starring role in last April’s school production of Weak/Side/Help, a world premiere play about a major college football program embroiled in drug and racial controversy.
Jarmon is no novice to the stage. He had the starring role (the Jack Nicholson part) in “A Few Good Men” at his high school in Tennessee. During last season’s game against LSU, CBS showed a spot with Jarmon reciting the famous line from Col. Nathan Jessup: “You can’t handle the truth.”
The chairwoman of UK’s theater arts department, Nancy Johnson, and the playwright, Andrew Shafer (in Los Angeles), saw the spot and began to recruit Jarmon for the play.
“I wanted to do it,” Jarmon told the Louisville Courier-Journal. “It’s controversial and I knew it would create a lot of buzz because of how timely it was.”
Director Richard St. Peter was among those praising Jarmon’s work: “His voice reminds me of James Earl Jones,” said St. Peter. “I could see him playing Othello for the rest of his life. Because he’s from an athletic background, he brings a lot of discipline to his work.”
Even Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks joined in after he saw the play: “He has a booming presence, a real natural gift. I appreciate the talent of young men on my team who have the ability to do more than just play football, whether it’s the academic side, the community service side or playing two sports.”
On the field, Brooks also singles out his star defender: “He’s a force. He’s like those guys at LSU (including last year’s Lott Trophy winner Glenn Dorsey). He’s the real deal.”
Jarmon’s multiple talents have landed him on the Watch List for the fifth annual Lott Trophy. Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT® Player of the Year. It is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.
Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation®, the award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Jarmon is also serious about his classwork. “I know all of my teachers very well,” he says. “Especially my political science ones. It’s my responsibility to be there, sitting in the first or second row every day, taking care of business.”
It’s not enough that this young man has already shown a remarkable aptitude in two professions, he’s got his eye on other options. He’s a political science major who hasn’t ruled out law school or applying to Kentucky’s prestigious Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. Maybe the CIA or the FBI?
Perhaps he’ll forego Deacon Jones and James Earl Jones and opt for Agent Jones.
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The winner of The Lott Trophy will be announced at a gala black-tie banquet at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Ca. on December 14th, 2008.
For further information on The Lott Trophy, please visit our website at http://www.Lotttrophy.com