Wayne State University Athletics

Jenkins, a native of Detroit and graduate of Detroit Miller HS, was a two-tackle in football for Wayne University during the 1949, 1950, 1953 and 1954 seasons, taking his varsity letter the last three seasons and his freshman numeral in 1949. Jenkins also received his freshman numeral for track in 1950. Nicknamed "Kingfish" during his Tartar gridiron days, Jenkins played both offensive and defensive tackle in an era when football was beginning to end the tradition of two-way players. He also played both offensive and defensive end for Wayne, as well as linebacker. Jenkins' career was interrupted for two years when he was called for military service in the U.S. Army in 1951 and 1952, but he returned for the 1953 season to complete his remaining two season of eligibility. Until the 1970s no statistics were kept for defensive players, so Jenkins has no "records" to claim during his Tartar football career. However, he was named the team's Outstanding Lineman and Most Valuable Player in 1954, and was selected in the ninth round of the 1955 National Football League's player draft by the Detroit Lions. During his only season with the Lions, Jenkins played at defensive end and offensive guard, seeing considerable action at both positions. After the 1955 season, Jenkins went to the Canadian Football League to play with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1956 to 1959, playing at both defensive end and offensive guard. Again, no stats were kept in those days, so Jenkins' exploits in the NFL and CFL are lost to memories. Jenkins was All-City in track and football during his high school career, once setting the Detroit city high school record in the shot put at 53'9". During his one year of track at Wayne, he set the frosh record in the shot put of 50'6" outdoors, 48'6" indoors. He competed in both the Senior and Junior NAAU meets in 1950 at Madison Square Garden, finishing fourth. Upon completing his professional football career Jenkins returned to Wayne State to finish his degree, receiving a Bachelor's in Education in 1960. He then joined the Detroit Public School system as a teacher. Jenkins had an outstanding career as a boy's basketball coach in the PSL, receiving Coach-of-the-Year honors in 1970 by the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News after Detroit-Kettering won the City Championship. The Kettering team lost in the Class A State Semifinals at Ann Arbor that year. Players coached by Jenkins included former college and NBA basketball players Joe Johnson, Lindsay Hairston, Vinnie Johnson and Floyd Haywood, and NFL's New York Jet Bill Yearby. Jenkins and his wife, Mattie, reside in Detroit, and have five sons.