In his days as an electrifying back at Allendale-Fairfax, Lennel Elmore earned the nickname “Superman.”

But, in 2008, his first year on campus at South Carolina State University, “Superman” stayed in the phone booth, taking a redshirt year with the Bulldogs. He showed flashes in the spring, but was not big enough or fine-tuned enough in making the transition from back to wide receiver to contribute right away.

“Elmore could be in the Olympics right now as a gymnast,” SCSU head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said at the team’s media day last August. “He’s got that kind of jump around, twirl in the air ... all that kind of stuff going on.

“Elmore’s a young guy in there who can really do some things,” he added. “There are a couple of those signs that he might be special this year so we are hoping to get the ball in his hands some.”

If South Carolina State’s 2009 spring showing was any indication, this year will be different for Elmore. In South Carolina State’s first scrimmage, he hauled in three hitch passes and turned them into 79 yards and a touchdown.

“It feels great,” Elmore said after the performance. “They are expecting a lot out of me, and I just feel like I have to step up to their expectations and play to the best of my ability.”

Elmore’s ability was put on display early in the scrimmage when he snagged a pass from quarterback Malcolm Long on the third offensive series, turned up field, juked a defender and headed for what appeared to be a touchdown. Instead, officials ruled that Elmore stepped out of bounds after gaining 53 yards and marked the ball down at the 3-yard line.

“I don’t know,” Elmore said. “I thought I walked the line, but they said I stepped out.”

The 6-foot, 190-pounder followed up the first scrimmage with a couple of big plays in the team’s Garnett and Blue spring game. On one play, he hauled in an 18-yard reception that set up a Chris Massey touchdown run, and on a second play he turned a short pass from quarterback Derrick Wiley into a 24-yard game.

It has all served as a great indication that the former Shrine Bowler, the 10th-rated player in The T&D’s top 20 countdown, may be the most unheralded playmaker in the MEAC heading into this season. South Carolina State’s “Superman” is poised to emerge from the phone booth.

“I think (Elmore) showed that he could be what we thought he was when we recruited him,” South Carolina State head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said after the team’s spring game. “He has always been kind of one of those special guys that stands out in almost any situation and he showed himself today to be a person that you can put the ball in his hands and he will go out and make a play for you. He’s not quite the Heisman Trophy winner yet, but you know, he did show us he belongs and he could be a difference maker for us.”

n T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinde@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

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