Dream realized: Creek’s Kinnamon checks off goal of playing college football

Published 10:00 am Saturday, February 11, 2023

VARNELL — In an interview in August of last year, a game into his senior season as quarterback for Coahulla Creek High School, Kace Kinnamon said this:

“It’s always been a dream of mine since I was little,” he said of the possibility of playing college football. “I’ve been working really hard to achieve that goal. If I get offers, I would love to do that.”

Thursday afternoon, he made that dream a reality.

Surrounded by family, teammates and coaches at a ceremony at the school, Kinnamon signed his letter of intent with a college football program.

His childhood dream will come true at Reinhardt University, an NAIA program just a little over an hour’s drive from Varnell in Waleska.

“It means everything. This is what I worked for these last four years, but really my whole life,” Kinnamon said. “This is everything and all I ever wanted. I’m going to go try and make right with it.”

Kinnamon said he first had contact with the staff from Reinhardt last spring, but a breakout senior season definitely didn’t hurt his standing. Kinnamon led Class 3A in passing yards during the regular season, compiling 2,254 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns to go with 519 rushing yards and five scores.

Reinhardt gave Kinnamon his first college scholarship offer on Jan. 9. After rolling in a few more offers, Kinnamon announced his commitment to the Eagles on Jan. 30.

“I like the coaching staff and the facilities. I went to a camp there and I like how they run things. I think I’ll fit in there pretty well,” said Kinnamon, who will stick at quarterback in college. “I know a lot of my teammates already, so I think my chemistry is going to be really good with them off the bat.”

The program, which finished 8-2 and reached the NAIA playoffs last season, also signed Southeast Whitfield’s Jayden Calhoun and Dalton’s Austin Davis.

Signing with Reinhardt is a dream come true for Kinnamon, but he says it’s just the beginning.

“I’m not the type of kid to go out there and lay down because I’ve already quote-unquote ‘made my goal,’” Kinnamon said. “I’m going to go out there, and I’m going to play. I’m going to make strides because I don’t skip days. That’s who I am.”

That attitude for improvement showed at Coahulla Creek.

Kinnamon was maybe the most visible in a meteoric rise in production at the Creek in the last few years. Kinnamon was a sophomore starter for a Colts team that finished 2-8, where he was “just out there trying to survive,” according to then-coach Danny Wilson.

Kinnamon and the Colts improved to 4-6 during his junior year, which set a school record for wins in a season at the time. His breakout in the passing game during his senior year helped the Colts obliterate that mark for a 7-4 season and the program’s first playoff appearance.

The QB credits a lot of his development to Drew Carter, his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at the time. Carter, who is Kinnamon’s cousin, has since been elevated to head coach after Wilson resigned.

“I wouldn’t change anything,” Kinnamon said. “I made friends here that I’m going to be friends with for the rest of my life.”

Now, Kinnamon said, it’s time to get to work ahead of his first college season. He’ll have to if he wants to meet the high expectations he’s already setting.

“Ultimately, I want to win games and help the team,” he said. “I want to win a national championship. I’m not even looking at the conference.”