Kinder filling Lee’s shoes

CINCINNATI – Pitt junior wide receiver Derek Kinder makes plays — big ones. In two games… CINCINNATI – Pitt junior wide receiver Derek Kinder makes plays — big ones. In two games so far this season, Kinder has seven receptions for 249 yards and three touchdowns.

But there’s a catch: The scores are game-breaking and the receptions are big-time. His three touchdowns went for 55, 78 and 80 yards.

On Friday night in Cincinnati, Kinder rose above all other receivers with receptions of 37, 55 and 80 yards. He created his own 80-yard touchdown, catching Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko’s pass out in the flank — only two yards in front of the line of scrimmage — and meandering his way downfield for the other 78.

“Coming in, everyone thought I was just going to be a possession receiver and [redshirt freshman receiver] Oderick Turner, he’s definitely a deep threat,” Kinder said. “But I wanted to show people that I’m a well-rounded receiver who can do a lot of different things.”

The 6-foot-1 New Yorker broke the game open Friday when he out-jumped a Cincinnati defender, caught Palko’s lofted pass and trotted in for his second score of the night.

“I’m getting more comfortable with the deep balls,” Kinder said. “I worked on that this summer a lot. Tyler throws a really good deep ball and gives me a chance. All a receiver can hope for is a chance to make the play.”

According to Palko, the former running back now turned receiver is a playmaker who improves all the time.

“[Derek] keeps getting better and better every week,” Palko said. “He is someone who comes to practice every day with a smile on his face and he works his tail off.”

But Kinder couldn’t improve without practicing hard. And what’s harder than practicing against Pitt junior cornerback Darrelle Revis?

“Revis is the best cornerback in the country,” Palko said. “Every week these guys need to get open against him. It’s almost like a relief to come play a game and not have to face him.”

Revis intercepted his second pass of the season Friday and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown. It was the second interception returned for a score Revis has had this year.

“I don’t know, maybe I have a disease or something,” Revis said. “But I just make the plays and try to contribute.”

His calm demeanor matches that of Kinder, whose soft-spoken nature doesn’t quite match his loud on-field presence.

“As a receiver, you just want to go out there and make a name for yourself,” Kinder said. “[Former Pitt receiver] Greg Lee left big shoes to fill and I think all of us are helping to carry the receiving load.”

Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt says Kinder’s play on the field and his hard work ethic off the field combine to make him an easy leader to follow. With a young receiving corps, that’s exactly what Pitt needs.

“Derek Kinder is one of those players who if you went out there and timed him, you would walk away and say, ‘I don’t know about this guy, is he a football player?'” Wannstedt said. “But I’ll tell you what — he is smart, he’s tough, he’s dependable and he’s really turned into the leader of the receiving group.”

On Friday night, Cincinnati learned the hard way — Kinder is improving and making big plays one game at a time.

And with a week of practice against one of the nation’s best cornerbacks before Pitt challenges Michigan State, he will be ready to repeat his act Saturday.