Having trouble getting registered or subscribing? Email us at info@kysportsreport.com or Private Message CitizenBBN and we'll get you set up!

  • Proving Ground for the Football Wildcats Lies Ahead

    A died-in-the-wool segment of the Wildcat fan base is chagrined as to why the Cats don’t get more pre-season creditability? Smart minds know the talent level is exponentially better than when Mark Stoops arrived as the head coach. But the fact of the matter is that UK embarrassingly has a big-black-eye. The dubious long losing streak to the Florida Gators has to be erased before the Cats can be taken seriously. Even in the face of that they are still garnering some respect in the south for what they think the Cats can accomplish in the 2017 season (more than they receive at home). But let’s explore some of those things they need to address.

    • No one man can accomplish much on a football team composed of 85-players but if you are looking for a theme for starters “BENNY (Snell) and the JETS” a very popular Elton John song.

    • And can mighty mite Sihiem King supply some of the support to Snell that was loss with the exit of Boom Williams.

    • The other tandem of the implied running back jets are Asim “A.J.” Rose 6-foot-1, 210-pounds and Bryan Koback a January entrant. The Rose size is legit because I followed him off the field after the spring game. The coaches alluded to the speed of red-shirt Rose throughout the spring, and in three carries it was very obvious. Unfortunately linebacker Eli Brown who knock him out of the game had something say about his futures carries in the spring game. Rehabbing Koback is expected to be ready for fall camp. He was a Phenom in Ohio High School football and barring injury in his senior year’s fifth game it would been very improbable UK would have gotten a sniff. Coach Ed (Director of Performance coach, Corey) Edmond back in the spring said on the bench Koback put up 225-pounds twenty-three times. The fact of the matter is that neither of these jets have played a down in the SEC. We asked Coach Eddie Gran why they didn’t recruit another running back and his reply was “there’s only one ball?”

    • “We have some physical backs and we have to pound the ball and play-action off of that,” Mark Stoops said. The caveat to that is they feel good about their offensive line.
    • With the exit of Jimmy Brumbaugh enter Derrick LeBlanc as the defensive line coach. The pressure is on him to get his line to supply a pass-rush. The Cats ranked last in the SEC in sack, 2017. And the defense as a whole has to stop the run on first and second downs.

    • Matt Elam: “I told Matt he only has nine months to make his mark,” LeBlanc said back in the spring. We know that Elam has had one-on-ones with Stoops. He has put Stoops to bed at night no less than one time when the coach had to put him out of his house. Can LeBlanc get something out of Elam that no one has so far? Coaches say he works hard around team activities but does he have as much intestinal fortitude (fire in his gut) than he has food in his gut when he is away from the team and coaches?

    • Has the procedure quarterback Stephen Johnson has been performing in the weight room produced the desired results? To strengthen his hands and forearms he has been packing 45-pound bar-bell weights around the room grasping them only by his finger-tips until his fingers, wrist, and forearms burn.

    • An offensive line that was considered one of the best in the SEC last season and have the bulk of them back, only Logan Stenberg gets pre-season recognizes as one of the best linemen in the SEC. So that’s what makes a guy like Johnson who can put pressure on a defense, a commodity to take some of the pressure off of the line with his feet and allow Snell to do his thing.

    • As we have stated the back seven on defense (depending on the alignment) are as strong as some of the tops in the SEC. Linebackers Jordan Jones, Denzil Ware, and Josh Allen come with pre-season recognition. Likewise cornerback Chris Westry and safety Mike Edwards have earned their recognition.

    So having Florida, Tennessee, and Louisville at home presents a splendid opportunity to finally start to receive that desired respect. It’s about earning what you receive.
    Comments 1 Comment
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      As I,ve said, anything less than 8 regular season wins will be a disappointment and if the staff were to be completely honest, they,D say the same thing. We won 7 last year and return the second most starters in Power 5 football. Sure, a 6 win season and bowl appearance will be deemed acceptable but not to me. Not saying a firing would be in order but disappointing
  • KSR Twitter Feed

  • Recent Forum Posts

    Harlow

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    See ya next guys with a new coach

    Harlow 03-22-2024, 08:36 AM Go to last post
    Darrell KSR

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    I'll grade the first point. I wonder who had Oakland winning?

    I kid, kid. Since I made the post, I guess the least I can do is go ahead and

    Darrell KSR 03-21-2024, 09:18 PM Go to last post
    DanISSELisdaman

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    UK by 19
    Reeves 26
    320
    21
    41%

    DanISSELisdaman 03-21-2024, 06:25 PM Go to last post
    Harlow

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    No problem buddy

    Harlow 03-21-2024, 05:08 PM Go to last post
    Darrell KSR

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    Thanks, Harlow--I corrected it to 22. No idea, of course, and watch 18 be the right answer lol. Anyway, I appreciate the heads up.

    Darrell KSR 03-21-2024, 04:30 PM Go to last post