UK’s Ahmed Wagner Can Now Shed Afterthought Loyalty

By: LONNY DEMAREE

After the end of an interview session with wide receiver Ahmad Wagner, he was ask who the winner was in his basketball-bracket. He quickly responded Kentucky and as he was walking away and he slipped in Iowa University, also (laughs).
You see Wagner played one year of high school football and he decided to go to Iowa and use his 6-foot-6 frame to play basketball. In playing only one year of football in high school he was still rates a 4-star recruit. Several bigtime programs were recruiting him for football. When he decided to cast his lot on the hardwood to the chagrin and head scratching at his decision.

“Big Dog” (Vince Marrow) stayed on him and said he knew his coach and said to ask the coach if there was any inkling Wagner was having second thoughts to inform him. Ala, Wagner a UK football player.

The young man and the UK coaches said he used last season to re-acclimate himself to football and especially college football. His one big contribution last season was at Missouri inside their ten-yard line he was inserted into the game and he ran a post-corner route. He made a great catch going out of bounds in the end-zone in which a defensive pass interference was call on Missouri. The Wildcats received one more play with no time on the clock and Terry Wilson connected with C. J. Conrad on another out route for the winning touchdown.

Wagner was targeted four times last season and drew pass interference call on three of the four times. We ask Wagner how those came about and he said he did nothing special. He said it’s just that when the defensive back sees him lined up out there they immediate realized they have to get up into his body and they get there to quick.

Mark Stoops said he saw some good things on both side of the ball in the Saturday Scrimmage. “It was really good to see Ahmad (Wagner) made some really big plays today and got the ball down the field,” Stoops seemingly in a pleasing way, said. “He made some nice catches. I think he will have a big impact just getting his feet back under him.” Stoops said he certainly made a big impact last year alluding to the key player in winning the Missouri game. He was big without having any stats, Stoops said.

Stoops said that you look at the receivers collectively in the six practices he said they are definitely further ahead of where they were last year.

With the Tennessee Vols holding off the Iowa Hawkeyes that came from twenty-five points down Iowa was attempting a miraculous comeback but came up short in overtime 83-77. Now Wagner can get fully on board for the UK basketball ride.