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  • VAUGHT: Stoops will be hands-on with Kentucky secondary this year

    By LARRY VAUGHT

    Kentucky has to basically replace its top five secondary players off last year's 10-3 team -- a much bigger concern than even replacing national defensive player of the year Josh Allen and all-time leading rusher Benny Snell Jr. for coach Mark Stoops and his staff.

    Kentucky has players that were in backup roles last year in the secondary that Stoops believes can do what the team needs -- except they lack the experience his senior defensive backs had last year.

    "There's no replacing that experience. We had the opportunity to watch a lot of those secondary guys. We had the ability to watch them go through the ups and the downs, and they grow and they mature," Stoops said.

    "It was unique to have that amount of experience in our secondary with one group. And that is hard to replace. I feel like we have some inside guys -- some nickels, dimes, safeties -- that have played, that got their feet wet. Outside of corner, that's going to be the biggest issue with the experience out there."

    Cedrick Dort could be one of those rising stars that UK needs. He played two years ago before redshirting in 2018.

    "He would have been the fourth corner last year, but he got a severe high ankle sprain late in camp and missed most of the season. And we had those veterans that you were talking about, and so we were able to redshirt him," Stoops said.

    "We get him back, he's played some. Brandin Echols comes in from junior college, so he has some experience as well. Jamari Brown is guy that redshirted a year ago that has the physical tools to be successful."

    Stoops is not only a former defensive coordinator, but he was also a secondary coach and keeps his hand on that position at UK and certainly will this year. He will be looking for ways to hide the secondary's inexperience against high-powered offenses but knows there's only so much schemes can do and then players simply have to make plays.

    "There are ways you could try to protect a corner here and there in the way you go about your defenses, but not always," Stoops said. "Let's face it. That's a position where they're going to be on an island and you have to win some one-on-one battles.

    "There's just no getting around it. So there's times you can protect and help and lean, but then there's times when you have to win."
    Comments 18 Comments
    1. Catfan73's Avatar
      Catfan73 -
      Our secondary this year might be the one unit that holds us back but I’m hoping we can pressure opposing quarterbacks enough to take some pressure off our corners. Teams will probably beat us deep a few times but I’m betting we’re a lot better in that department ourselves this year.
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      Inexperienced yes, less talented, yet to be seen. In some cases the replacements are higher ranked than the departed
    1. BigBluePappy's Avatar
      BigBluePappy -
      Quote Originally Posted by MickintheHam View Post
      Secondary should be a concern of every UK fan.
      I wake up in a cold sweat just thinking about it, but you play with what you have and try to scheme the heck out of the opponent. Hope they are good enough to win the first few and take advantage of the OJT.

      Either way, I can't wait to hear pads a poppin'!
      Go Big Blue!
    1. blueboss's Avatar
      blueboss -
      Scary, deep completions, or yellow laundry laying on the field... either way, I hope Stoops can shore it up before the SEC exploits the heck out of us down field.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Stoops teams are very conservative in rushing the passer which will leave the secondary on an island.
      Quote Originally Posted by Catfan73 View Post
      Our secondary this year might be the one unit that holds us back but I’m hoping we can pressure opposing quarterbacks enough to take some pressure off our corners. Teams will probably beat us deep a few times but I’m betting we’re a lot better in that department ourselves this year.
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Higher ranked mean zero in this case it’s the experience I want in the SEC.
      Quote Originally Posted by Terry Blue View Post
      Inexperienced yes, less talented, yet to be seen. In some cases the replacements are higher ranked than the departed
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      The only way you gain experience is to play. We have 3 experts working with them:Stoops, Hood, Clinkscale
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue -
      If they are not in class, or studying for class, they need to be in the weight room, running sprints, and most important of all living in the film room with their position coach. I don't care what their ranking was if they do not have the game prep between their ears, they will be lost most of the season.
    1. Catfan73's Avatar
      Catfan73 -
      Quote Originally Posted by catmanjack View Post
      Stoops teams are very conservative in rushing the passer which will leave the secondary on an island.
      I don’t agree with this at all. He may not like to blitz a lot but he certainly likes to get after the qb in passing situations.
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Straight 4 man rushing is very conservative and leaves your secondary in isolation which leads to too much time and open receivers.
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      Actually teams just rush the front 4 so there are more defensive players to cover receivers. Blitzing lbs and dbs leaves a team vulnerable to receptions if you don't get to the QB
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Just watch I know you are the only true football fan, if you do not get pressure on the QB which stoops teams very rarely blitz your young secondary will get eaten alive in the SEC.
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      We will blitz but it is much better if you can get pressure on the QB with the front 4. Watch how Alabama plays defense.
    1. ShoesSwayedBlue's Avatar
      ShoesSwayedBlue -
      UK almost always brings four, and rarely more than five. The key is that after the down three on regular downs and the down two on passing downs the offense never really knows who is coming.
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Alabama has pro defensive linemen and depth, no comparison.
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      Missouri thought we were pretty good last year when they couldn't get a first down forever last year
    1. Catfan73's Avatar
      Catfan73 -
      Back to the secondary, the loss of Richardson hurts but he figured to primarily play nickel and we still have Jordan Griffin. I worry about depth at corner more but if we can stay healthy there I think we’ll be okay. Those are some of our highest rated recruits the last few years. They just need to get their feet wet and we start out with two MAC schools before we start SEC play. We’ll know pretty quick what to expect.
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR -
      Quote Originally Posted by Catfan73 View Post
      Back to the secondary, the loss of Richardson hurts but he figured to primarily play nickel and we still have Jordan Griffin. I worry about depth at corner more but if we can stay healthy there I think we’ll be okay. Those are some of our highest rated recruits the last few years. They just need to get their feet wet and we start out with two MAC schools before we start SEC play. We’ll know pretty quick what to expect.
      Good perspective.
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