Gameday Cats Lair

By: LONNY DEMAREE

This Senior Day for 18-Cats. this season has been peppered with mental setback after setback.

When you look back on the mental and physical grind this Wildcat team has endured, it had to be a life's learning experience.

Phil Hoskins said - "I learned to be grateful. My season got taken away last year. I know it could have been snatched away through injury or Covid.
This has been exhausting and the fact we are still out there grinding just shows the character of these guys."

Hoskins said he wants to see his brother compete against the Gamecocks. "I want to see my brothers going as hard as they can."

"Everybodys going to look back at 2020 as a year like no other," Eddie Gran said.

Gran was asked about how he sees the progress of tight end Keaton Upshaw. "His potential is through the roof," Gran said. "He has vertical speed and makes contested catches.

"Keaton (Upshaw) is able to make big plays," Stoops said.

It had to be pleasing to see sophomore Quinton Wilson walk across that stage and get honored with his degree. "Quinton (Wilson) is a good player," Stoops said. He said they work him at the center and at guard. Wilson is the heir apparent to Drake Jackson.

Jamar "Boogie " Watson is only a half a sack from moving into fourth place on the all-time sacks list.

Speaking of a player that has been through some hardships, Isaiah Epps has finally climbed to the top of the depth chart at the "z" receiver. The Jenks High School native has had two surgeries on his foot (fifth metatarsal bone).

Stoops said he been through more different times than this.