What the Crystal Ball Picks in Creating the Pressure?

By: LONNY DEMAREE

There are several predictions on circulating floating around the BBN, the South, and ESPN.
ESPN traditionally grades Kentucky football the hardest but even they are softening. So we now here at Kentucky Sports offer our analysis. In a previous I prediction I said 8-4 and trending – now I say speeding.

Super Senior’s
Mark Stoops said he had never used that term before, but they he said they have 6-super seniors – Josh Paschal, Yusuf Corker, Marquan McCall, Davonte Robinson, Tyrell Again, DeAndre Square. He said – “They bring a wealth of experience, been to bowl games, and give us great balance.
“Me being a defensive guy, there’s nothing more aggravating than having a team line up and run the ball down your throat.”

Ball control

UK has exercised great ball control over the last three years. Stoop would want nothing more than to continue that ball control. The big difference being how they do it? He brought Liam Coen to agascerbate that control by creating an offense that will bring about second and third down shorts on the offense. That as we all know starts in the offensive line (Big Blue Wall). Coen said he wants a quarterback that can run the whole show. “We will practice and evaluate then Coach Stoops and I will talk about it,” Coen said.

The Big Blue Wall

Stoops is high on the new offensive line coach Eric Wolford. He said they have a lot of guys waiting in the wing. John Schlarman’s name will live in eternity and Wolford will not attempt to duplicate it. His mission is to carve out his own identity for the offensive line. He has a great start in the mission. Its reputation built here was a big part of why he wound up at Kentucky. Stoops singled out Jeremy Flax today at the Woodford Reserve Kickoff Luncheon. “Flax is a big strong guy,” Stoops said. In the spring Coen said he was the cornerstone on that right side offensive tackle. I concur because he was one I requested three weeks ago in a telephone interview. Eli Cox is ready to take that next step, as well as Austin Dotson. So where does that leave All-American Dare Rosenthal?

Leadership

Stoops said that the leadership in the team is stronger than it’s ever been. Younger guys have to be authentic and find their own way. Cornerback Carrington Valentine’s name seems to surface every time the defense is mentioned. Coach Brad said you see that development each and every week. Paschal, Corker, Square, and McCall show the way. There’s a saying that competition makes cowards of us all.

Newcomers

Player development coach Courtney Love is excited to get freshmen linebackers Martez Thrower and Trevin Wallace on the field in fall practice. “I like both of these players maturity and skills,” Love said. “Wallace is a stud in his versatility not only as a linebacker but the ability to do so many different thing athletically - speed – running back - defensive back – power lifter – long jumper – vertical jump – and triple jump.” Again Love mentioned Carrington.