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Raymond Sanders, Kentucky’s most experienced running back, likes the opportunities he will get in new offensive coordinator Neal Brown’s system this season.
“I am going to be able to have more explosive plays, more longer runs. I will get the ball in space more, so I will be able to make a lot more guys miss and seal some blocks,” said Sanders. “It is going to be a fun year. I am looking to have big games either running or receiving. He uses backs in different ways. He wants to get us in space and he has ways of moving us around and creating mismatches and that’s what we want for an advantage to make big plays.
“Expectations are really high. Everyone wants to win every game, but you have to take it one game at a time and just try to be successful each game. That has been everything we have been preaching this summer and how you can’t look ahead or past anyone. We just want to improve from last year and make this year a lot, lot better.”
Kentucky went only 2-10 last season and coach Joker Phillips and his staff were fired after three non-winning seasons. Sanders says the players are ready for what lies ahead with coach Mark Stoops and his staff.,
“I think once we got that little break (after the season) everyone was ready for whatever was happening. We were ready for the (coaching) change. We knew what was coming. It was a tough season, but we can’t dwell on that. We have to let that go and use this positive energy to move forward,” Sanders said. “You were a little bit nervous over the new coach, but you know you have no control over that. There is no input from you. Nothing from the players. We were just hoping he (UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart) would pick a good guy. As players we just wanted a good coach and then we made sure we bought into the system and not let the process hinder us. A lot of guys have gotten stronger and faster. This program needs the strength, power and speed you will see now.
“The fans are back, too. When you walk down the Cat Walk and see lines and lines of people at the spring game, it was like, ‘Wow.’ You start thinking about the season and how the fans will be and how they can get excited. It gets you excited to know they were supporting you again because the last few games (last season) there were not 50,000 there. We are excited to prove to them we can win.
“I never thought about a spring game crowd like that. To see that just shows they wanted to be there, they want to support us and it is up to us to keep them there. I think they should expect us to win. No fans should expect their team to lose. They should be proud of their team and it is up to us to do the best we can. We want them to keep cheering us on and we are going to keep working to give them a fun season.”
With the season-ending injury running back Josh Clemons suffered, that puts more weight on Sanders to perform — and lead — a young and not overly deep backfield.
“It was a big blow losing him. He is our friend, our brother. He had been working hard. He had his confidence and speed and was getting better (after being hurt last year). We knew how hard he worked and how much he put into it. It was just heartbreaking after he put so much work in to see him get hurt,” Sanderss said. “The depth in the backfield, we all push each other and make each other better. I feel like a lot of guys can come in and get it done. Everyone wants to be the best back or be part of the best backfield in the nation and that is what we are pushing toward and what we compete for every day.
“I already wanted to be that guy and the guy who touched the ball more. In the SEC, you always need two or three backs that can carry the ball. Not saying that those other guys can’t do it. All of us have to contribute. To see him go down was hard. We are all going to pick it up. He will be there supporting us and his eyes will also be there to help and making sure we doing the correct things on the field. He will see things that we can’t see and that will help.”
Sanders expects sophomore Dyshawn Mobley to help offset Clemons’ loss.
“He is just getting stronger and faster. He is used to game speed now. As a freshman, things are not as slow as you want them to be. Now I can see he is able to catch on quicker. He is a power back with speed and a great guy to be around. He will be good this year,” Sanders said.
True freshman JoJo Kemp has also impressed Sanders during summer workouts.
“ JoJo is a real good guy. He comes out and works hard,” Sanders said. “He had a good summer and he’s learning. He anxious and he’s out there asking me and JonJon (George) questions and is a guy that wants to learn, I always want to help. He just has to keep coming along, keep learning and keep asking questions and he will be fine.”
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