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Cody Quinn
The University of Kentucky cornerbacks are in a survival mode looking for a life raft after last season’s shipwreck. The pure nature of the position continuously puts them on an island. What they need is a compass and a short memory of the last monsoon that passed through.
To say the least Cats football defense is in dire need of playmakers at the corners and the secondary as a whole. This deficiency in huge part led to a 52.2% opponent’s third conversion rate. The stat rated last in the bottom of the SEC. Injuries took a toll on the on the secondary forcing several true freshmen into action. This is a recipe for disaster in the strongest conference in the country. The good news is they got a baptism under intense fire. This year a still shallow in secondary depth and corners in particular is looking to right the ship.
Cody Quinn was one of the cornerbacks that were thrown into the fire as a true freshman. In an interview session today we talked to Quinn about being stranded out on the lonely island. “I held my own though,” the ebullient db said. “I was paddling hard trying to get back to the rescue ship.” He said he’s learning how to play defensive back and not just going out there and guarding a man. “It’s like knowing where my help is and knowing where to be more physical.” He said he likes the defense better because it simpler and not a lot of calls and checks just go out there and play football.” He said he got stronger over the summer and improve his speed, too. “It’s serious to,” he said (laughing).
What was Head coach Mark Stoops’ impression of the secondary after spring practice? He said he they were average at best. In Monday’s presser defensive coordinator D. J. Eliot said they needed to improve their fundamentals.
J. D. Harmon is ineligible and given that unfortunate occurrence true freshmen Jaleel Hytchye and Blake McClain are going to get on the field right out of the gate. The only other experienced cornerback is Fred Tiller. McClain was a Joker Phillips recruit and he said he was recruited by Mark Stoops for Florida State but he was one-percent Kentucky. When Stoops got the job at Kentucky McClain said he felt he got the best of both worlds. He liked Kentucky and the other coach that impressed him most in the recruiting process. We asked McClain about having to play early in the SEC? “Football is football,” he confidently said. “Coming Florida that’s all we know. I played against plenty guys that play in the SEC. I realize the speed will change and something I will adjust to but again to me football is football. They strap it up the same way I do.”
Fred Tiller said he feels more ready to meet the challenge this season and the experience he gained trying survive on that island. His survival kit contains footwork, hip rotation, how to recognize routes by receiver formations. So the goal is to get off the field on third down at a higher rate.
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