By LARRY VAUGHT
LEXINGTON — No matter what he’s asked to do, Kentucky junior linebacker Ryan Flannigan will gladly do it.
“I am incredibly happy just t be here,” said the junior college transfer who was ranked among the nation’s top 100 junior college players by Rivals.com. “I am happy to be with the team. Happy to be working with them during fall camp. I came late, so I am just happy to be here. I am soaking it up and doing whatever I can do.”
Flannigan didn’t get to UK until Aug. 1 because of academic issues that were not cleared by the NCAA in time for him to enroll in summer school. However, he’s made up for lost time quickly because he prepared hard during the summer, including regular quizzes from defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot.
“Physically, I am prepared. I just have to get everything down mentally,” Flannigan, who missed most of last season with an injury, said. “That is all I am focused on. Plays, learning, that is it. I couldn’t get the plays at home because I didn’t have a coach. I was trying my hardest, but I am here now and getting it down
“I only played three games at safety last year after playing linebacker my first year. That is another thing that I have to get back in shape and get used to it. But I am just happy to be back where I have not played in a while due to injury. So really I am just soaking it all in and loving every minute of everything.”
He’s not had any trouble getting along with new teammates.
“We are bonding good. Everybody is cool. No tension or anything. I still got to meet some people, know some people. But everybody I have been cool with. The whole defense has taken me in and helped with plays. They ask every day how I am getting the plays. This teammate thing is working out good,” he said. “Practice has been pretty easy physically. It’s just the plays and tempo that are my main concerns. Everything else is just stuff we have been through.
“I just have to be ready for first game. It is three weeks, but it is a job now. It’s the SEC. You have to be ready, so I can’t complain. It is what it is.”
Flannigan, ranked as one of the nation’s top 200 players by ESPN during his final prep season in Texas, is even anxious for classes to start.
“I can’t wait to see everybody on campus. My junior college was way smaller than this. I am probably going to get lost walking around campus, but I will be happy with that since I made it out of juco (junior college),” he said. “I have not really seen much of Lexington. I have been to shop for my room and things. I have not explored the town of Lexington yet. I have been focused on football too much.”
He’s rooming with cornerback Jaleel Hytchye and offensive lineman Ramsey Meyers, two players he did not know.
“We are bonding and getting along just fine since the first day I moved in. Everything has been cool. They showed me around the place. I ride with them to practice every morning. They are great to me,” Flannigan said. “It was just random putting me with them. I didn’t know or ask. They just placed me there. I was fine with it. Wherever I moved into, I was fine. I just wanted to be here.”
He has enjoyed numerous media interviews. With UK hoping he can work into the playing rotation, he’s been in demand often for interviews.
“That is fun. I like that a lot. I like answering questions,” he said. “I just like it. Put it like that. We didn’t get much of that in juco. I like the attention but I really want to put forth the effort first before I start making big moves in the media. I want to earn my credibility with my play not my talking.”
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