No Spring Game Thread?

[StuBleedsBlue2]

I guess the game being on live and it being a beautiful day in most places, there's not much interest.

After the debacle of last season, I vowed to turn off UK football until August. However, me having a problem solving mentality, I can't help but assess the changes that were made off-season and realize that everything that needed to be done was, so it's sucked me back in, for at least a day.

I have to admit, I was very happy with one play in particular. After falling down by 3 to the backups, and coming off an interception that led to a TD, Barker went into the 2-minute drill, moved the ball down the field, and on 3rd and 8, nailed it right down the middle to Conrad for the score, and taking a big hit.

Receivers making catches. Timmons with a long TD catch. A lot of the frustrating things we didn't see, we are seeing today. Still a long way to go, but if you had a checklist of things to see in a game like this, we're checking them off.

[BigBluePappy]

Am in a place where I can't watch it live, but I have been able catch a few things and will watch the DVR. Thanks.

[Doc]

It was a pretty good showing. Some positives for sure. Barker looked confident and played well as did S. Johnson so the QB and backup spots look to be in good shape. S. King looked real good with some strong running and break out speed. Conrad played very well so hopefully we will be utilizing the TE position more this year.

On the negative side, still too many dropped balls by the receivers. Way to hard to evaluate the pass rush due to the rules (no contact on the QB's so it was basically "one hand touch" and the QB was down).

[StuBleedsBlue2]

It was a pretty good showing. Some positives for sure. Barker looked confident and played well as did S. Johnson so the QB and backup spots look to be in good shape. S. King looked real good with some strong running and break out speed. Conrad played very well so hopefully we will be utilizing the TE position more this year.

On the negative side, still too many dropped balls by the receivers. Way to hard to evaluate the pass rush due to the rules (no contact on the QB's so it was basically "one hand touch" and the QB was down).

After I posted, the dropped balls spiked.

I thought Hoak looked pretty good too. I still feel all in all that we got most of what we were looking for.

The new practice facility looks pretty sweet too.

[KMSBball]

I'm usually a very positive person. And I remind myself that it's a Spring game. We're there bright spots? Yes. CJ Conrad, Gunner Hoak, Siheem King, Ryan Timmons and a few others had decent showings. But too many dropped balls, over thrown passes, defensive breakdowns occurred IMO. With the very tough schedule this team faces I don't see a happy ending. A bowl game will be a miracle.

[dan_bgblue]

I paid particular attention to #69, the "Kentucky Doughboy", and he has not improved one bit over last season. He still stands straight up out of the stance and does the sumo wrestler move of bumping bellies and just gets neutralized or influenced to move out of the way. Running backs just blow right by him. As for a pass rush from him, it is nonexistent. He might be useful in a 7 man goal line set where he is supposed to just try and occupy the center, clog the middle and let the other 6 do the work, but otherwise he is a waste of oxygen on the field.

Sorry, that is probably overly harsh, but his lack of efforts to get in playing shape, take the coaching he is being given, and translate that instruction to the field just chaps my butt.

[KMSBball]

I paid particular attention to #69, the "Kentucky Doughboy", and he has not improved one bit over last season. He still stands straight up out of the stance and does the sumo wrestler move of bumping bellies and just gets neutralized or influenced to move out of the way. Running backs just blow right by him. As for a pass rush from him, it is nonexistent. He might be useful in a 7 man goal line set where he is supposed to just try and occupy the center, clog the middle and let the other 6 do the work, but otherwise he is a waste of oxygen on the field.

Sorry, that is probably overly harsh, but his lack of efforts to get in playing shape, take the coaching he is being given, and translate that instruction to the field just chaps my butt.

Dan did they even mention his name once today? I don't recall them talking about Elam at all.

[BigBluePappy]

Not Dan but watching the DVR of it now, and they mentioned the lack of pursuit of the quarterback.
Basically, even thought it is no contact on the QB, he needs to get out of the mindset of letting up...

Helluva thing to have stick out about you...

[dan_bgblue]

Pappy is right. I think it was the 2nd or 3rd series and Johnson broke contain out of the pocket and ran by Elam. Elam turned as if to pursue Johnson and made a couple of steps and just stopped in his tracks. Announcers were not impressed with his lack of effort at all. That is the only time I can remember his name being mentioned.

[catmanjack]

Sorry Elam is just a big boy nothing more.
But he did have an Alabama offer.

[BigBluePappy]

Dropped balls are also very prevalent...

[dan_bgblue]

I guess they just need more work with the 3 pound football

[CitizenBBN]

Sorry but UK football versus Keeneland? No contest.

Of course I wasn't doing that either, but honestly about anything else would win out esp. on such a nice day. Sorry to be such a downer, but I didn't even think about it till I checked in here. I dont' figure to learn much in this game, and they haven't had enough time to really do much fixing anyway with the new coaches. We won't know till the game start if we have really made improvement.

[BigBluePappy]

I guess they just need more work with the 3 pound football

I thought the same thing, sir.
Sure seemed like a bunch that hit them right in the cabbage grabbers and then went wobbling to the earth.
I honestly would run the stew out of them; drop a ball, do a timed lap around the field.
Be the most fit receiving corp in the nation.

I did see some hints of some promise, but we still have a looong way to go in the fall...

Watched the DVR again without all the distractions and saw some positives, but not enough to be gushing about, especially after watching some of the other spring games.

[BigBluePappy]

Oh, and for all the dropped balls, there were at least that many instances of sloppy tackling.
Do the same for the defense, at least we will have a defense that can run.
I saw maybe six, good solid, form tackles and the rest were the same old just trying to knock somebody off their feet with a shoulder...

I am going to bed before I talk myself out of any hope for the season.

[MickintheHam]

Sorry but UK football versus Keeneland? No contest.

Of course I wasn't doing that either, but honestly about anything else would win out esp. on such a nice day. Sorry to be such a downer, but I didn't even think about it till I checked in here. I dont' figure to learn much in this game, and they haven't had enough time to really do much fixing anyway with the new coaches. We won't know till the game start if we have really made improvement.

Went down to the distillry district this afternoon. There was big crowd there. Traffic on Richmond Rd was backed up two miles to get into Jacobson Park for the kite festival and Keeneland had a heavy crowd. Didn't see the practice game, but I am sure we'll get reports of stadium having 30k.

[BigBluePappy]

Lower levels and end zones appeared to have a decent crowd, upper levels vacant.
Not as many as his first year and given the recent performance, not too bad of a showing.

The fans are looking for a good product on the field; until and when we do it 1/2 capacity will be the norm.
Lord help us when we put a consistent winner on the field again...

[truecatsfan]

If i was guessing there was 18000 there.

[Terry Blue]

Lots more negative impressions here than anywhere else. I put out a summary to my email group and it was overall positive. Listed attendance was 28k plus and I would imagine that was tickets distributed. I was sitting 24 rows from the field but guessed 20 to 25. UL, btw, listed a paltry 16. I ll give you a more realistic evaluation. It was by far the most impressive spring game in the Stoops Era. No we,re not Bama but overall for the Spring it was pretty cleanly played and our depth of talent continues to grow. There was NOT an abundance of dropped passes, heck Barker was 12 of 18 and Johnson was 6 of 11. Some passes were catchable but very few drops right in the bread basket
We had 3 receivers who will probably be in the rotation out too. Baker, Bone, Montgomery. No Boom but Kemp and King looked very good. Pass rush candidates are Ware and Jordo Jones. Conrad and Hart good looking tight ends
Other 2 guys I was with also had overall favorable impressions. Dline probably biggest questionark. Think Oline will be much improved. Even the commentators said they thought we had a bowl team.

[catmanjack]

It all comes down to winning games!
I do not compare UK to UL never have.

[Terry Blue]

Well, they've beaten us what 5 straight games, so if you want to ignore that's fine. If we're going to play them, which I never wanted to in the first place, we need to start beating them 75% of the time. We had three top 100 recruits of the 2017 class there.

[Terry Blue]

See my thread on Freddie Maggard