April 5, 2003
Following a disappointing showing during the Kentucky football team’s first practice in pads on Wednesday, Coach Rich Brooks was much more pleased with the Wildcats’ two-hour, five-minute workout Saturday at the Nutter Training Facility.
“This is the best one (practice) we’ve had,” Brooks said. “We were a better football team today. Plays were made on both sides of the ball and we made fewer mistakes.
“We’ve handled it reasonably to this point,” Brooks said of his team’s ability to pick up the new offensive and defensive systems. “By and large, we’ve picked it up pretty well.”
Practice concluded with a 30-minute team period in which both of Kentucky’s quarterbacks, senior Jared Lorenzen and junior Shane Boyd, looked impressive. The quarterbacks alternated plays during the team period. Lorenzen, the incumbent starter, completed five-of-seven passes and added a nifty run on a QB keeper. Boyd completed all five of his passes, including two long aerials, a 41-yard throw to junior wide receiver Tommy Cook and a 30-yard dart to senior wide receiver Chris Bernard. Boyd also ran the ball well, as he got in some plays at tailback in addition to quarterback.
Fullback Ronald “Rock” Johnson had the biggest play of the day. Finding a crease on a misdirection play, Johnson showed good speed by outracing the secondary for a 70-yard touchdown run.
The best moment from the defense came when junior nose tackle Ellery Moore diagnosed a screen pass and leveled freshman wide receiver Maurice Marchman immediately after the catch. Marchman also showed his toughness by hanging on to the ball following Moore’s big hit.
One discordant note came in the punting game as the Wildcats have been inconsistent in seeking to replace departed long snapper Coleman Barnes and All-America punter Glenn Pakulak.
“I’m not very happy with our snapping and punting,” Brooks said. “It’s a good thing we don’t play (a game) tomorrow.”
The Wildcats have completed four of the 15 practices allowed during the spring. The team returns to the Nutter Training Facility practice field Monday at 2:25 p.m.
– UK –
